(written by Mary)
Hello friends,
I
apologize that we haven't updated for a while. We've been in limbo and
haven't really known how to share the process of navigating all the
frustrating little ups and downs.
Here's the short version of what's been happening:
About 2 and 1/2 months ago, we felt that God told us "I've given you what you need, it's time to go."
At the same time, Ben discovered that he had a hernia.
Mary took over Ben's work at the bamboo farm, while he began sorting out visa and work permit applications.
We thought we had things sorted out and were good to go.
About
two weeks before our scheduled flights on the 3rd of May, we learned
that the PNG Embassy in the U.S. can't process work visas - it has to be
done in PNG.
We delayed our flights. Papers and phone calls started buzzing over the Pacific.
It turns out, the PNG department of labor just moved its office and has no office phones connected.
After
days of hunting down numbers and being bounced around, we finally got a
hold of the personal number of the head of the DLIR and learned that
it's not enough to have a sponsor in country and a sending organization
in the States.
Our work visas were not just delayed - they weren't going to happen!
One
bright point in all of this, the Yamano (our people in PNG) discovered
that they already have an association set up, they just haven't done
anything with it for a few decades.
We learned that we could still make our flights with tourist visas - extendable to 90 days.
Soooooooo....
Here's the plan (unless God decides differently, which is totally possible):
We
are flying for PNG on the 17th (tomorrow!). We'll spend three months in
country strictly as tourists (that means no work, just language
learning and making friends - which, coincidentally, is what we were
planning on doing initially anyway).
During that time we're hoping to figure out with the Yamano folks how to get our work permits processed.
We have ideas about how things will proceed from there, but only God knows.
Ben
and I have been on a steep learning curve. We may have made every
mistake in the book during this process. We learned along the way, that
we don't handle stress and displacement as fantastically as we might
have hoped (good to have the heads up though)!
We are thankful that
while we were delayed, God blessed the time with opportunities to
connect and say goodby to friends and family in the Portland area.
These
last few weeks have been humbling. We are once again on a short rope,
with God only giving us the next step. We are more aware than ever of
our flaws and foolishness. While we were packing up our little cottage, a
friend was somewhat jokingly saying, "No matter how badly you mess
things up, God will accomplish His plans." Well, we're hanging our hats
on that now!
Thank you all for praying and hanging in there with us through this
time. We are so deeply grateful for the amazing people God has placed in
our lives (that means you!).
Lord willing, our next update will be from Papua New Guinea.
Love and Blessings!
The Grimm Crowd
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Monday, March 27, 2017
Countdown
23Mar17
(written by Ben)
Hello again friends.
It has been a long while since we last updated you and a number of developments have occurred. I should first thank all of you who have chosen to stand with us in this journey, to give counsel, to encourage, to pray and to share your needs. Mary and I are humbled to be honored with this task from our King. We are likewise humbled that so many friends have risen to the call and been so very strong when we were unable to see a way forward. God has blessed this path and is continuing to point the way forward into even more uncertainty, danger, and difficulty.
While all the challenges are real, those of you who know us well understand the irony of my statement about what lies ahead. Mary and I absolutely love adventure and are eager to jump into the great plan laid out for us with the Yamano people. So I state simply: the time has come.
We are finalizing our budget with Word Made Flesh well below what we originally planned for two reasons: First and foremost, our prayer for an answer about when to leave was answered overnight in not one but THREE conversations: I've given you what you need, Go! Each talk was with Christians who didn’t know one another and whose faith we trusted. Needless to say, we heard a message loud and clear. In talking with our team, we have encountered no good reasons to pause. This is great news. It means that our understanding of what we were told is clear, that we have enough, that God is commanding us to trust Him for the unknown quantities, and that we have the support of our community and our leaders. It is with a sense of great relief I can say “We are certain of our path”.
The details look like this: We will be going to PNG for about a year. After this first term we will revisit the 5 year project manager contract with Word Made Flesh. Our actual expenses are quite small and we will be performing the due diligence to fit what we need into about $1000 a month. There will be little room for extras, as has been our template in all things from Him. We plan on adding things like a retirement, life insurance, and project costs as secondary expenses later when we have better established what we will be doing in Baku village with the Yamano people. Our leave date hinges on a few hurdles: first, our work permits must be approved, visas will be issued contingent upon the work permits, and then we have to line up plane tickets. Given past experience, God has made a track record of rushing so I expect nothing less than a miraculous turnaround on our applications.
Allow me to encourage you as you read this: your prayers have been heard and answered in intricate detail beyond even what my prying and study have found. It is a great thing that we all serve the same God who is capable of coordinating fractious people like us.
In other news, I (Benjamin) have discovered a hernia and been scheduled for surgery on the 7th of April. This has been a terrifying moment for me and constitutes my greatest fear. I was wracked with tear-wrenching doubt about my ability to provide for Mary and Joya on that discovery. I was able to control my thoughts, yet I was still afraid. I made sure to declare my surrender to God’s will, whether He would heal me or no. And though I did my best to let go this last part of me that I held sacred, I was still afraid.
But God was there too: Mary was able to seamlessly transition with me to switch roles. Orders at the farm were strong the last few weeks which allowed her to work as much as she wanted. In fact, between feeding Joya at night and working during the day she got more than she expected. Not only that, but we both found a new appreciation for what the other person does all day. I also do not feel so useless since now I can keep busy and do something meaningful. God also allowed me to get seen, diagnosed, scanned and scheduled for surgery in very short order. This was a relief from potential weeks of dead wait time.
Moving forward, I will have several months of recovery time, some of which I will be doing in PNG. Please keep me in your prayers for a speedy recovery, not because I hold sacred the wholeness of my body or even because I doubt my ability to serve God with less than a complete body. Pray because I want to show the world that God can work in this too. Pray because He knows our fears and comforts us with His plans.
May God bless and keep you, may He make His presence felt to you in dark places, may His sword stand ready over you and His shield protect you. Do all He commands you and do not fear; the God who made the earth and heaven delights in you.
In His Grace,
The Grimm Clan
(written by Ben)
Hello again friends.
While all the challenges are real, those of you who know us well understand the irony of my statement about what lies ahead. Mary and I absolutely love adventure and are eager to jump into the great plan laid out for us with the Yamano people. So I state simply: the time has come.
We are finalizing our budget with Word Made Flesh well below what we originally planned for two reasons: First and foremost, our prayer for an answer about when to leave was answered overnight in not one but THREE conversations: I've given you what you need, Go! Each talk was with Christians who didn’t know one another and whose faith we trusted. Needless to say, we heard a message loud and clear. In talking with our team, we have encountered no good reasons to pause. This is great news. It means that our understanding of what we were told is clear, that we have enough, that God is commanding us to trust Him for the unknown quantities, and that we have the support of our community and our leaders. It is with a sense of great relief I can say “We are certain of our path”.
The details look like this: We will be going to PNG for about a year. After this first term we will revisit the 5 year project manager contract with Word Made Flesh. Our actual expenses are quite small and we will be performing the due diligence to fit what we need into about $1000 a month. There will be little room for extras, as has been our template in all things from Him. We plan on adding things like a retirement, life insurance, and project costs as secondary expenses later when we have better established what we will be doing in Baku village with the Yamano people. Our leave date hinges on a few hurdles: first, our work permits must be approved, visas will be issued contingent upon the work permits, and then we have to line up plane tickets. Given past experience, God has made a track record of rushing so I expect nothing less than a miraculous turnaround on our applications.
Allow me to encourage you as you read this: your prayers have been heard and answered in intricate detail beyond even what my prying and study have found. It is a great thing that we all serve the same God who is capable of coordinating fractious people like us.
In other news, I (Benjamin) have discovered a hernia and been scheduled for surgery on the 7th of April. This has been a terrifying moment for me and constitutes my greatest fear. I was wracked with tear-wrenching doubt about my ability to provide for Mary and Joya on that discovery. I was able to control my thoughts, yet I was still afraid. I made sure to declare my surrender to God’s will, whether He would heal me or no. And though I did my best to let go this last part of me that I held sacred, I was still afraid.
But God was there too: Mary was able to seamlessly transition with me to switch roles. Orders at the farm were strong the last few weeks which allowed her to work as much as she wanted. In fact, between feeding Joya at night and working during the day she got more than she expected. Not only that, but we both found a new appreciation for what the other person does all day. I also do not feel so useless since now I can keep busy and do something meaningful. God also allowed me to get seen, diagnosed, scanned and scheduled for surgery in very short order. This was a relief from potential weeks of dead wait time.
Moving forward, I will have several months of recovery time, some of which I will be doing in PNG. Please keep me in your prayers for a speedy recovery, not because I hold sacred the wholeness of my body or even because I doubt my ability to serve God with less than a complete body. Pray because I want to show the world that God can work in this too. Pray because He knows our fears and comforts us with His plans.
May God bless and keep you, may He make His presence felt to you in dark places, may His sword stand ready over you and His shield protect you. Do all He commands you and do not fear; the God who made the earth and heaven delights in you.
In His Grace,
The Grimm Clan
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Hope
(written by Mary) Today is Joya's fourth monthiversary.
For her birth we received a number of beautiful handmade quilts and blankets. Because our little place has a hard time retaining heat, I hung some of them up over the larger windows.
One is a beautiful arrangement of greens, purples, and blues that always makes me think of peacocks. It was a gift from a woman at the ceramics studio I attended briefly this summer.
Joya absolutely loves it. As soon as she catches sight of it she begins to gurgle and coo. She'll go on talking to it for minutes at a time.
At the bottom of the quilt there is a special blessing:
"Welcome, Joya Tov. I give you the audacity of hope."
Those words catch at me every time I read them.
I have always struggled with trust - trusting people, trusting my husband, trusting God.
This season has been one for learning trust and the audacity of hope.
Joya is a manifestation of hope. Her middle name means good. Not just 'fine' but good as in complete, whole, beautiful.
Before I became pregnant, I wrestled with the idea of having children. It terrifies me to think of all of the pain in store for a new little person brought into this world - pain I cannot protect her from no matter how hard I try. It terrifies me to think of the days she will reject me and walk away with my heart trailing from her shoestrings (if she's wearing shoes). To put it simply - as a dear friend did for me - I did not trust the goodness of God.
God gently minded me that He is the giver of life, and it is in His hands and His heart to make a life good and beautiful. I have only the responsibility to love and obey.
During the summer while I was pregnant with Joya, a dear friend died terribly and without warning. Even as I walked under the burden of a new hope, this weight of grief buffeted my trembling conviction. With more urgency than ever before, I mined the scriptures and pleaded for answers.
Answers came, clear and incomprehensible.
God is good, when I do not see His goodness.
His plan is good, when I do not see how He could ever right the horrors that have taken place.
He is merciful, when I am in anguish and when those I love are being battered relentlessly.
There is a new thing growing in me.
It is faith - untethered to experience, exulting in its own audacity, powerful.
Now as we pace forward, waiting for God to say "Go!", old habits of anxiety play across the surface of my mind and heart. Deeper down, there is peace that thrums in resonance with this faith.
"I give you the audacity of hope."All of you who have met Joya have already met her incredible, gummy whole face smile.
Today, she laughed for the first time!
She is truly joyful, and she is our good gift from God in more ways than we can imagine.
Love and blessings to all of you.
Thank you for your prayers, support, and encouragement.
The Grimm Crowd
Friday, January 27, 2017
Slowly but Surely
(written by Mary)
January has been a joyful whirlwind of a month.
Each week has held something wonderful.
On the first Sunday of the year, we made a new friend. Ibi, from Nigeria, works for the UN as the resident artist. He facilitates peace talks, holds art therapy workshops, and shares the power of art with children and adults all around the world. His art work shouts of God's love, the hope of reconciliation and new life, and the heights, depths, humor, and magic of the human journey. We were so inspired and blessed by Ibi's simple, bold wisdom and joy-filled demeanor. Take a little time to check out his work. He has an artist page on FaceBook - Ibiyinka Alao. What a gift to meet such an amazing brother in Christ!
That first week of January, my dear friend came out to visit us from Colorado. We have known each other for over thirteen years and have witnessed each others ups and downs, the ins and outs of our stories. I remember her first home as a married woman and her first child. Now she has shared in this special season years later with Ben and I. I can always rely upon my friend to challenge my thinking. This visit did not disappoint. Late night conversations brought tears as well as laughter. Her visit left me with a deepened sense of God's unfailing love and purpose moving like a river underground.
The second week of January brought two wonderful blessings. We had the joy and privilege of being a part of a missions event at Foothills Household of Faith Church. We got to share about the vision for WMF-Papua New Guinea and hear other missionaries share their stories. We met Church planters from Mongolia, veteran missionaries to Asia and the Middle East, and a young man who will be working in Indonesia. It was inspiring to see God's hand at work across generations and continents - a reminder of His tremendous love for the world and His purpose to heal and redeem every part of our being. We serve a God who is with us and for us - Emmanuel.
The second part of the week, I had the immense blessing of reuniting with some of the amazing women from my undergraduate years at George Fox University. We spent the weekend sliding around on a frozen lake, hiking, laughing, and generally celebrating each other.
Joya met some more of her "Aunties" and got to show off her newest achievement - rolling over onto her tummy.
The third week of January, Ben and I went on a road trip. We got to see my sister in Portland, share our missions vision and reconnect with friends in Grants Pass, spend some time with good friends on the coast, share at my parent's Church in McMinnville, catch up with more friends, and attend Ben's cousin's wedding. We are so grateful for God's blessing on our fundraising efforts and for the love and support of all of our dear family and friends as well as the new friends we are making along the way. By some miracle, God has finagled it so that Ben is still able to work and take care of our family with all of this traveling and flexible scheduling. We are overwhelmed with His love and provision.
Now we are home again. This week we had a remote meeting with our executive director with WMF and got some things squared away as well as some preparation homework. We have roughly $1,800 in long term monthly support pledges - the goal is $3,200. We have funds set aside for our air fare and are working on our gear list. Slowly but surely, things are coming together!
Thank you to all of you wonderful people who have walked with us through thick and thin. We are grateful for your prayers, encouragement, advice, and support.
May God bless you with opportunities for obedience and growth. May you flourish in whatever ministry He has placed you in!
We love you all,
The Grimm Crowd
January has been a joyful whirlwind of a month.
Each week has held something wonderful.
On the first Sunday of the year, we made a new friend. Ibi, from Nigeria, works for the UN as the resident artist. He facilitates peace talks, holds art therapy workshops, and shares the power of art with children and adults all around the world. His art work shouts of God's love, the hope of reconciliation and new life, and the heights, depths, humor, and magic of the human journey. We were so inspired and blessed by Ibi's simple, bold wisdom and joy-filled demeanor. Take a little time to check out his work. He has an artist page on FaceBook - Ibiyinka Alao. What a gift to meet such an amazing brother in Christ!
That first week of January, my dear friend came out to visit us from Colorado. We have known each other for over thirteen years and have witnessed each others ups and downs, the ins and outs of our stories. I remember her first home as a married woman and her first child. Now she has shared in this special season years later with Ben and I. I can always rely upon my friend to challenge my thinking. This visit did not disappoint. Late night conversations brought tears as well as laughter. Her visit left me with a deepened sense of God's unfailing love and purpose moving like a river underground.
The second week of January brought two wonderful blessings. We had the joy and privilege of being a part of a missions event at Foothills Household of Faith Church. We got to share about the vision for WMF-Papua New Guinea and hear other missionaries share their stories. We met Church planters from Mongolia, veteran missionaries to Asia and the Middle East, and a young man who will be working in Indonesia. It was inspiring to see God's hand at work across generations and continents - a reminder of His tremendous love for the world and His purpose to heal and redeem every part of our being. We serve a God who is with us and for us - Emmanuel.
The second part of the week, I had the immense blessing of reuniting with some of the amazing women from my undergraduate years at George Fox University. We spent the weekend sliding around on a frozen lake, hiking, laughing, and generally celebrating each other.Joya met some more of her "Aunties" and got to show off her newest achievement - rolling over onto her tummy.
The third week of January, Ben and I went on a road trip. We got to see my sister in Portland, share our missions vision and reconnect with friends in Grants Pass, spend some time with good friends on the coast, share at my parent's Church in McMinnville, catch up with more friends, and attend Ben's cousin's wedding. We are so grateful for God's blessing on our fundraising efforts and for the love and support of all of our dear family and friends as well as the new friends we are making along the way. By some miracle, God has finagled it so that Ben is still able to work and take care of our family with all of this traveling and flexible scheduling. We are overwhelmed with His love and provision.
Now we are home again. This week we had a remote meeting with our executive director with WMF and got some things squared away as well as some preparation homework. We have roughly $1,800 in long term monthly support pledges - the goal is $3,200. We have funds set aside for our air fare and are working on our gear list. Slowly but surely, things are coming together!
Thank you to all of you wonderful people who have walked with us through thick and thin. We are grateful for your prayers, encouragement, advice, and support.
May God bless you with opportunities for obedience and growth. May you flourish in whatever ministry He has placed you in!
We love you all,
The Grimm Crowd
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
It's 2017!
(Written by Mary.)Happy New Year, dear friends!
2016 was full of surprises, blessings, and challenges. I am curious and excited about what this coming year will hold.
January is a special month for our family. It was on January 1st, 2014 that Ben proposed to me. In 2016, we met the recruiter for Word Made Flesh, we started going to the Church we are now so blessed to be members of, and little Joya's life began all in the month of January.
Now our beautiful little girl is almost three months old. Ben is an EMT. I officially have my Masters in Linguistics. And we have the funds for our Romania training trip as well as half of our monthly support for Papua New Guinea raised ($1,500 to go). God has been kind to us in a multitude of ways.
I know last year was very hard for many though. We continue to grieve with our dear friends who lost there son/brother in June. We seek God's grace and ministry on marriages that are struggling. We ask God's healing for those who have been battling illness. We pray for God's hand on our nation and our president as many are divided and fearful over his coming term. And we confess that we have not done all we might have to alleviate suffering. May we serve God and man with greater love in this coming year.
Thank you to all of you who have ministered to us. I cannot count how many times this last year we have thanked God for the gift of good friends and sound counsel. It has been humbling to know our need. Grace is easy to talk about, difficult to receive.
I mentioned before that we no longer have a set date for our departure overseas. That is still the case, but we have seen God's hand at work preparing us to go soon. With that in mind, we are gathering the supplies we will need, raising funds and prayer support, and putting everything in order so that when He says go, we can go.
May your new year be blessed, and may God give you opportunities to adventure with Him!
With love and gratitude,
The Grimms
Saturday, December 17, 2016
The Adventure Continues
(written by Mary)Dear friends and family,
It's hard to believe it is already mid December. I think I start half of our blog posts amazed at how much time as passed. Little Joya is over two months old! Can you believe it?
Here's what's been happening in our lives:
We finally got moving on fundraising, and by God's grace and provision we are a third of the way there for long term support. That means we have a little under $2,000 more of monthly support to raise.
Joya has been growing like a weed. Around Thanksgiving we were blessed with the opportunity of taking a roadtrip to speak with a couple Churches and introduce Joya to family and friends. She is a little champion when it comes to traveling!
We no longer have an exact departure date for our Romania training or first term in PNG. 2017 is a blank slate besides a planned fundraising/partnership building trip to Grants Pass, OR in January. So many times we have tried to project forward, set a date, and run with it. So many times we have been set back down again and given another piece of the foundation God is building before we leave.
This time around, I am at peace - which is a big deal for me (all of you know how impatient I can be). We are trying to be faithful to submit each step to God, follow through with the things He has placed in front of us, and trust Him to take us when and wherever He wants us to go.
That being said, my not so secret hope is that we will get to go early this spring!
We have been blessed and humbled in the process of fundraising; but I have not felt humiliated (the fear of which paralyzed me for a long while). We have received aid and advice from unlikely places, been surprised by generosity when we were most dispirited, and continued to feel the steady, affirming flow of God's movement sweeping us forward towards His work for us in Papua New Guinea. Right now, we are called to work, serve, and prepare faithfully. With your prayers and God's grace we will continue to do so.
Ben would like your prayers as he awaits news on his pending state EMT endorsement which is required for his employment with an ambulance service - this would give him continued education and practical application in the area of medical aid. He is also praying about pursuing training in computer coding as this would potentially give him a way to help support us remotely or at least when we are visiting in the states.
You're all probably familiar with the 'tent maker' model of missions - essentially, Ben hopes to be able to support our family as much as possible so that donated funds can go directly towards project needs such as printing literacy material, hosting skill training workshops, and supporting the men and women who give up there time to work with us on Bible translation and language training.
Please pray for wisdom and discernment as he strives to balance the desire to be our family's provider with humility and trust in God's provision and direction.
We are praising God for His goodness to us in this season of preparation. He continues to provide us with everything we need and to affirm us in pursuing this path to missions in PNG. Every time we share about what He is doing and what we hope to do in the field, I remember that His plans are so much bigger than our own, His vision so complete, and His love for the people of Papua New Guinea so much greater than ours can ever be. We are blessed and humbled that He has invited us to join the work!
We can never thank you enough for all of your love, prayers, and support. You are part of the work He is doing too! May He bless you in your own areas of ministry. May you be faithful and obedient in all that He sets before you. We are honored and ever amazed at the way God works in and through His people.
With love and immense joy during this season of celebrating our Savior,
Benjamin, Mary, and Joya Grimm
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
Written by Mary.
The month of September is quickly coming to a close. Ben is finishing the last few days of his EMT training, and Mary is growing rounder by the minute.
This month has been full of blessings.
For those of you who don't know, Ben has been taking a month long intensive course out in the Okanogan forest, learning about how to respond to medical crises in a remote location. When he is finished he will have four certificates: Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Wilderness First Responder, Medical Person in Charge, and First Aid/CPR. We are both thankful for the security that this training will provide when we are living in our remote village in PNG. God answered our prayers for Ben to be able to focus on and retain the information he is learning in his course. He loves the information, has been diligent in his studies, and has done well in all the exams and practicals so far. His final is coming up on Thursday (the 29th), so keep him in prayer!
While Ben has been away, Mary has been staying with some dear friends in Bellingham
anticipating the arrival of the Grimmling sometime in the next few weeks.
The month of September is quickly coming to a close. Ben is finishing the last few days of his EMT training, and Mary is growing rounder by the minute.
This month has been full of blessings.
For those of you who don't know, Ben has been taking a month long intensive course out in the Okanogan forest, learning about how to respond to medical crises in a remote location. When he is finished he will have four certificates: Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Wilderness First Responder, Medical Person in Charge, and First Aid/CPR. We are both thankful for the security that this training will provide when we are living in our remote village in PNG. God answered our prayers for Ben to be able to focus on and retain the information he is learning in his course. He loves the information, has been diligent in his studies, and has done well in all the exams and practicals so far. His final is coming up on Thursday (the 29th), so keep him in prayer!
While Ben has been away, Mary has been staying with some dear friends in Bellingham
anticipating the arrival of the Grimmling sometime in the next few weeks.
Results are in
Written by Mary.
Well, I confess, I am surprised by the results of this election. In fact, I may have been in a suspended state of disbelief for the last year. This morning out of the melee on social media, a good friend of mine's post stood out:
Please pray for Donald Trump.
He will need wisdom.
Please pray for those among us who feel threatened.
They will need comfort.
Please pray for those among us who feel emboldened.
They will need humility.
Please pray for our country.
It needs healing.
This I can say 'amen' to. I will strive to encourage others to take a stance of power, love, and self-control. When you are tempted to fall into fear mongering, blaming, crowing, or complaining stand instead in the power and love of God and pray for our nation and for your community.
Two words have come back to me again and again through this season.
FOR
and
BOLD
If God is for us, who can stand against us? What fear has power over us?
As the body of Christ, we are for the world:
For healing, for love, for reconciliation, for abundant life.
Our part is not to fall prey to division and fear, but to pray for each other.
In this word 'FOR', I feel challenged to orient myself toward others, even when that means engaging grief and suffering.
Do not go numb, do not give up.
Be for wholeness. Be an ambassador for Christ.
BOLD is something I have not been.
I have not been bold to proclaim Christ to the dear people God has placed in my life.
I confess I have let the fear of rejection overwhelm my love for them.
I have not been bold to prepare financially for our mission by seeking aid from our community.
I confess I have let the fear of shame overwhelm the vision for what God will do in the village of Baku, in PNG, and here in my community.
I have beat myself up inside, telling myself I should have more courage; but when the moment arrives, I let yet another opportunity to glorify God slip away.
A good friend recently shared a sermon with us on the topic of Boldness.
The speaker pointed out that even Paul was constantly pleading with the Church to pray for him to have boldness!
LIGHTBULB!
This isn't an attribute I can manufacture in myself. Part of a bold ministry is a dependence on the people of God. Boldness is God's gift.
So please pray for me, for Ben, for our Church to be BOLD.
To those of you who have been praying for us: Thank you, again and again, thank you!
We have had a couple answers.
First, a good friend of ours gave us the kick in the pants we needed to really get moving on fundraising. We are both feeling more empowered and focused in this area.
Second, we had a consultation with the executive director of our organization and received the following counsel:
- Do not deplete your savings to buy tickets for Romania. Start a fund drive specifically for that purpose and see what God does. Tentatively, keep the plan to go in February.
- Hold the date of April for departure to PNG loosely. Keep praying, keep raising funds, but be willing to push the date back. It may be that the timing of a later date will be better for everyone involved.
- Keep seeking prayer and advice from your community.
God is good. When we call, He answers. We trust that He will work His own purposes through all of this, and that He will provide for us to walk in His will.
We do deeply believe that He loves the people of Baku village and the people in the surrounding language groups and that He will provide for them to grow in the knowledge of Him and in healthy community. So we continue to press forward to answer the request that they have made of us, in the hope that God will use us as His tool to bless them.
Will you please pray about being a part of this long term ministry through prayer and financial support?
Will you consider being a part of sending us to our training in Romania? We need to raise roughly $3,500.
We know that this has been a rough year for many, and we ask that if you cannot support us financially that you would continue to support us in prayer - that is exponentially more important!
We love you all and are, as ever, overwhelmed with gratitude for you and for God's hand in our lives.
Stand FOR each other.
Be BOLD in the faith.
In Christ,
Mary (and Ben and Joya) Grimm
Well, I confess, I am surprised by the results of this election. In fact, I may have been in a suspended state of disbelief for the last year. This morning out of the melee on social media, a good friend of mine's post stood out:
Please pray for Donald Trump.
He will need wisdom.
Please pray for those among us who feel threatened.
They will need comfort.
Please pray for those among us who feel emboldened.
They will need humility.
Please pray for our country.
It needs healing.
This I can say 'amen' to. I will strive to encourage others to take a stance of power, love, and self-control. When you are tempted to fall into fear mongering, blaming, crowing, or complaining stand instead in the power and love of God and pray for our nation and for your community.
Two words have come back to me again and again through this season.
FOR
and
BOLD
If God is for us, who can stand against us? What fear has power over us?
As the body of Christ, we are for the world:
For healing, for love, for reconciliation, for abundant life.
Our part is not to fall prey to division and fear, but to pray for each other.
In this word 'FOR', I feel challenged to orient myself toward others, even when that means engaging grief and suffering.
Do not go numb, do not give up.
Be for wholeness. Be an ambassador for Christ.
BOLD is something I have not been.
I have not been bold to proclaim Christ to the dear people God has placed in my life.
I confess I have let the fear of rejection overwhelm my love for them.
I have not been bold to prepare financially for our mission by seeking aid from our community.
I confess I have let the fear of shame overwhelm the vision for what God will do in the village of Baku, in PNG, and here in my community.
I have beat myself up inside, telling myself I should have more courage; but when the moment arrives, I let yet another opportunity to glorify God slip away.
A good friend recently shared a sermon with us on the topic of Boldness.
The speaker pointed out that even Paul was constantly pleading with the Church to pray for him to have boldness!
LIGHTBULB!
This isn't an attribute I can manufacture in myself. Part of a bold ministry is a dependence on the people of God. Boldness is God's gift.
So please pray for me, for Ben, for our Church to be BOLD.
To those of you who have been praying for us: Thank you, again and again, thank you!
We have had a couple answers.
First, a good friend of ours gave us the kick in the pants we needed to really get moving on fundraising. We are both feeling more empowered and focused in this area.
Second, we had a consultation with the executive director of our organization and received the following counsel:
- Do not deplete your savings to buy tickets for Romania. Start a fund drive specifically for that purpose and see what God does. Tentatively, keep the plan to go in February.
- Hold the date of April for departure to PNG loosely. Keep praying, keep raising funds, but be willing to push the date back. It may be that the timing of a later date will be better for everyone involved.
- Keep seeking prayer and advice from your community.
God is good. When we call, He answers. We trust that He will work His own purposes through all of this, and that He will provide for us to walk in His will.
We do deeply believe that He loves the people of Baku village and the people in the surrounding language groups and that He will provide for them to grow in the knowledge of Him and in healthy community. So we continue to press forward to answer the request that they have made of us, in the hope that God will use us as His tool to bless them.
Will you please pray about being a part of this long term ministry through prayer and financial support?
Will you consider being a part of sending us to our training in Romania? We need to raise roughly $3,500.
We know that this has been a rough year for many, and we ask that if you cannot support us financially that you would continue to support us in prayer - that is exponentially more important!
We love you all and are, as ever, overwhelmed with gratitude for you and for God's hand in our lives.
Stand FOR each other.
Be BOLD in the faith.
In Christ,
Mary (and Ben and Joya) Grimm
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Written by Mary.
Dear friends,
The last few months have been so full - Ben going to EMT School, me farming through the summer, and of course us getting to meet our beautiful Joya Tov - that it's been easy for me to put off the question of funding for our mission.
Unfortunately, despite my greatest hopes, this question doesn't disappear with neglect. Neither does the process of funding magically become easier if just I slim our budget down to bare bones. While consulting with a veteran missionary (per. our pastor's advice), I was told with blunt honesty that this is going to take as long as God wants it to take in order to teach you what He wants you to learn.
I'm pretty sure He has a doozy of a lesson coming up because at this point three out of the four Churches that we were hoping might support us have said that they are not at a place financially to do so. If I could predict the future in my current mood of apprehension, I would say the fourth Church will probably have a similar response to our inquiries.
So, here we are again, hoping so very much that God gives us an open door to go to PNG in April and craning our necks to try and see the top of the wall that seems to be blocking the path.
Meanwhile, we are faced with the decision of whether or not to go ahead and purchase the tickets for our training trip to Romania. We have enough money set aside in savings to do this out of pocket if we do it soon and if we don't mind slimming our buffer fund down to a sliver.
TRUST. I do, but....
WISDOM. Are we just kidding ourselves?
ACTION. Do we take our current situation as a sign to back off and wait or to step forward boldly in faith?
Your prayers would be much appreciated... as would a monthly pledge (just being honest).
I know that getting into each others business is generally frowned upon in the Northwest, but we really, truly want your feedback on this one. Pray and tell us what you believe God would have us do. We are trying to listen to Him and to His people, the Church (that's you).
Thank you for your love, prayers, and support.
As ever, we are full of gratitude to God for the good people He has placed in our lives. Whatever comes of this season, we are thankful for you.
Love,
The Grimm Crowd
Dear friends,
The last few months have been so full - Ben going to EMT School, me farming through the summer, and of course us getting to meet our beautiful Joya Tov - that it's been easy for me to put off the question of funding for our mission.
Unfortunately, despite my greatest hopes, this question doesn't disappear with neglect. Neither does the process of funding magically become easier if just I slim our budget down to bare bones. While consulting with a veteran missionary (per. our pastor's advice), I was told with blunt honesty that this is going to take as long as God wants it to take in order to teach you what He wants you to learn.
I'm pretty sure He has a doozy of a lesson coming up because at this point three out of the four Churches that we were hoping might support us have said that they are not at a place financially to do so. If I could predict the future in my current mood of apprehension, I would say the fourth Church will probably have a similar response to our inquiries.
So, here we are again, hoping so very much that God gives us an open door to go to PNG in April and craning our necks to try and see the top of the wall that seems to be blocking the path.
Meanwhile, we are faced with the decision of whether or not to go ahead and purchase the tickets for our training trip to Romania. We have enough money set aside in savings to do this out of pocket if we do it soon and if we don't mind slimming our buffer fund down to a sliver.
TRUST. I do, but....
WISDOM. Are we just kidding ourselves?
ACTION. Do we take our current situation as a sign to back off and wait or to step forward boldly in faith?
Your prayers would be much appreciated... as would a monthly pledge (just being honest).
I know that getting into each others business is generally frowned upon in the Northwest, but we really, truly want your feedback on this one. Pray and tell us what you believe God would have us do. We are trying to listen to Him and to His people, the Church (that's you).
Thank you for your love, prayers, and support.
As ever, we are full of gratitude to God for the good people He has placed in our lives. Whatever comes of this season, we are thankful for you.
Love,
The Grimm Crowd
Monday, October 10, 2016
Well friends, our new child finally came to see us after nine nonths of waiting in anticipation! Say hello to our hairy, barrel-chested daughter (I could not possibly make this up) Joya Tov. Born 08Oct16 at 0825 in Bellingham WA. And weighing a whopping 9lbs 2.5oz!
I am struck by the little and great blessings surrounding our Joya. Things like our next door neighbors when we were house guests who were foster parents, around our age, loved board games, became good friends, and even hosted our baby shower. This is just to name a few!
Other things come to mind like our prayer that Joya would be an easy pregnancy, that she would be an easy delivery, an easy baby, and healthy too. All these things were answered. ALL of them. Joya was commented on by the midwives multiple times even before she was born, her heart was metronome solid and she stayed head down to the left side for three months. (For those of you not familiar, this position is the ideal one for delivery) She delivered in less than eight hours, an oddity for first time mothers. She delivered on time, another oddity for first time mothers. When she came out and I caught her she coughed once, upside down mind you, and sang out just long enough for us to slide her up to Mary. There is a rating system used to determine the health of the baby just after birth and Joya was 100% from her first breath. Even the day after was a blessing since we found her constant feeding through the night meant an inconsequential loss of weight. Newborns are expected to lose some weight the day after up to about 10% of their weight. Joya lost three ounces. Three.
Being new parents is something we feared to screw up, shuddered at the responsibility for someone's soul, held each other in blind anticipation, looked up countless stupid parenting myths and rumors, and ultimately came to see it the way most parents and experts like our midwives have told it: babies are intuitive. Analytical minds need not be present. This is tough for me; my mind wants a digital, on-off, itinerary, sub divided by category, color, date, and relativity.
Realizing that Joya is miming what she wants sometimes and ticking off the two or three other things it could possibly be makes a crying baby just a signal that there is something needing fixing. It isn't stressful, or awful; even for an introvert like me. And how can you ever get past the in-your-face example of God to man in the simple act of holding your daughter? I don't know if Daddies get that oxytocin rush when they hold their babies, but you know what? Chemistry can go thrombosize. I love holding my Joya and I grab her anytime Mary isn't feeding her because I love her so much. I love watching her sleep, I love holding her, I love changing her diapers, I love her downy little blonde hair; I love all of her. And that is exactly how God loves me.
You THINK you're ready when you've babysat enough kiddos and worked in social services for children. None of that prepares you for holding YOUR baby; the human you and your soulmate made. I think too that placing this little life second to Mary feels odd yet after discussing it with Mary and some other people in terms of parenthood and Godly behavior this priority makes sense. I'll tell you why: Placing Mary first sets an example to Joya of what a healthy relationship is. I will be a living demonstration of what she will seek in a husband and Mary will be the template she will model herself on as a woman. Second, placing Mary first is healthy in our relationship. Just like our relationship with God, we don't let anything come between us. It says with our actions where our priorities are and shows our love with our hands. And by this, the second point reinforces the first.
I really want to ramble on but I realize I am making a wall of text! Besides, I need to demonstrate my love for my wife and child and get back to them! Blessings on you all in pursuit of God's will in your life. May he bless and challenge you far beyond your capacity to guess. May His design for your life color way WAY outside the lines you drew.
In His Grace,
Benjamin, Mary, and Joya
P.S. I am now a certified Remote EMT...praise God for that too!
Monday, October 3, 2016
Automobiles and Overbooking
(Retro Post - Ben wrote this right before heading off to his EMT course September 4th)
One last post for the road! It is time to prep for school and get to Leavenworth. The last two weeks have been adventurous...even by our standards! Our car broke down a few weeks ago while Mary was hiking with a friend but managed to limp it home, we then had it repaired in anticipation of driving to Portland to see her sister in town from New York. The battery was not the issue, but was replaced anyway(250 bucks).
I told you that to tell you another story: Our scheduling is tentative sometimes and not always able to be methodical and wise. Two weeks ago was that day. We had planned on: working for our friends at their deliveries, attending a wedding, going to the reception, visiting another friend, cleaning the church and dashing down to Portland. Keep in mind, we had not PLANNED to do all this together. Sigh! Someday...
Thus by 5pm, blithely driving through Seattle traffic in the heart of downtown (you know; the place where you drive in the tunnel?) we experienced a familiar stutter in the car. Not unlike what had caused us to replace the battery. With power gone, we shut it off, got a jump and limped a few more miles down the road to the Boeing Field exit. A call to the parents got us a guest membership to AAA ( zero bucks!) and a long wait in the car for an incredibly cheerful tow truck driver who claimed he would wear a cape and a mask if they let him. He was very happy about his job being a hero. We got the car 3 miles away to the mechanic where, in the dark, he sadly informed us his boss had told him he could not drive us to the airport. (He even told them Mary was pregnant! Wonderful man, bless him.) After a few minutes figuring out the Uber app, we summoned a ride (23 bucks) who happened to be a native of Mali and a great conversation about Seattle and the culture shock here. Then we found out our chosen rental company did not take debit cards...off to the next line (90 bucks). And dashed down to McMinnville. We got in around 0230. Loooooooong day. Five hours later we are having family time.
It turned out very well to have a time to spend with a family member we don’t see much. And we got to have most of it together for a picnic in Newberg. For all the difficulty in getting down there, neither of us would have traded it for anything else. You only get so many chances for family time. Then at 1530 it was time to go. So at 1700 when we left the coffee shop (12 bucks) it was time to dash back to the Sea-Tac airport to drop off our rental and meet our friend in Bellingham who (God bless him) drove down to meet us and take us home.
Next Friday we finally had our alternator replaced and were dashing down into the maelstrom of I-5 traffic to retrieve our beloved car (500 bucks). Six hours of round trip fun!
So what do we learn from this little adventure?
1. Time to go never ever means time to go. It’s more like a 1 hour warning.
2. Scheduling works better when you talk to your spouse about plans (I am SO guilty). It also works better in a utopian perfect world.
3. We are not making any more cannonball runs to Portland in the middle of the night.
4. It ain’t about the money; we had a great adventure
Let our adventure inspire you too. Look past where you’re at and forward to the bigger picture. How can you bless somebody right where you are, right now?
May God bless and challenge you so you will share the gospel with your work, your words, and your thoughts.
In His Grace,
Benjamin, Mary, and the Grimmling
(Note from Mary: This whole adventure was pretty stressful for me, especially in the area of finances; however, God provided ahead of time for this mishap through the donations of a few wonderful friends. It was a blessing to experience again how He anticipates our needs and takes care of us. Thank you to those of you who blessed us in this way, and to all of you who are praying for us as we prepare for ministry in the field.)
One last post for the road! It is time to prep for school and get to Leavenworth. The last two weeks have been adventurous...even by our standards! Our car broke down a few weeks ago while Mary was hiking with a friend but managed to limp it home, we then had it repaired in anticipation of driving to Portland to see her sister in town from New York. The battery was not the issue, but was replaced anyway(250 bucks).
I told you that to tell you another story: Our scheduling is tentative sometimes and not always able to be methodical and wise. Two weeks ago was that day. We had planned on: working for our friends at their deliveries, attending a wedding, going to the reception, visiting another friend, cleaning the church and dashing down to Portland. Keep in mind, we had not PLANNED to do all this together. Sigh! Someday...
Thus by 5pm, blithely driving through Seattle traffic in the heart of downtown (you know; the place where you drive in the tunnel?) we experienced a familiar stutter in the car. Not unlike what had caused us to replace the battery. With power gone, we shut it off, got a jump and limped a few more miles down the road to the Boeing Field exit. A call to the parents got us a guest membership to AAA ( zero bucks!) and a long wait in the car for an incredibly cheerful tow truck driver who claimed he would wear a cape and a mask if they let him. He was very happy about his job being a hero. We got the car 3 miles away to the mechanic where, in the dark, he sadly informed us his boss had told him he could not drive us to the airport. (He even told them Mary was pregnant! Wonderful man, bless him.) After a few minutes figuring out the Uber app, we summoned a ride (23 bucks) who happened to be a native of Mali and a great conversation about Seattle and the culture shock here. Then we found out our chosen rental company did not take debit cards...off to the next line (90 bucks). And dashed down to McMinnville. We got in around 0230. Loooooooong day. Five hours later we are having family time.
It turned out very well to have a time to spend with a family member we don’t see much. And we got to have most of it together for a picnic in Newberg. For all the difficulty in getting down there, neither of us would have traded it for anything else. You only get so many chances for family time. Then at 1530 it was time to go. So at 1700 when we left the coffee shop (12 bucks) it was time to dash back to the Sea-Tac airport to drop off our rental and meet our friend in Bellingham who (God bless him) drove down to meet us and take us home.
Next Friday we finally had our alternator replaced and were dashing down into the maelstrom of I-5 traffic to retrieve our beloved car (500 bucks). Six hours of round trip fun!
So what do we learn from this little adventure?
1. Time to go never ever means time to go. It’s more like a 1 hour warning.
2. Scheduling works better when you talk to your spouse about plans (I am SO guilty). It also works better in a utopian perfect world.
3. We are not making any more cannonball runs to Portland in the middle of the night.
4. It ain’t about the money; we had a great adventure
Let our adventure inspire you too. Look past where you’re at and forward to the bigger picture. How can you bless somebody right where you are, right now?
May God bless and challenge you so you will share the gospel with your work, your words, and your thoughts.
In His Grace,
Benjamin, Mary, and the Grimmling
(Note from Mary: This whole adventure was pretty stressful for me, especially in the area of finances; however, God provided ahead of time for this mishap through the donations of a few wonderful friends. It was a blessing to experience again how He anticipates our needs and takes care of us. Thank you to those of you who blessed us in this way, and to all of you who are praying for us as we prepare for ministry in the field.)
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
August Update
Hello friends!
The harvest season
is petering to a halt, and I (Ben) am alive and mostly in one piece. Did
we mention we are having a baby? We are having a baby!!!! If you have
never seen a baby yawn on a 3D ultrasound: it is so cute you want to
eat it!
Also, we got to see
my Momma and step-dad this weekend after their grueling 10 hour trek
through nightmarish Seattle traffic. Awesome greasy burgers and
gelato were had by all. It was joyous.
I have had the
privilege of making friends with a chemical engineering student who
is planning on joining us in the near future to help with solutions
to stabilizing products on their way to market. I also met a produce farmer
who worked in the Peace Corps in Guatemala around the same time as
another Christian organization(Agros) which started in the very same
place (The Ixil Triangle, if you want to know) to empower farmers to
own their own land and become financially independent.
Also, I have
discovered a refrigerator made of clay (the Mitticool, from India)
that functions off of water evaporation and requires ZERO
electricity. That’s right.
In addition, I will be meeting with a
few friends who are tech savvy to piece together a prototype power
production model for the village. In theory, we can produce power far
in excess of the village needs and this means a stable platform to
host translators.
Keep in mind we won’t be hosting folks on day
two. Goal one is to learn the language and make connections while
learning about their felt needs and unexpressed ones too. We also
want to ask a mountain of questions about expectations, culture, and
their own plans for how to accomplish these goals.
On that note, it is
rather strange to shift one’s perspective from a technician’s
mindset (I am the best, therefore I shall do it...NOW!) to an
advisor’s mindset (I move based on YOUR direction). This might be
the lynchpin of frustration AND excitement. All of us, not just Mary
and I, have to remember that cultural expectations could be VERY
different, and Christ’s model was always invitation (whether He
angered Pharisees or not is beside the point). Therefore, we have to
come humbly and without pretense to ASK how we can help. Tough...very
tough for our culture. It is a stretch goal for us as Christians that
Christ wants us to grow into so we can look at following Him through
the lens of multiple paths (not doctrinally, just culturally).
Thank you, each of
you reading this, for taking the time to look into our lives and see
what Christ is doing with us in this season. May He guide you like He
guides us: Absolute certainty even in total darkness!
In His Grace,
The Grimm Horde
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Details on donations, budget, and travel plans
Budget Stuff:
We are still working out our PNG budget with Word Made Flesh.
Right now, we are looking at raising approximately $3,200 a month - this will cover all of our expenses for travel, living, utilities/supplies, medical, retirement, etc. as well as the costs for starting up or participating in the various projects that we hope to put together in country.
If any of you are interested in seeing our budget/giving us feedback (much appreciated) please email me and let me know.
WMF would like us to have %100 of this budget pledged plus two months of actual income. This would be in addition to having our initial airfare to and from PNG covered (something we will probably put together out of pocket).
In addition to our PNG budget, we need to put aside a separate fund for our time training in Romania.
It looks like we will be spending less time there than we originally thought. The field director in Romania has suggested about 3 weeks.
Travel Plans:
We are looking at going to Romania in the 2nd week of February, and would appreciate your prayers and advice regarding this decision. The trip should cost about $3,500 (covering living in country + airfare).
It's cheaper to fly to and from Romania and then fly to PNG from the states than it is to fly to PNG from Romania, so y'all will see us for a brief visit before we head to PNG. We are looking at about 9 months to a year for our first stay in country. The majority of that time will be dedicated to language learning and relationship building. We will also be assessing what kinds of tools, resources, etc. we might need to bring in when we return.
Donation Details:
Just a heads up, the organization takes out a 13% processing and administration fee, so part of our estimated $3,000 a month includes that as well as tithing (our choice).
There are three ways to donate to us through Word Made Flesh:
Finally, if you haven't had a chance to see it, here is our Word Made Flesh web page. Photo courtesy of my last trip to the Sepik Region of PNG in 2008.
As always, we covet your prayers, appreciate your feedback, and would love to hear from you regarding questions, prayer requests, concerns, advice, etc. We both have email accounts with Word Made Flesh if you would like to email us: benjamin.grimm@wordmadeflesh.com and mary.grimm@wordmadeflesh.com.
Thank you all for your continued love and prayers!
Love,
The Grimm Crowd
We are still working out our PNG budget with Word Made Flesh.
Right now, we are looking at raising approximately $3,200 a month - this will cover all of our expenses for travel, living, utilities/supplies, medical, retirement, etc. as well as the costs for starting up or participating in the various projects that we hope to put together in country.
If any of you are interested in seeing our budget/giving us feedback (much appreciated) please email me and let me know.
WMF would like us to have %100 of this budget pledged plus two months of actual income. This would be in addition to having our initial airfare to and from PNG covered (something we will probably put together out of pocket).
In addition to our PNG budget, we need to put aside a separate fund for our time training in Romania.
It looks like we will be spending less time there than we originally thought. The field director in Romania has suggested about 3 weeks.
Travel Plans:
We are looking at going to Romania in the 2nd week of February, and would appreciate your prayers and advice regarding this decision. The trip should cost about $3,500 (covering living in country + airfare).
It's cheaper to fly to and from Romania and then fly to PNG from the states than it is to fly to PNG from Romania, so y'all will see us for a brief visit before we head to PNG. We are looking at about 9 months to a year for our first stay in country. The majority of that time will be dedicated to language learning and relationship building. We will also be assessing what kinds of tools, resources, etc. we might need to bring in when we return.
Donation Details:
Just a heads up, the organization takes out a 13% processing and administration fee, so part of our estimated $3,000 a month includes that as well as tithing (our choice).
There are three ways to donate to us through Word Made Flesh:
- Automatic Withdrawal from Checking - Print off and fill out the from in this link, and mail it with a voided check to P.O. Box 70, Wilmore, KY 40390. Alternatively you can scan and email the form and voided check to ken.dean@wordmadeflesh.com.
- Check - made payable to Word Made Flesh and sent to P.O. Box 70, Wilmore, KY 40390. Include a note designating who you are donating it to
- Credit Card - you can click on this link to make a one time or recurring donation. Please don't click on the 'pay by check' option on this page.
Finally, if you haven't had a chance to see it, here is our Word Made Flesh web page. Photo courtesy of my last trip to the Sepik Region of PNG in 2008.
As always, we covet your prayers, appreciate your feedback, and would love to hear from you regarding questions, prayer requests, concerns, advice, etc. We both have email accounts with Word Made Flesh if you would like to email us: benjamin.grimm@wordmadeflesh.com and mary.grimm@wordmadeflesh.com.
Thank you all for your continued love and prayers!
Love,
The Grimm Crowd
July Update
Hello everybody,
A lot has been happening in the last few months. Once again, I am behind on updating y'all. I won't bore you with all the little chance encounters, awesome conversations with random missionary people, and details of getting instated with Word Made Flesh.
News:
The two biggest things that have happened are that:
We are officially members of Oikos Fellowship and have been enjoying getting to know our new Church family.
We are officially staff with Word Made Flesh. We have a webpage now!
For those of you who are hoping to support us in our mission, that means that you can donate through WMF now. I'll put info on that in a separate post. We're still working on the best way to get newsletters and prayer updates to everyone.
On the home front: we have been growing green things in our garden (no crop yield yet, since we started late); Ben has been going a little nuts with pickling all the things I am bringing home from working at the bamboo/organic food farm; the berry harvest is in full swing, so Ben's been blessed with plentiful hours - working 12 hour days, 6 days a week; and the Grimmling is growing strong and very squirmy!
Thanks:
We are thankful for all of your prayers for us as a couple (now family) and for our path into the mission field. We have been so blessed to see God at work in our relationship and to see His provision for our spiritual growth and direction through fellowship with a number of beautiful Church communities.
Prayer Needs:
Moving forward, we could use your prayers as we navigate fundraising. Neither of us is good at this aspect of support raising. Ben would also like prayer for possibly being able to learn from/model an organization that has done some incredible work in sustainable agriculture and community development in South America.
I also ask for your prayers for my dear friends the Scotts as they mourn the loss of their son and brother. In a season otherwise so overflowing with blessing for our family, this has been a very difficult reality to wrap my head and heart around. It is an ache of grief that doesn't go away but ebbs and flows throughout the days. I know that my friend is truly ALIVE and well, but that doesn't erase the gaping hole he has left behind. It is hard to stomach how briskly life keeps moving, how the responsibilities and needs keep pressing in, but they do.
Thank you all again for your love and support. We are so blessed to know each of you.
May God bless and keep you.
Love,
The Grimms
A lot has been happening in the last few months. Once again, I am behind on updating y'all. I won't bore you with all the little chance encounters, awesome conversations with random missionary people, and details of getting instated with Word Made Flesh.
News:
The two biggest things that have happened are that:
We are officially members of Oikos Fellowship and have been enjoying getting to know our new Church family.
We are officially staff with Word Made Flesh. We have a webpage now!
For those of you who are hoping to support us in our mission, that means that you can donate through WMF now. I'll put info on that in a separate post. We're still working on the best way to get newsletters and prayer updates to everyone.
On the home front: we have been growing green things in our garden (no crop yield yet, since we started late); Ben has been going a little nuts with pickling all the things I am bringing home from working at the bamboo/organic food farm; the berry harvest is in full swing, so Ben's been blessed with plentiful hours - working 12 hour days, 6 days a week; and the Grimmling is growing strong and very squirmy!
Thanks:
We are thankful for all of your prayers for us as a couple (now family) and for our path into the mission field. We have been so blessed to see God at work in our relationship and to see His provision for our spiritual growth and direction through fellowship with a number of beautiful Church communities.
Prayer Needs:
Moving forward, we could use your prayers as we navigate fundraising. Neither of us is good at this aspect of support raising. Ben would also like prayer for possibly being able to learn from/model an organization that has done some incredible work in sustainable agriculture and community development in South America.
I also ask for your prayers for my dear friends the Scotts as they mourn the loss of their son and brother. In a season otherwise so overflowing with blessing for our family, this has been a very difficult reality to wrap my head and heart around. It is an ache of grief that doesn't go away but ebbs and flows throughout the days. I know that my friend is truly ALIVE and well, but that doesn't erase the gaping hole he has left behind. It is hard to stomach how briskly life keeps moving, how the responsibilities and needs keep pressing in, but they do.
Thank you all again for your love and support. We are so blessed to know each of you.
May God bless and keep you.
Love,
The Grimms
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Turn My Mourning Into Dancing
The month of June is well over but it is still lingering with me.
The days were too long, passing too quickly.
On the morning of the 8th one of my closest friends called to tell me her brother was gone.
He died suddenly in an accident in Yellowstone, June 7th. He was 23 years old.
Even now, my mind and heart rebel at the words. It is too unreal, too bizarre, too cruel.
In all my memories, he is very much alive, an integral part of his family, his community, this world.
I have wished a hundred times over that there was a way to bypass the stilted inadequacy of words and even presence in such a time of grief. Ones own body and mind are inadequate to the task of grief. The mind surges with pain and then ebbs in forgetfulness. At times the body simply refuses to produce more tears or register the ache. What can one offer as comfort out of this state?
My heart breaks for Colin's mother, his father, and his siblings - my friends.
I have nothing to give them that can temper the jagged trauma of his loss or shorten the long days that will stretch into years of grief and longing.
In the depths of grief there is a place where none can follow or approach.
Christ alone waits there.
Yet even He does not close up the gaping hole that is left in this world in the wake of such a life.
Colin lived wholeheartedly, generously, boldly.
He left a mark everywhere he went, and now there are so many broken threads.
I am still in shock.
I have trudged through anger and suspicion towards God and been given not an answer but an assurance that Colin is truly and gloriously well.
God gives no answers, no reasons. When we stand before Him at last, the terrible beautiful truth is that we will not even ask Him for a reckoning.
Death has truly lost its sting... for the one who dies, the one who passes from death into glorious life.
For the rest of us, the wait is lengthened by the longing.
The days were too long, passing too quickly.
On the morning of the 8th one of my closest friends called to tell me her brother was gone.
He died suddenly in an accident in Yellowstone, June 7th. He was 23 years old.
Even now, my mind and heart rebel at the words. It is too unreal, too bizarre, too cruel.
In all my memories, he is very much alive, an integral part of his family, his community, this world.
I have wished a hundred times over that there was a way to bypass the stilted inadequacy of words and even presence in such a time of grief. Ones own body and mind are inadequate to the task of grief. The mind surges with pain and then ebbs in forgetfulness. At times the body simply refuses to produce more tears or register the ache. What can one offer as comfort out of this state?
My heart breaks for Colin's mother, his father, and his siblings - my friends.
I have nothing to give them that can temper the jagged trauma of his loss or shorten the long days that will stretch into years of grief and longing.
In the depths of grief there is a place where none can follow or approach.
Christ alone waits there.
Yet even He does not close up the gaping hole that is left in this world in the wake of such a life.
Colin lived wholeheartedly, generously, boldly.
He left a mark everywhere he went, and now there are so many broken threads.
I am still in shock.
I have trudged through anger and suspicion towards God and been given not an answer but an assurance that Colin is truly and gloriously well.
God gives no answers, no reasons. When we stand before Him at last, the terrible beautiful truth is that we will not even ask Him for a reckoning.
Death has truly lost its sting... for the one who dies, the one who passes from death into glorious life.
For the rest of us, the wait is lengthened by the longing.
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Three makes a crowd
First things first.
We are happy to blog-officially announce the pending October arrival of the third Grimm addition to this adventure! Meet the Grimmling (gender as yet unknown):
I am four months along and doing well. We are happy, healthy, and very excited; even though, as you can imagine, this will change up our plans a little.
Cementing our partnership with Word Made Flesh is still in progress. We were thankful and blessed to meet with a few of the staff this last weekend, including their newest project manager. It was very nice to ask questions, hear stories, and pray together in-person.
Since the baby is due in October, our four months training with Word Made Flesh will probably be bumped over to January 2017.
Patience. Sigh.
Our current tasks are to propose a budget (email me if you want to see the first draft - mowen10@georgefox.edu - your feedback and advice would be very much appreciated), rally our prayer network (that's you), and wait patiently.
Pastor Clemence has informed us that Baku village in Papua New Guinea has begun building on our house. More than ever, we wish we could book a ticket for tomorrow and just go!
In other news this month:
We had a wonderful time in Portland announcing our pregnancy to family and friends and getting an ultrasound checkup.
We celebrated our second anniversary (May the fourth be with you) with a romp on Mt. Rainier. We climbed up to Muir Hut for a fantastic view at 10,000+ feet.
We were very blessed and encouraged by our visits to two Churches that have been partnering with us in prayer.
We are still working on the Bamboo farm (though not for much longer as the season winds down) and stashing away as much as we can into emergency savings. Ben already has work lined up for the rest of the summer, but I am job hunting.
We are pursuing membership with a Church community in Bellingham, WA called Oikos Fellowship. Finding this community has been a surprise and a great blessing to us.
Prayer and Praise:
We praise God for our village in Baku, for our friend and mentor, Pastor Clemence Komnapi, and for the many that have been praying with us, advising, encouraging, and supporting us.
Please pray that God would guide us in making good use of our time left in the States, that He would provide for our health and financial preparation both for the baby and for travel overseas, and that He would help us to be discerning and patient while we wait for things to unfold.
Thank you all for your prayers and love. As ever, we are blessed to be a part of your lives and to be engaged in this grand adventure.
May God bless and keep you.
Love,
The Grimm Crowd
We are happy to blog-officially announce the pending October arrival of the third Grimm addition to this adventure! Meet the Grimmling (gender as yet unknown):
I am four months along and doing well. We are happy, healthy, and very excited; even though, as you can imagine, this will change up our plans a little.
Cementing our partnership with Word Made Flesh is still in progress. We were thankful and blessed to meet with a few of the staff this last weekend, including their newest project manager. It was very nice to ask questions, hear stories, and pray together in-person. Since the baby is due in October, our four months training with Word Made Flesh will probably be bumped over to January 2017.
Patience. Sigh.
Our current tasks are to propose a budget (email me if you want to see the first draft - mowen10@georgefox.edu - your feedback and advice would be very much appreciated), rally our prayer network (that's you), and wait patiently.
Pastor Clemence has informed us that Baku village in Papua New Guinea has begun building on our house. More than ever, we wish we could book a ticket for tomorrow and just go!
In other news this month:
We had a wonderful time in Portland announcing our pregnancy to family and friends and getting an ultrasound checkup.
We celebrated our second anniversary (May the fourth be with you) with a romp on Mt. Rainier. We climbed up to Muir Hut for a fantastic view at 10,000+ feet. We were very blessed and encouraged by our visits to two Churches that have been partnering with us in prayer.
We are still working on the Bamboo farm (though not for much longer as the season winds down) and stashing away as much as we can into emergency savings. Ben already has work lined up for the rest of the summer, but I am job hunting.
We are pursuing membership with a Church community in Bellingham, WA called Oikos Fellowship. Finding this community has been a surprise and a great blessing to us.
Prayer and Praise:
We praise God for our village in Baku, for our friend and mentor, Pastor Clemence Komnapi, and for the many that have been praying with us, advising, encouraging, and supporting us.
Please pray that God would guide us in making good use of our time left in the States, that He would provide for our health and financial preparation both for the baby and for travel overseas, and that He would help us to be discerning and patient while we wait for things to unfold.
Thank you all for your prayers and love. As ever, we are blessed to be a part of your lives and to be engaged in this grand adventure.
 |
| The view from Muir Hut |
May God bless and keep you.
Love,
The Grimm Crowd
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Checking In
It's funny how nothing seems to be going on in life until you set out to give a monthly update.
My initial summary of this month is that we handled a lot of bamboo while we waited for everything to be processed with Word Made Flesh (still waiting). While this is true, we also had many wonderful opportunities to spend time with family and friends, make new friends, and learn some good lessons about communication and prayer.
I had the opportunity to visit my dear friends in Colorado at the beginning of the month and returned with some borrowed books and a lot to think about.
The next weekend Ben and I were down in the Portland area, catching up with old friends, receiving some much needed counsel, and making new friends at the Church we had the privilege of visiting.
Back home, we celebrated Ben's birthday with a climbing gym membership and dinner with some good friends.
My parents and little brother came up for spring break the following weekend. It was a treat to introduce them to our dear brother in Christ who was visiting from the Middle East and to take them to Church with us. It was an eventful Sunday since the transformer down the street blew up and started burning. The guest pastor gave half his sermon in the dark.
My brother stayed for the week, and we put him to work playing music for us and working at the bamboo farm.
Easter weekend, our car started going haywire about 40 minutes into the drive down to Portland. We turned around, went home, switched all of our gear into a second vehicle recently gifted to us by a friend (more of a blessing than we realized), registered that car, and finally made it down around midnight. God is good.
Easter is always a time of remembering the goodness of God in my own story and the very real Truth of His resurrection. He is Alive! We are walking miracles, raised from death into His life.
I love these lines from the song "In Christ Alone":
"There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain. Then bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again! And as He stands in victory, sin's curse has lost its grip on me. For I am His and He is mine, bought by the precious blood of Christ!"
Now March is almost over, and we are back to cutting and packaging bamboo. There are many stories and good conversations that linger with me as I work. Each dear friend and family member forms a part of the pattern, a beautiful image of God's intricate weaving. Words and memories circle in my mind.
"There comes a season in every Christian's walk where God asks, 'do you love me, or do you love my stuff?'"
"I told God I had nothing left to give and then He asked me 'So are you going to let me carry you?'"
Stories. Laughter. Abandonment. Blessing. Poetry. Painting.
"There is a healing balm in Gilead."
A blessing in Hebrew. A prayer in Arabic.
"God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain."
Threaded through it all is the joyful, conspiratory light I see in the eyes of the person across from me as they pour out their passion and hope and share the glimpses of something so beautiful only God could have dreamed it up. That same light hovers around those who, in the midst of pain, cannot shake the deep rooted knowledge of His goodness. His plans are not our plans. His thoughts are not our thoughts.
He simply Is.
He is Good.
And it is good to know and serve Him.
My initial summary of this month is that we handled a lot of bamboo while we waited for everything to be processed with Word Made Flesh (still waiting). While this is true, we also had many wonderful opportunities to spend time with family and friends, make new friends, and learn some good lessons about communication and prayer.
I had the opportunity to visit my dear friends in Colorado at the beginning of the month and returned with some borrowed books and a lot to think about.
The next weekend Ben and I were down in the Portland area, catching up with old friends, receiving some much needed counsel, and making new friends at the Church we had the privilege of visiting.
Back home, we celebrated Ben's birthday with a climbing gym membership and dinner with some good friends.
My parents and little brother came up for spring break the following weekend. It was a treat to introduce them to our dear brother in Christ who was visiting from the Middle East and to take them to Church with us. It was an eventful Sunday since the transformer down the street blew up and started burning. The guest pastor gave half his sermon in the dark.
My brother stayed for the week, and we put him to work playing music for us and working at the bamboo farm.
Easter weekend, our car started going haywire about 40 minutes into the drive down to Portland. We turned around, went home, switched all of our gear into a second vehicle recently gifted to us by a friend (more of a blessing than we realized), registered that car, and finally made it down around midnight. God is good.
Easter is always a time of remembering the goodness of God in my own story and the very real Truth of His resurrection. He is Alive! We are walking miracles, raised from death into His life.
I love these lines from the song "In Christ Alone":
"There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain. Then bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again! And as He stands in victory, sin's curse has lost its grip on me. For I am His and He is mine, bought by the precious blood of Christ!"
Now March is almost over, and we are back to cutting and packaging bamboo. There are many stories and good conversations that linger with me as I work. Each dear friend and family member forms a part of the pattern, a beautiful image of God's intricate weaving. Words and memories circle in my mind.
"There comes a season in every Christian's walk where God asks, 'do you love me, or do you love my stuff?'"
"I told God I had nothing left to give and then He asked me 'So are you going to let me carry you?'"
Stories. Laughter. Abandonment. Blessing. Poetry. Painting.
"There is a healing balm in Gilead."
A blessing in Hebrew. A prayer in Arabic.
"God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain."
Threaded through it all is the joyful, conspiratory light I see in the eyes of the person across from me as they pour out their passion and hope and share the glimpses of something so beautiful only God could have dreamed it up. That same light hovers around those who, in the midst of pain, cannot shake the deep rooted knowledge of His goodness. His plans are not our plans. His thoughts are not our thoughts.
He simply Is.
He is Good.
And it is good to know and serve Him.
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Year in Review (with pictures)
I am a month late for "Year in Review" and "New Years Resolutions"...but who cares? Lets do it anyway! I thought some pictures would say a thousand words, something old, something new, something...blue...eh, I forget that saying. Moving on.
Here is our year in review, praise God who has better adventure plans than we do!
January: Mary Got a Haircut to try something different...and hugged a tree in Newberg.
April: We went to a friends' wedding in Grants Pass. Ben wore a bow tie. Smiles were had by all.
May 4: Remember THIS mountain?!? Yeah. We did that. Happy Anniversary to us. One year of life together and we are both better and different than we could have imagined.
May 11: So there we were...five days later we are standing on top of Mt Adams. On a snowy and sunny day. Without sunscreen. See those hats? Useless. I'm going to burn them one day. Really. If you will kindly direct your attention to the slope picture that was par for the course. It's an "easy" mountain. Heh.
May 13: Saw friends off to Alaska with poofy lips and peeling faces. We miss you, Adam and Lauren! And the three of us finally coerced (yes, coerced) Mary into wearing shoes! Hold your heart attacks until the end...
June: Took the host family kiddos on an adventure to the Mount Baker Wilderness unprepared and totally joyful.
September: Took a date weekend to Deception Pass and sat for hours just listening to the water and staring at the waves. This was pretty joyful! Also, God gave us a home. Seriously awesome. Found the place unadvertised through a professor's wife at Trinity Western, within the price range, out of town(quiet), in a cedar grove(gravy for Ben), Christian landlord, and wonderful neighbors.
October: Our good friend Jahnathan and new friend Carilyn got married. After we threw Jahnathan off a bridge. No really...that picture is ON the bridge!
November: Went to see Ben's Momma and took a trip to Astoria's Tower for the first time. This was the first time in something like seven years that Astoria had a clear sky and it lasted for three whole hours! Woot! (hideous exaggeration mine)
November: This is a really really big root ball from a bamboo row; with the roots it weighs a bit less but you are looking at around #150. I put my glove down for size comparison. This job has been a blessing so very many times over I am stunned. It paid more than all other jobs I've had while in Bellingham. It allowed me to see Mary much more. Being an introvert, I get to spend most of the day by myself and working at my own pace (effective but completely without pattern). It's outside, which is fantastic in good weather and desireable even in bad weather. I got a raise! And in December, when we were praying about what Mary should do for work, the owner offered Mary a job!
December: Christmas with the families! A wonderfully raucous day with the Owen clan and we got Dominion from Mary's sister and her husband! Awesome points were liberally awarded and we immediately broke it in. Then a pleasant quiet day with the Stapleton crew. Sigh! Best of both worlds. We have very very good family.
February: Now with the weather improving, Ben has been in a frenzy of DIY, homesteader projects. Among the successes: Pickles (Mary likes this one), Chocolate made with coconut oil (we both REALLY like this one), pickled kale, beet greens, bell pepper, and onion. The bowl of unidentifiable goo is soured Quaker oatmeal to act as a starter and for meals. It's kind of fun to keep adding to it; kind of neglect combined with tasty treat payoffs. The antique hand grinder we got from Ben's step-dad works great and we use it as often as we make coffee. It's quite effective and only takes a few minutes to grind up a full batch for the french press. One of those little adjustments to learning how to live without electricity...
In the hopper: Beet cider! More as that one ferments.
We also have access to a metric ton of bamboo our boss can't use and Ben is playing with different joining techniques to put together wind chimes, a bookshelf, a step ladder, a turning barrel compost bin, and a structure to hold the barrel-ponics project.
In seeking a sending body: Word Made Flesh is in the final steps of our application process. These guys are big on long term relationships and Christ-centered community development. In January, Mary chatted with one of their recruiters and we had a very positive "That's exactly what we do! You should work with us!" So after a great phone conversation a week later between the three of us, here we are! We are praying for God's direction and would appreciate your prayers.
We started attending a new church in Bellingham and fell in love when we had a chance to serve the community the first Sunday. Every component we wanted to be present was there in spades and after praying before going into the service we had confirmation that said loud and clear: "Go here." Praise God for talking loud.
Otherwise, we are putting together a hand tool kit for PNG. Ben is wanting the professional grade stuff for tree felling, auto repair, and carpentry. This guideline is subject to change, but since we aren't taking a generator: no power tools. Suggestions and donations are appreciated here, thank you!
May and June will be school time for Ben when he will attend classes in Permaculture Design and Medical Missions Intensive (focus on tropical disease). August will be the capstone for Ben when he attends Remote Medical International's Remote EMT course in the Okanogan National Forest.
In the meantime, we are trying to keep our little hands busy getting ready for what amounts to homesteading. Questions for you, our friends: What should we be practicing? Laundry by hand? Construction? Home school curriculum? Let 'er rip, brothers and sisters!
Finally, remember we love you all and pray for you daily. Let us know what needs you have so we can intercede for you and more importantly, keep us updated! It is always a blessing to hear answers no matter what they are.
In His Grace,
Benjamin and Mary
Here is our year in review, praise God who has better adventure plans than we do!
January: Mary Got a Haircut to try something different...and hugged a tree in Newberg.
April: We went to a friends' wedding in Grants Pass. Ben wore a bow tie. Smiles were had by all.
May 4: Remember THIS mountain?!? Yeah. We did that. Happy Anniversary to us. One year of life together and we are both better and different than we could have imagined.
May 11: So there we were...five days later we are standing on top of Mt Adams. On a snowy and sunny day. Without sunscreen. See those hats? Useless. I'm going to burn them one day. Really. If you will kindly direct your attention to the slope picture that was par for the course. It's an "easy" mountain. Heh.
May 13: Saw friends off to Alaska with poofy lips and peeling faces. We miss you, Adam and Lauren! And the three of us finally coerced (yes, coerced) Mary into wearing shoes! Hold your heart attacks until the end...
June: Took the host family kiddos on an adventure to the Mount Baker Wilderness unprepared and totally joyful.
September: Took a date weekend to Deception Pass and sat for hours just listening to the water and staring at the waves. This was pretty joyful! Also, God gave us a home. Seriously awesome. Found the place unadvertised through a professor's wife at Trinity Western, within the price range, out of town(quiet), in a cedar grove(gravy for Ben), Christian landlord, and wonderful neighbors.
October: Our good friend Jahnathan and new friend Carilyn got married. After we threw Jahnathan off a bridge. No really...that picture is ON the bridge!
November: Went to see Ben's Momma and took a trip to Astoria's Tower for the first time. This was the first time in something like seven years that Astoria had a clear sky and it lasted for three whole hours! Woot! (hideous exaggeration mine)
November: This is a really really big root ball from a bamboo row; with the roots it weighs a bit less but you are looking at around #150. I put my glove down for size comparison. This job has been a blessing so very many times over I am stunned. It paid more than all other jobs I've had while in Bellingham. It allowed me to see Mary much more. Being an introvert, I get to spend most of the day by myself and working at my own pace (effective but completely without pattern). It's outside, which is fantastic in good weather and desireable even in bad weather. I got a raise! And in December, when we were praying about what Mary should do for work, the owner offered Mary a job!
December: Christmas with the families! A wonderfully raucous day with the Owen clan and we got Dominion from Mary's sister and her husband! Awesome points were liberally awarded and we immediately broke it in. Then a pleasant quiet day with the Stapleton crew. Sigh! Best of both worlds. We have very very good family.
February: Now with the weather improving, Ben has been in a frenzy of DIY, homesteader projects. Among the successes: Pickles (Mary likes this one), Chocolate made with coconut oil (we both REALLY like this one), pickled kale, beet greens, bell pepper, and onion. The bowl of unidentifiable goo is soured Quaker oatmeal to act as a starter and for meals. It's kind of fun to keep adding to it; kind of neglect combined with tasty treat payoffs. The antique hand grinder we got from Ben's step-dad works great and we use it as often as we make coffee. It's quite effective and only takes a few minutes to grind up a full batch for the french press. One of those little adjustments to learning how to live without electricity...
In the hopper: Beet cider! More as that one ferments.
We also have access to a metric ton of bamboo our boss can't use and Ben is playing with different joining techniques to put together wind chimes, a bookshelf, a step ladder, a turning barrel compost bin, and a structure to hold the barrel-ponics project.
In seeking a sending body: Word Made Flesh is in the final steps of our application process. These guys are big on long term relationships and Christ-centered community development. In January, Mary chatted with one of their recruiters and we had a very positive "That's exactly what we do! You should work with us!" So after a great phone conversation a week later between the three of us, here we are! We are praying for God's direction and would appreciate your prayers.
We started attending a new church in Bellingham and fell in love when we had a chance to serve the community the first Sunday. Every component we wanted to be present was there in spades and after praying before going into the service we had confirmation that said loud and clear: "Go here." Praise God for talking loud.
Otherwise, we are putting together a hand tool kit for PNG. Ben is wanting the professional grade stuff for tree felling, auto repair, and carpentry. This guideline is subject to change, but since we aren't taking a generator: no power tools. Suggestions and donations are appreciated here, thank you!
May and June will be school time for Ben when he will attend classes in Permaculture Design and Medical Missions Intensive (focus on tropical disease). August will be the capstone for Ben when he attends Remote Medical International's Remote EMT course in the Okanogan National Forest.
In the meantime, we are trying to keep our little hands busy getting ready for what amounts to homesteading. Questions for you, our friends: What should we be practicing? Laundry by hand? Construction? Home school curriculum? Let 'er rip, brothers and sisters!
Finally, remember we love you all and pray for you daily. Let us know what needs you have so we can intercede for you and more importantly, keep us updated! It is always a blessing to hear answers no matter what they are.
In His Grace,
Benjamin and Mary
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Happy 2016, friends!
I am officially finished with my Masters in Linguistics; Ben and I are debt free; we are in our own little place with a wonderful landlord; and, tomorrow, I will be starting full time work at the bamboo farm where Ben is already working.
We are so deeply thankful for God's abundant provision for us and for the prayers and support of friends and family.
What happens next?
A friend and I were talking about awkward seasons in life when we stand ready to jump at the next thing God wants us to do, but that next thing is not quite apparent yet. It feels unstable, full of possibilities and maybes but no concrete plan to present with certainty.
I am having to learn that it is no shame to present the community of Faith with the maybes and by so doing receive prayer and guidance.
This is where Ben and I are now.
We are eager to be on our way, to come to our new home in Papua New Guinea and join in the work of Bible Translation and community building that we have been invited into. But between us and that destination there is an ocean of unknowns. Who will we partner with? Who will send us? Are we sufficiently equipped? Are we ready spiritually?
At least we know the right next step. There are some things that are clear: God has provided Ben with opportunities to become more equipped for his work in our mission, including a workshops on sustainable agriculture and wilderness medical aid; we have been counseled to put together a faith statement and letter of intent to share with those who are interested in partnering with us; and we have been provided an opportunity to save and set aside a sum of money during this next season. That's a good place to start.
Thank you for praying for us and for your patience as we fumble our way through this adventure. We are currently praying about sometime in August as a departure date for our initial stay in Papua New Guinea. God has been faithful, and we know He will continue to direct us and provide for us as we seek His will.
We pray that your new year has begun with joy, and that God will bless you abundantly as you seek after Him in obedience.
With love,
The Grimms
I am officially finished with my Masters in Linguistics; Ben and I are debt free; we are in our own little place with a wonderful landlord; and, tomorrow, I will be starting full time work at the bamboo farm where Ben is already working.
We are so deeply thankful for God's abundant provision for us and for the prayers and support of friends and family.
What happens next?
A friend and I were talking about awkward seasons in life when we stand ready to jump at the next thing God wants us to do, but that next thing is not quite apparent yet. It feels unstable, full of possibilities and maybes but no concrete plan to present with certainty.
I am having to learn that it is no shame to present the community of Faith with the maybes and by so doing receive prayer and guidance.
This is where Ben and I are now.
We are eager to be on our way, to come to our new home in Papua New Guinea and join in the work of Bible Translation and community building that we have been invited into. But between us and that destination there is an ocean of unknowns. Who will we partner with? Who will send us? Are we sufficiently equipped? Are we ready spiritually?
At least we know the right next step. There are some things that are clear: God has provided Ben with opportunities to become more equipped for his work in our mission, including a workshops on sustainable agriculture and wilderness medical aid; we have been counseled to put together a faith statement and letter of intent to share with those who are interested in partnering with us; and we have been provided an opportunity to save and set aside a sum of money during this next season. That's a good place to start.
Thank you for praying for us and for your patience as we fumble our way through this adventure. We are currently praying about sometime in August as a departure date for our initial stay in Papua New Guinea. God has been faithful, and we know He will continue to direct us and provide for us as we seek His will.
We pray that your new year has begun with joy, and that God will bless you abundantly as you seek after Him in obedience.
With love,
The Grimms
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
A new month and a new perspective.
We have finally moved into our own home for the very first time. What a blessing it was to host our first guests, to cook our first meal together, to feel at home and at peace. Our communication has improved and our relationship is healthier thanks in part to the prayers of our hosts, the prayers of our friends and family, and the results of all those growing pains.
Mary remarked to me yesterday that she was looking for something she missed. As if there were something wrong and she couldn't quite find it. Thank God for that; at last we have broken the mold of repeated and unresolved mistakes and problems. Let us establish a new direction and habit of NOT doing those things. So much peace and contentment. We have been able to minister to friends in our free time and that has become fulfilling and fun. I find myself (I think Mary too) asking for and expectantly waiting on the next chance to serve.
We are now in the home stretch with school; Mary is on an easy semester with only three classes. One in person, one online and one the prep for her comprehensive exams. She only needs to be in Canadia (intentionally misspelled) two days a week now, praise God. We are counting down to the last school payment EVER. November 15th will be a (cheap) celebration day for us.
I am gearing up for classes in the spring Lord willing and pinging local farms for education/work on bamboo. More on that as it develops though a spoiler is in order. I have made contact with a pair of wonderful resources who are eager to teach me about aquaponics - conjunction of aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (grow beds). These intellectual giants have all the knowledge I need to make it work in PNG four hours boat ride upriver from the end of the road. I am blessed with these guys. With their input my bible study group is going to help me put together a proof of concept!!! God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.
When you pray remember us and the murky in between we are navigating just now. We know where we are and why we are here. We know where we are supposed to go. God has not seen fit to tell us WHEN to leave yet. It makes planning troublesome since we both wish to be obedient to His leading and have no clues to what long term decisions to make.
Pray that we continue our excellent progress in our relationship. It has made a big difference for us both.
Pray that the hearts of our tribe(s) are prepared for us especially in the midst of this awful drought
Pray for their provision in this time of hunger and thirst
Pray for the strength and joy of the presence of the Holy Spirit to be near us both when we are tired and especially when we are busy and liable to become distracted
We earnestly desire those of you praying for us to speak into our lives and admonish, correct, and teach us. If you see something, speak the truth in love! You are welcome and we need this.
You who are reading this know I am thanking our King for you right now. Know that your prayers are heard and answered in His time; you have only to look at this blog to see His hand saving us time and time again. I love you, brothers and sisters. I love you.
Mary remarked to me yesterday that she was looking for something she missed. As if there were something wrong and she couldn't quite find it. Thank God for that; at last we have broken the mold of repeated and unresolved mistakes and problems. Let us establish a new direction and habit of NOT doing those things. So much peace and contentment. We have been able to minister to friends in our free time and that has become fulfilling and fun. I find myself (I think Mary too) asking for and expectantly waiting on the next chance to serve.
We are now in the home stretch with school; Mary is on an easy semester with only three classes. One in person, one online and one the prep for her comprehensive exams. She only needs to be in Canadia (intentionally misspelled) two days a week now, praise God. We are counting down to the last school payment EVER. November 15th will be a (cheap) celebration day for us.
I am gearing up for classes in the spring Lord willing and pinging local farms for education/work on bamboo. More on that as it develops though a spoiler is in order. I have made contact with a pair of wonderful resources who are eager to teach me about aquaponics - conjunction of aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (grow beds). These intellectual giants have all the knowledge I need to make it work in PNG four hours boat ride upriver from the end of the road. I am blessed with these guys. With their input my bible study group is going to help me put together a proof of concept!!! God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.
When you pray remember us and the murky in between we are navigating just now. We know where we are and why we are here. We know where we are supposed to go. God has not seen fit to tell us WHEN to leave yet. It makes planning troublesome since we both wish to be obedient to His leading and have no clues to what long term decisions to make.
Pray that we continue our excellent progress in our relationship. It has made a big difference for us both.
Pray that the hearts of our tribe(s) are prepared for us especially in the midst of this awful drought
Pray for their provision in this time of hunger and thirst
Pray for the strength and joy of the presence of the Holy Spirit to be near us both when we are tired and especially when we are busy and liable to become distracted
We earnestly desire those of you praying for us to speak into our lives and admonish, correct, and teach us. If you see something, speak the truth in love! You are welcome and we need this.
You who are reading this know I am thanking our King for you right now. Know that your prayers are heard and answered in His time; you have only to look at this blog to see His hand saving us time and time again. I love you, brothers and sisters. I love you.
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