Hello all our followers of our blog of 2011-2012! We are going on another mission trip–this time to Bangkok, Thailand. We’ll be leaving home on March 1 and will return on April 4. Therefore, this will be a much shorter trip than our trip to Lithuania. We have decided to do another blog for this trip provided we will have an available computer to use where we are going. I am letting you know early in case you wish to add your name to those receiving notification of our posts as they occur.
We will be assisting in the Cornerstone Student Center located next door to King Mungkuts Institute of Technology in the Lat Krabang district east of downtown Bangkok. We will be teaching conversational English and having fellowship with the students there. We know this will be an interesting experience and look forward to it.
I made it a policy not to talk about politics—South African or American—on this blog, but I cannot keep silent by the recent events in the USA, concerning immigration.
Yesterday in chapel, we had a Thanksgiving Eucharist for the 10th-anniversary of Growing the Church (GtC), the organisation with whom my husband and I serve on the field. In lieu of a homily, staff members shared some of their favourite stories about GtC, especially those that displayed God’s provision. When it was my turn to share, I broke down in tears. I couldn’t believe how emotional I became. I talked about my first encounters with the GtC staff and my earliest days at GtC, about how everyone had welcomed me with opened arms.
You see; I am an immigrant. I know what it feels like to leave one’s beloved family, country, and culture and move half away across the world. I know what it feels like to quit a good job and head into the unknown of financial security. I know what it’s like to completely uproot, to sell one’s possessions and to arrive in a new country, carrying only three suitcases and two carry-on bags.
I am a foreigner. I know what it’s like to learn how to grocery shop again, learning new foods, how to read labels, new terminology, a new system of weight and volume. I know what’s like to learn to drive on the left side of the road and to learn different rules of the road. I know what it’s like to struggle to communicate, to understand people and for them to understand me. I know what it’s like to feel so homesick at times that the feeling feels almost like physical pain.
Within a month of my arrival in Cape Town, I was in George, helping out with a Rooted in Jesus training. We were in an Afrikaans-speaking community, and all the parishioners, including the ones in this group, welcomed me with opened arms.
I am an immigrant. I know what it feels like to be welcomed with opened arms and with love, for people to be happy that I am here, for people to have me over for dinners and braais and to take me for walks on the beach. I know what it feels like to receive needful help and advise and guidance from opening a bank account, to cooking, to where to get the best bargains for clothes, to which neighbourhoods to be cautious of, to which doctors to go to for medical help. I know what it’s like for people to be patient with me, as I struggle to communicate in their language. I know what it’s like for people to live out Leviticus 19:34a, “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself.” This has been my experience in South Africa, and I can never thank my friends, family, colleagues, parish family, and all the countless churches, parishioners, priests, bishops, students and other individuals who have welcomed and loved me as one of their own.
As our last newsletter explained, we are returning to North America for the sake of Sora’s health and our kids’ education and well-being. But we are stopping in Davao until the 3rd of February to see old friends, resume old ministries, and enjoy a place that is full of happy memories for our family.
We worshipped with Davao Covenant Reformed Church on Sunday. Hosanna was glad to see Ate Flor and Ate Juvie, and they were happy to see her:
Matt got together with some of his former Greek students. They plan to meet five or six times while we are in Davao. Here they are reading Romans 3 and 4 together in Greek:
Hosanna loves Abreeza Mall, so we took her there. She has a big heart:
Matt has been asked to preach at Davao Covenant Reformed Church next Sunday. He’ll be preaching on the book of Jonah.
Sora also is back in the saddle. She’s teaching a class on herbs to the student midwives at the clinic where she used to work.
As we prepare to leave the mission field for the foreseeable future, we are delighted to be here in Davao, and fully expect to return again in later years.
Happy Advent to you! We’re grateful for this season in the church year of anticipation, hope, and repentance.
For both Nate and me, Agape Year has been a great teacher for hopeful anticipation. Five years ago, Nate and I met on St. Nicholas Day and shared a call to mission. One year ago, we accepted the call to start and direct Agape Year from the Anglican Global Mission Partners. Often we stand in wonder of how God has heard our prayers. Often we are caught in dismay, knowing it is only through His grace we are sustained. His grace has kept us while we are developing partners and the program and living our daily life of full-time work and child rearing. This year we’ve seen God bring His vision into greater formation and anticipate seeing it more fully fleshed out this year. So, we enter this season undergirded with grace and walking in faith.
In faith, we are accepting applications for Fall of 2017 to be our first cohort. (agapeyear.org/apply). Please pass along this application to 18-21 year olds you think God may be leading to participate.
In faith, we are hopeful to have our full support raised by March 1. At that point, Nate will be able to leave Trader Joe’s and dedicate his full energy to Agape Year. We currently have 45% of monthly support raised, but are still in need of $3000 per month in support. Would you join us? Would you help us connect to others who God may be calling to be a part of Agape Year? Praise be to God, He has provided what we need for our start up costs. We stand amazed.
A few highlights from the last few months:
We welcomed Anne Elisabeth, 9lbs 22inches, to our family on October 31. She taught us a lot about anticipation, as she was 10 days past her due date. She’s lovely and well loved by her brother and parents.
We visited the D.C./Baltimore area in September to meet with potential partners for Agape Year. It was a great time of encouragement and engagement. One refrain we heard was how Agape Year is an answer to prayer for youth, parents, and youth directors! Thanks be to God!
We were able to participate in our parish retreat and grow in relationship with our church family and other missionaries our church supports. We were also able to meet with Archbishop Foley Beach to share the vision of Agape Year.
We enjoyed having lunch with Bishop Jim and Mother Shari Hobby, and were encouraged by their excitement for Agape Year and its potential for shaping future church leaders.
As 2016 draws to a close, we are incredibly grateful for the support and care our community has offered us. We look forward with great expectation to what 2017 will hold for us and for Agape Year.
“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11
This has been a good and busy year. Please, as we end this year when there is much uncertainty in the world, join me in heeding the Prince of Peace. The angels announced Jesus with the Christmas message – Fear not, Jesus is coming. Jesus has come and dwelt among us. His perfect love casts out fear. We seek during these times to make Jesus present as we serve others near and far.
I visited Peru five times in 2016 and am planning more visits in 2017. These trips accomplished much. Thank you for being part of what God has been doing there through these trips and conversations. Polly was able to join me in November when we served at the Cathedral in Lima over two weeks.
In Puente Piedra, Santisima Cruz church now has a roof. A building for water purification at Colegio San Mateo was installed – equipment coming in 2017. The VBS at Colegio San Mateo in July was an amazing success, and we are returning in February to train leaders for another VBS in late June.
I have assisted at the Cathedral several times as they are still searching for a new English speaking rector. We are developing plans for a complete rebuild of two schools and celebrating the new high school in Arequipa – St. Mark’s Anglican school. I also visited partners, congregations and bishops in the USA several times this year so as to keep them abreast of developments in Peru.
Goals for 2017
In 2017 we are resolved to do all that we can to support Bishop Jorge Aguilar in his priorities: Evangelism and Disciple-making. Under a new initiative, the Anglican Church in Peru will teach and train clergy and lay people to grow the Church and make effective disciples. They will be aided by the Anglican Province of South America and Peru’s partner dioceses, congregations and individuals. I will be coming alongside to encourage and participate.
I must rebuild my funds with SAMS-USA so as further to travel to Peru in 2017. Peru is where God has been leading me, using me and continues to call me.
Have a wonderful Christmas as we greet the Prince of peace. Polly and I wish you every blessing, peace and joy.
“God calls us to mission. We are chosen. How we answer the call is the important part of the equation.” –Jacky Lowe, SAMS Missionary, Madagascar
Jacky Lowe went from a short-term missionary Bridger to hearing God’s call for long-term service. She was convicted at the New Wineskins Missionary conference to follow God’s call to Madagascar.
Jacky Lowe is preparing for missionary service to Madagascar. She is thrilled to be heading back to where she once served as a short-term bridger partnering alongside the women in Toliaria. There, she taught them essential skills such a sewing and bead work that would enable them to start their own business. Through her testimonial timeline, we see how God worked over the course of years to place Jacky where she is today, and give her the right tools to serve no matter where she is called.
November 2007: At the Diocesan convention in SE Florida I heard Rev. Patsy McGregor speak about her mission work in Madagascar. I knew then I wanted to go and help.
2009-2015: I worked on three short term missions in 2009, 2010, and 2015, but I knew the Lord was calling me for full time missionary service. The people in Madagascar so want to learn about the Lord and develop skills for life, and I have a passion to serve them. In 2014 I was busy making plans to visit my family in England when Patsy phoned me and asked me to come to Madagascar summer 2015. At first I thought, “I can’t go I want to see my Dad!” But God had greater plans, so I went to England summer 2014, spent a wonderful 5 weeks with Dad, and he died January 2015.
January 2016: When Patsy asked me to work full time with the women in Toliara at the new women’s center, my first reaction was joy. Now I can do God’s work. Quickly after fear entered. “How am I going to do this?” I thought. For two weeks I talked with people and prayed to make the decision to say yes. Two weeks later fear came again, but I knew just to rest in God’s arms.
April 2016: What an amazing experience to attended SAMS & New Wineskins conference. My roommate Mary McDonald, a SAMS vet missionary, helped me to discern. “In ten years will you have regrets if you do not go?” she asked. I knew I would have regrets. We are to follow Christ no matter how hard it is. I knew God wanted me to follow him to Madagascar.
Today: As I make plans to go to Madagascar for 1-3 years to work with the women there I think, “I can do all things through God who gives me strength,” Philippians 4:16. I still have days when doubts enter, especially when people ask me, “Why don’t you just retire and spend time with your grandchildren?” or “Why do you have to go so far away?” As I said at the beginning it is a call from God. He says, “I have called you by name, you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1. Now, most days I feel a deep peace because I have answered God’s call. Looking back this journey of preparation has equipped me with all the tools I need. I have supportive friends and family, but most importantly I have God. Let the work begin!
By Jacky Lowe, Missionary preparing for long-term service to Madagascar. Would you prayerfully consider supporting Jacky today? Pray, support, and give here.
We are to follow Christ no matter how hard it is. I knew God wanted me to follow him to Madagascar.
Jacky Lowe
SAMS Missionary to Madagascar
Join Jacky as one of her supporters. Visit the Meet our Missionaries page today to give, support, and encourage Jacky.
This has been a good and busy year. Please, as we end this year when there is much uncertainty in the world, join me in heeding the Prince of Peace. The angels announced Jesus with the Christmas message – Fear not, Jesus is coming. Jesus has come and dwelt among us. His perfect love casts out fear. We seek during these times to make Jesus present as we serve others near and far.
I must rebuild my funds with SAMS-USA so as further to travel to Peru in 2017. Peru is where God has been leading me, using me and continues to call me.
