Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken winged bird
That cannot fly
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow (J. Elderidge, “Dreams”)
For if dreams die
Life is a broken winged bird
That cannot fly
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow (J. Elderidge, “Dreams”)
Dreams Defrosting
“The ‘joy set before him’ enabled Jesus to endure the agony of the Cross (Hebrews 12:2) In other words, his profound desire for something greater sustained him at the moment of deepest trial. We cannot hope to live like him without a similar depth of passion.” (J. Elderedge – Desire) Looking back over the last 6 months, it began with an intense beautiful spring time with Martin. My dreams of marrying and having a family serving as a missionary wife alongside my husband were stripped away when Martin died. It felt like I had no summer and plunged into a winter, frozen with snow. But in the midst of it I trusted that Jesus had something greater…and this has truly sustained me in the deepest trial of my life. I can honestly say that this month the snow is melting around my dreams and I have been able to pick up my dreams one at a time and recommit them to God. I have felt the passion and love to serve amongst children again; I have felt the passion for the lost Lopit, my people in Sudan. I can smile and laugh again and I have started to dream and hope in the beautiful plans God has for me. I was a broken winged bird but am healing and am ready to fly again.
“The ‘joy set before him’ enabled Jesus to endure the agony of the Cross (Hebrews 12:2) In other words, his profound desire for something greater sustained him at the moment of deepest trial. We cannot hope to live like him without a similar depth of passion.” (J. Elderedge – Desire) Looking back over the last 6 months, it began with an intense beautiful spring time with Martin. My dreams of marrying and having a family serving as a missionary wife alongside my husband were stripped away when Martin died. It felt like I had no summer and plunged into a winter, frozen with snow. But in the midst of it I trusted that Jesus had something greater…and this has truly sustained me in the deepest trial of my life. I can honestly say that this month the snow is melting around my dreams and I have been able to pick up my dreams one at a time and recommit them to God. I have felt the passion and love to serve amongst children again; I have felt the passion for the lost Lopit, my people in Sudan. I can smile and laugh again and I have started to dream and hope in the beautiful plans God has for me. I was a broken winged bird but am healing and am ready to fly again.
Caths German
I have been told that my German is improving and I am grateful to God that He has helped me thus far. I have worked and studied hard at the school and it has really helped me in all the presentations and travels I have had to make by train. However I still make mistakes and one particular mistake I do not think I will forget. After a meal with some of the church family I asked them if I could quickly go to the toilet…”Entschulding, ich möchte ins Toilette gehen”…the response was laughter and then I laughed too as I realized I had said: “excuse me I would like to go into the toilet”!!!
I have been told that my German is improving and I am grateful to God that He has helped me thus far. I have worked and studied hard at the school and it has really helped me in all the presentations and travels I have had to make by train. However I still make mistakes and one particular mistake I do not think I will forget. After a meal with some of the church family I asked them if I could quickly go to the toilet…”Entschulding, ich möchte ins Toilette gehen”…the response was laughter and then I laughed too as I realized I had said: “excuse me I would like to go into the toilet”!!!
Visiting churches
We had our autumn holidays from German school for two weeks and I decided to use this time to visit areas where Martin had worked as a farmer over ten years before joining DIGUNA. I visited and spoke with many people in Bad Essen where Martin and I had been before. It was very emotional, but as I arrived the children had made me a poster and was hugged and embraced by the Heitmeyer family and many others. The amazing thing in all my travels is that the sunflower seeds that we gave people at Martins memorial service people had planted and wherever I went I saw the fruit of these sunflowers smiling at me. This somehow encouraged me that out of Martins death something new is springing forth. In my time in Krelingen where Martin worked for seven years, it was a great privilege to meet more of Martins friends and learn more about his past life. I felt blessed with the huge group of people that came to hear my presentation and God gave me the strength to present mostly in German. I however was grateful for my translators who were there to support me when I didn’t have the right words. I received many gifts, encouragements and prayers to continue the work that was started in Sudan. One of Martin friends and workers, Matthias took me around the farm and showed me where Martin slept when he looked after the turkeys. During our tour Matthias told me how amazed he was that I was considering going back to serve the people in Sudan alone without Martin. Then I shared with him how when Martin died I saw how he went peacefully to be with Jesus and my heart breaks for the Lopit people who need to hear more and know more that Jesus is their Savior. I wept as I shared with him my heart for the lost and how if Jesus carried His cross for me, then I too with the joy set before me want to carry my cross and go back to Sudan. (This picture on the left is of Sister Charlotte, and Martin used to deliver vegetables from the farm here…and a seed was sent to her as Martin was special to her too)
The Quella Team going to Sudan
Thank you for your prayers, so far all is going to plan for our mission trip to Sudan in December/January. All flights have been booked and the arrangements for visas, food and building materials is coming together. Next month I will introduce you to the 4 wonderful people that are coming with me and will share in more detail the specific things we plan to do in our time in Sudan. Please pray for us in this preparation time.
God bless you
All my love Cath
We had our autumn holidays from German school for two weeks and I decided to use this time to visit areas where Martin had worked as a farmer over ten years before joining DIGUNA. I visited and spoke with many people in Bad Essen where Martin and I had been before. It was very emotional, but as I arrived the children had made me a poster and was hugged and embraced by the Heitmeyer family and many others. The amazing thing in all my travels is that the sunflower seeds that we gave people at Martins memorial service people had planted and wherever I went I saw the fruit of these sunflowers smiling at me. This somehow encouraged me that out of Martins death something new is springing forth. In my time in Krelingen where Martin worked for seven years, it was a great privilege to meet more of Martins friends and learn more about his past life. I felt blessed with the huge group of people that came to hear my presentation and God gave me the strength to present mostly in German. I however was grateful for my translators who were there to support me when I didn’t have the right words. I received many gifts, encouragements and prayers to continue the work that was started in Sudan. One of Martin friends and workers, Matthias took me around the farm and showed me where Martin slept when he looked after the turkeys. During our tour Matthias told me how amazed he was that I was considering going back to serve the people in Sudan alone without Martin. Then I shared with him how when Martin died I saw how he went peacefully to be with Jesus and my heart breaks for the Lopit people who need to hear more and know more that Jesus is their Savior. I wept as I shared with him my heart for the lost and how if Jesus carried His cross for me, then I too with the joy set before me want to carry my cross and go back to Sudan. (This picture on the left is of Sister Charlotte, and Martin used to deliver vegetables from the farm here…and a seed was sent to her as Martin was special to her too)
The Quella Team going to Sudan
Thank you for your prayers, so far all is going to plan for our mission trip to Sudan in December/January. All flights have been booked and the arrangements for visas, food and building materials is coming together. Next month I will introduce you to the 4 wonderful people that are coming with me and will share in more detail the specific things we plan to do in our time in Sudan. Please pray for us in this preparation time.
God bless you
All my love Cath
