Michi, Manu, and family have now been in Asia-Pacific for five weeks. They could have never imagined in the first few days that they would already feel comfortable and ‘at home’ after such a short time, but it really is like that.
What a wonderful goal Michi and Manu are allowed to pursue – to teach the people around them the right way, the way to faith in Christ. Isn’t it wonderful that God allows weak people to be part of His wonderful work and to trust in His strength! It is not the first time that Michi and Manu have experienced reaching their limits and feeling incapable of doing many things… and yet somehow it is different. Maybe because everything is so different. A completely different house, a very different culture, a different language, different food, much more humidity and heat, new daily routines and the list goes on. Depending ONLY on God’s strength. Experiencing and feeling this inability is not easy, it even hurts sometimes, but it drives them close to their wonderful Lord and His goal – in full trust in the power of Christ.
Michi and Manu are thankful for great language helpers who, especially in the beginning, helped them through accompanying them to cultural events or walks through their neighbourhood etc. They are thankful for the two ladies that help them around the house, cook super good lunches and try to keep the children occupied during morning language classes by playing with the children.
Another reason to be grateful is the team in town, who take very good care of them and the other five new families by teaching, encouraging and helping them with everyday things with which they still have to become familiar.
The pastor and his wife at their local church welcomed them wholeheartedly and they really feel valued. They are thankful for a local church, close to home, where they already feel a part. They have joined a small group already and Manu is able to attend ladies meetings weekly.
They are also grateful for their neighbourhood, which they are getting to know more and more. Going for a walk in the afternoon, buying sweets or ice cream from little ‘house kiosks’ and just spending time with them. There are many children in the neighbourhood who often visit to play with their kids. They are looking forward to when they will be able to understand and communicate more.
Language lessons with their language assistants have just started. Not only are they having fun learning, but their children are already picking up a lot and enjoy being able to understand or say something. It will be very exciting for two of their children to start school. With the help of the material from a ‘German home schooling company’, they will try to manage the kids lessons (1st and 3rd grade) and their lessons together at home and are already excited about how this will work.
The children’s desks were built by the carpenter next door, and are now ready to be worked at. In many ‘little things’ like these the Lord clearly shows them that nothing is too small for HIM and that He sees and helps them very personally.
They are grateful for…
- so much to be thankful for
- a ‘home’ in Asia- Pacific where they feel ‘at home’
- the team and the other five new families with whom they get along well
- God’s visible help in all the new situations and tasks so far
Pray that…
- the language studies they have started will go well and that they will learn the language quickly
- they may be a blessing in their neighbourhood and build good, more personal relationships
- they could continue to settle in well as a family and would not forget to be thankful
- God would give them as a family much joy and strength in home schooling
- their short-term visa would soon be converted into the yearly visa