Popup Pictures

I love the popup pictures from the past. 2010 was a great year because of all those people in the picture. We were the Madang team that ministered on the Support Center 20 miles outside of Madang, Papua New Guinea located right on the Bismarck Sea. 

Our job was to keep the missionaries out in the remote villages supplied with what ever they needed. That young man on the left was single then, now married with three, maybe four children back learning an un written language in a village so they can present the gospel. The couple next to him were on an island with an active volcano learning a new language, but eventually had to come home to take care of his parents. Next to them is a couple from England, were in a village for years, finished up the translation of the Bible while helping us on the base. We are next to them, Ace was the finance administrator, leadership, I fried chicken and took care of housing. 

Top level, behind us was the young man in blue t shirt was a jack of all trades, he did whatever needed done plus in his space time built guitars, learned different language. the couple with the cute kids came as singles. He built the houses on the base. They married, actually had three children while living there. Now they reside in the states, with I think 6 children, and he is still a builder. The next couple serves in Columbia now. The gentleman in the yellow shirt worked on another island, translated the bible into the village language and then after many years came to the Madang base to help it get started and finally retired. 

I wanted to tell you all this and actually wanted to write about 100 times more about these people who are just like you. Normal people going about life , heard there were some people who needed to hear the gospel and said yes to it. Was it a call, not really, it is a command, go into all the world, this was the part of the world He picked for all of us. Some of us served in other countries also and still continue to serve Him in the states, England, where ever our feet are. That's what missionaries do, serve Him where ever their feet walk, tell others in what ever languages we can speak about how thankful we are for God sending His Son to die for our sin. 

Lets not get so caught up in just being thankful for the good food we will eat in a few days, Lets get caught up in the fact God loves us and those we will be around. Don't be thankful for the turkey and harbor hatred toward someone in your heart. Jesus gave us the power to really love and be thankful. Make your thanksgiving real.

Boogers and shoe strings...

Perspective is everything, no matter what life hands you.  Children are the best at keeping things into a proper perspective.  They not only see the issue but get excited over little things that we fret about. 

Example: Our son ask his son, age five, how was his day at school?  The grandson gave the wisest perspective of his day.  Dad, he said, it was a good day.  My shoes stayed tied and I didn't have any boogers.  

After hearing that I have decided I may use that  perspective next time I am ask how my day was.  

Lets see, it would go like this.  It was a good day, I over slept, left the house a mess because I was going to lunch  with a friend.  Had my favorite salad, also a McDonald's hot fudge sundae.  Shopped  literally till I had to drop for while in a seat in the store till my energy came back, but I did not pee my pants.  As hard as I tried not to,  I did do some gossiping and listened to some.  Went around the store singing, Silver Bells, very loud on purpose and had a few sing along with me.  when the little kids stared at me, I ask them to sing jingle bells with me, they did.  No one threw me out of the store or told me to shut up.  Especially those standing in the long line waiting to get checked out, they just smiles and sang along. 

I am telling you folks we are taking life a little to serious, honestly, it's such a short life.  While I was in the dressing room I thought my friend came in so I am yelling, Geri, Geri, you have got to see this on me, it was a bright, mustard colored t shirt. It was only 4.20 cents.  I heard this lady say, I am not your friend but I'll take a look.  My friend came in about that time and we had a great time of laughing over some comments I cannot post.  I ask the lady, do you know the song, Silver Bells, she said no.  Oh great, I got to teach it to her.  She said she was going to shop with us, we were fun.  

Got my clothes home, realized I had to take something back.  Next day, without my friend, I hit that store again and as I am looking for another shirt, this beautiful women ask me if I thought the color of the shirt she was holding looked good on her.  I told her the truth, it looked great, so she followed me from sale rack to sale rack.  I was honest, some things she picked out did not look good. Now I was looking for real bargains, nothing over five dollars,  but it was clear   she had a little more money then I did because the higher prices did not bother her.  I finally had to leave but she could sing silver bells with me before I did.  

And here is the best part, my shoes stayed tied and I did not have an boogers. 

What keeps us from enjoying life?  Is it because we are so mature to bring ourselves to a child's level?  Seems we have no problems when we are mad acting like a child, refusing to do what needs to be done.  If we all had a child's perspective how much better our day would be.  My youngest grandson loves to wash windows but he wants me to do it with him. What a great time I would miss if I refused to not help him.  

Maybe its because I am getting closer to my final move, but I am noticing more and more how much we grown up act so grown up but laugh less and smile less.  Oh, we always laugh at the little kids, but I think we need to get the little kids to laugh with us.  Or even better, get the grown up to laugh with a grown up.  

It's really hard to sing Thanksgiving songs as Christmas items are out in every department of the stores.  Thought I would give you a little taste of what all the "stuff" brings out of me.  I even talked our son, Jared into playing  and singing  a little with me.   I love that God does not waste even our mistakes to bring a little laughter's into our life.  Happy Very Early Merry Christmas.  

 

Dear Prayer Partners,

Every year we as Member Care Reps get together at our Headquarters in Sanford, Florida for a conference.

This year we had a session on, Compassion Fatigue.  Looking forward to reading more on this subject.

The other two days was a workshop on, Risk Assessment and Management. This workshop takes a deeper look at key selected passages in the New Testament on risk and provides a practical framework for risk Assessment and Management, incorporating faith, spiritual and emotions.

Within just this group in the picture there was 263 combined years of experiencing high risk and compassion fatigue at certain times of our living overseas.  As Member Care Reps it’s important to keep current on these subjects because the risk is getting greater and more widespread.  To be able to help someone with compassion fatigue before it drives them to quit is the desire of everyone in this picture. 

Thank you for praying and giving toward our ministry, serving to see the gospel go to the least reached language groups around the world.

Ace & Betty Draper ace_draper@ntm.org

Ethnos360-Southwestern Regional Member Care

Send support, if by check to Ethnos360 312 W. 1st St Sanford, Fl  32771-1487 (On a separate piece of paper, write, to the ministry of Ace & Betty Draper): Go online to :  Ethonos360.org for other options/of giving,  thank you

4021 Peoria Ave

Simi Valley,, CA 93063

805-501-6998(Ace)

805-915-8740(Betty)