Investments

'...where you invest your love, you invest your life.'

A couple weeks ago, I asked Tim if he could send me a quick update about what he has been doing in Haiti.  We know we need to keep all of you informed as best we can and yet it sometimes is difficult to accurately explain what is going on in our lives especially now as our family is in two separate 'worlds' so-to-speak.

But here it goes anyway...

The following is a summery from Tim, and following that I will do my best to fill in information from times he and I have talked.

* New Christian Academy - We have been making some great progress on the new Christian academy in the last several weeks. A road leading from the top of a hill down to the school has been constructed. This was a huge undertaking that required a lot of construction materials and manpower.  Our unseasonably dry October weather allowed us to finish the work. The next stage of construction will be to finish one of the school buildings so we are ready for school next year.

*  Block Plant - Progress on the block plant has been slow. We have land purchased and all the paperwork is in-line. We also have a contract in place with a construction company to build a bridge to the property and a wall around the property.  As soon as the bridge is built we can work on getting a well dug for water. A large water tank was recently purchased so we can store water for the various construction projects. 

*  Financial - Mission Haiti recently purchased a new financial software system. The new system will allow for greater flexibility and better financial reporting. Transferring all of our information over to a new system has proved to be a time intensive task. 

- Creole lessons - I've been taking creole lessons for the last several weeks. I'm SLOWLY picking up the language.

 From talking with Tim I know that this list is not all that he has done in the past 3 weeks.  While he has been there the Mission-Haiti orphanage has taken in a couple new faces.  He has also been along with other team members to visit a new 'family' who Mission Haiti has been trying to help.  It is a situation where two sets of brother and sister orphans were living in one house taking care of each other with next to nothing.  Tim sent me a couple pictures and a list of clothing items they needed, and asked me to do what I could.  It was nice for me to still be able to play a small role while away.  Tim has also been helping with youth group, keeping up on the day-to-day on the property along with all the team members (which sounds simple but is amazing how busy that can make a person) and of course doing all the chores around our house cause we are not there to assist.....

The girls and I are doing well living with my parents in Sioux Center, IA.  We have fallen into a flexible routine and another period of transition seems to be accepted.  I am also happy to report that my mom has now had two rounds of chemo treatments and has handled it all with much grace.  She got great news last week just before they started her chemo drugs, reporting that her 'tumor markers' had decreased by almost 2/3's.  This tells us that her body is responding to the treatments and the amount of cancer tumors in her body is much less!  Please help us praise God for this answer to prayers, and we ask that you diligently continue to pray these numbers continue to decline.  

A few last thoughts and I will be finished for now. 

A couple weeks ago I heard a sermon preached titled "Living an Everyday Missional Life (That Saves the World and Us from Ourselves.)  It was preached by Pastor Aaron Baart, dean of chapel at Dordt College in Sioux Center, IA.  There were many points in the words he spoke that morning that stuck out and really challenged my thinking. 

One point in particular was about how we who claim to be Christians should always be giving our testimonies, not as something that had happened in the past, but we should speak of our present-tense testimony.  I considered that for our family.  Our present tense situation is drastically different within the five members who make up the Mulder family.  Tim is on a tropical island amongst new relationships and challenges, I am helping to care for our Mom who is battling a dreaded disease, our girls are rolling with home-school while adding a bit of distraction and joy in a setting that might be a bit too quiet when facing very real health concerns.  I tried to imagine if each of us had to speak our testimony how different they would sound... but then I realized instead how intensely similar they would be.

I heard a song playing in our van that next week which helped me realize this.  It is by Momford & Sons called "Awake My Soul." In this song the phrase "... where you invest your love, you invest your life" struck me.  Although the song is not new to me, that phrase helped me shape what our present-tense testimony is.  Think about it for yourself.  Where do you invest your love?  Because I believe it is true, that is what your life is about.  So although our family faces very different circumstances from day-to-day, we are confident we are investing in the people we have been asked to love right now as best we can. 

We want to also take this opportunity to also say thank you for loving our family so well.  Tim, myself and the girls have been so well taken care of in both big and small ways through a time of more changes.  So many of you have also expressed care and offered prayers for my Mom and Dad.  We could never adequately tell you how much we value this, but we humbly ask that you continue.