Mashup Church Experence

St. Paul's by the Lake Episcopal Church Chicago

Dave, my husband was asked to preach today at a South Sudanese Church. This church was not located in South Sudan or any where near Africa. This church was meeting in Chicago. It was meeting like most immigrant churches at a odd time on Sunday afternoon when the building is not in use. It was not in the basement of the church but meeting in the main sanctuary.  We came early before very many had arrived. The Church building was a beautiful ornate old building built in 1882. Stained glass windows depicting the early apostles framed the sanctuary.  The wood work was exquisite with intricate work every where you looked. It was just breath taking! It was decorated for this Christmas season. The smell of incense was in the air. Then on the front pews there was something unusual that you would not expected to see in an Old Episcopal Church , two African drums.

Soon several South Sudanese began to join. This was primarily a gathering of the Dinka , who are very strikingly tall dark beautiful people. They began to sing in Dinka. I do not know this language but have heard it before through the years of meeting Sudanese refuges in Uganda and Kenya. The singing is very rhythmic and remains with you. 

I began to close my eyes to worship God in my heart and as I did I was transported far away to a small church gathering under a tree in rural Africa. I could see the large tree we were meeting under. Children wandering around playing with simple toys made from wire and other recycled material. I could feel the cool breeze blowing through reminding me of God's spirit. I could see all the colorful material that was worn by the women and the clean pressed suits by many of the men. In the near distant I could see several huts with thatched grass roofs. When I opened my eyes and saw the Old Episcopal Church building  again...somehow these to things were having a hard time coming together for me. It was such an unusual experience.  

It reminded me of a mashup song--where 2 or more songs and blended together to form one song. It was if the old American church with its liturgical service was mashed up with a traditional Dinka worship service. What was made --was something unique and beautiful.  I am so thankful that I experience  a Mashup Church today. 

Babies

When my children were babies I must admit this is one of my favorite stages!
I love infants!

I love the way they smell!

I love how much they like to cuddle!

I love how utterly dependent and trusting they are!

My foster baby Gabe

I love those early weeks when they look into your eyes and they are like a sponge soaking up all your love up.

God has taught me so many things through my care for babies. Not just caring for my own children but also those I have baby sat and fostered.

I remember the first time I put my oldest daughter , Sophia in a car seat to drive about an hour across town to visit her Grand parents. She cried and cried! I cried! I could not explain to her why being fastened in a plastic car seat was safer than being cradled in my arms. All she wanted was to be comforted my her mother and that is what I wanted to do but I knew the safest place for her was where I had her.

I remember like it was yesterday that during all that crying and frustration an understanding of my relationship with God my father came to me. Are there times when I am crying and do not understand the places that God has placed me? Just as I knew the car seat was the best place for Sophia , God knows the best place for his daughter to be. I must trust that God has me where He needs me to be.

Looking back on my life , I can now see many times that He has placed me some where that at the time I did not understand and felt betrayed,

neglected,

forgotten

and alone

but later realized that it was for my best and the kingdoms best and I saw God's glory come from it!

But I still am like a child and love the times that I am held the most. I love cuddling up to my Lord and soaking in all the love.
I feel this as I care for babies.

Sophia and I on our porch in Uganda

I can remember some of my most precious times with God have been during the quiet and stillness of the night as I was feeding my babies. Those are sacred moments that I will never forget!

This week as I have started to take care of a friend"s baby as she returns to work so many of these memories have come to my mind.

Babies are such a blessing from God!

I Have Heard the Levitical Call

Looking for 20 new partners in our new call to serve the Diaspora of EastAfrica in Chicago. Please join us in praying for this!

I often get ask ," Now what are you all doing in Chicago? What is your job?" It is funny because this is a question that people have asked us through the years as we have served as missionaries.

I think before vocation was a buzz word ( or now it seems it is out of fashion) this is the word that described the calling on my life that is played out day by day.   The term Vocation , I would define as a calling to do and be something that becomes comprehensive....a passion that one can not walk away from---a knowing that what you are doing has eternity effects.

I have always wanted to do what God asked of me...be what He wants me to be... I do not know if my holistic view of life came from my up-bring as a TCK ( Third Culture Kid) with East African world view influences but I have always viewed my job more as who and whose I am than just what I do for a living.

Even as I went through my educational training I knew that it was not going to be traditional 9-5 job for me. As I write this ,  I know there are others that have been called to a vocation that looks more "traditional" and that is where God has placed you...but I have heard the Levitical call. " The Levitical priests—indeed, the whole tribe of Levi—are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the food offerings presented to the Lord, for that is their inheritance." (Deuteronomy 18:1 NIV)

I believe that as a church we all have to answer the great commission...some are called to go and some are called to send but all are called to the commission of God : "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.' " (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)

  Levitical call is a term that I have been chewing on lately.  As we have transitioned back to the U.S. I feel more like Dave and I are in our early 20's more than where are age-mates are. What I mean is that we are renting as apposed to owning a home...we are starting over gathering household items not having so much stuff that we are renting storage units....we are starting something anew rather than being settled in our careers. I must admit that I have struggled some with jealousy, envy, and wondering what have we acquired ?????

In one of my quiet times I felt God gently nudge me that one I should not compare but more importantly that He has called us to a different path. I had been reading through the Bible ( actually listening on line to daily readings) and was struck by the different standard and requirement of the Levies who were in full time service to God. He reminded me of the cost of saying yes to Him so many years ago...I was saying no to using my gifts and talents to acquire wealth and although we have not and do not buy into the thought that missionaries should "Suffer" and we have certainly not taken an oath of poverty, we have lived on less and used most to serve others.

But just as the Levites needed Israel to also follow God's calling by providing offerings to sustain them...missionaries today need the church to answer God's calling to give so that those of us who have answered the Levitical call can put our full energy into serving others. 

Now back to the question of "What are you doing in Chicago?" We are still missionaries. Even though we have relocated ,we are still serving the same people we have served over the last 20 years: East Africans that are now living in major cities in the U.S. --Chicago being one of them. Our hope is to Shepherd, Equip, Evangelize and Discipleship the Diaspora and out of this plant a multi-cultural church reaching the un-churched or De-churched of Chicago.

What does this practically look like? We are following relationship lines--30+ relatives of our last church plant --CCR ( Christ Church in Rwanda) and relatives of our friends in Uganda live here in Chicago.  We have also gone to several functions of different East African Communities and have met new people and are beginning to build relationships. It is amazing how much credibility our time living in East Africa and also my childhood experiences in Kenya has given us as we met new folks. Often times we know someone who knows someone who is related to someone and a connection is formed! We have so many God stories ---way to big for coincidences! He has used this to open many doors.

We have had several of these new friends over to our home on Saturdays for shared meal and fellowship. We have visit many in their homes, places of work, schools and visit a few in hospitals. From this we have gathered a group that are leaders in their different communities and have formed a steering committee for Great Lakes Fellowship ( which is going to be a monthly fellowship for the Diaspora--folks from East Africa that are living in the States now). We had our first steering committee meeting last Saturday night. We had a great group with representatives from Rwanda,Uganda,Kenya and Tanzania!

Our first GLF Steering meeting

I hope this explains some of what we are up to and again I want to say that this can not be possible with out your prayers and support. Please if you are not one of our monthly partners and would like to be one of the 20 new partners we are praying for , you can find more information on
Rwanda Outreach and Community Partners (ROC): http://www.rocpartners.org

Contributions may be sent to:
ROC Partners

- Jenkins Memo

3007 NW 63rd Ste 205

Oklahoma City, OK 73116-3605

Home Is A Choice

We have now been in Chicago for about a month. 
Most of the boxes are unpacked.
Furniture is arranged.
Pictures are hung.
A place for everything and everything a place.

Each mementoes placed caries a special memory.
Each picture hung floods my mind with the goodness of God.
Each cloth tells a story.
Each cup holds a conversation.

We are sinking in to our new life very far from where we came.
Smells are different.
Sounds are different.
Sights are different.
Yet there are familiar touches, smells, sounds, and sights. 


Home is more than a place.
Home is something you cultivate with the ones you love.
Home is extending your love to others.Visitors make a house a home.

Home is a choice.

Homeless No More!

We now have an Apartment in Rogers Park, Chicago in a very interesting neighborhood. A Jewish Community intersecting with an Arabic Community near little India with East Africans sprinkle all around.

         We had just about rented another apartment but it was a bit higher rent and we discovered later that it was not in the safest area.

About this time a Rwandan friend of ours who was working for a realtor management company called and said she found us a three beds and two-bath large apartment in Rogers Park. Dave went and the next day to view the first floor apartment.

One of the things I had been praying about was our neighbors. Even the best apartment if you have neighbor problems your home can be a miserable place. As soon as Dave arrived he saw someone we knew. Church planters working with primarily Jewish and Turks occupy the two units above us.

What a small world! When Dave called to share this with me I was again reminded that God works every little detail out…beyond our expectations. I was just praying for friendly neighbors that would not be offended by us having lots of visitors and ministry out our home.

So God gives us an experienced Church Planters that has been in Rogers Park for years as our neighbor.

I just saw the place last night for the first time. I love it and I am so excited to turn this place into our home and a place of comfort and hope for all of those that God has planned for us to intersect with!

Thank you to all of you who have joined us in prayer and have sacrificed so that we can answer this call to Chicago.

         P.S I am going to blog how I turn this place we’re living into a home with all the “picking “ and garage finds.  So stay tuned!Here are some before pictures.

Living room with lots of windows

Fireplace

Opposite wall to fireplace

Dinning room

Dinning room

Kitchen

For those of you on face book check out this house warning party that my sister-in-law Patty Jenkins has organized //www.facebook.com/events/657562367587912/

If not on FB you can go right to my wish list of things we still need to set up house.http://www.myregistry.com/public/Jana-Jenkins the password is Blessings

Looking for a home

The last few months and more earnestly lately I have spent several hours a day looking for a home for my family. This right now is primarily an on line process as we are on the road staying with friends and family. I spend from 2 to 4 hours a day looking at possibilities.... details of number of rooms, bathrooms, schools in the area etc.. Is this apartment in our budget? What is our budget? Will there be space for us to serve others in our new ministry? Will Dave have a space for his office? Will we be close to public transport so Ethan can get to his school? Will there be enough windows to let the sun light in so we can survive the long Chicago winters? 

As I look, I find my mind wandering.... wondering what will our new lives look like in Chicago? As I have narrowed down a few places for Dave to look at in person, (Am I crazy to let my husband pick out our apartment/house? The younger 2 children and myself will stay with my sister as Dave and Ethan go into Chicago to finalize a place for us and than we will join him. ) I am reminded of all the houses that we have called home over the years.

Our first home was a cute 2-bedroom apartment over a garage in Abilene, TX while we were finishing up school. Good memories beginning our nest together.

Our second home was a church parsonage in our first ministry job in Minnesota. We were so excited when the church leaders opened the door and we saw our house for the first time. A very large (after living in a small garage apartment anything would have felt large) 2 bedroom with a finish basement...what a bonus! I loved my large picture window in the living room. We were pregnant with our first child so I was eager to make one of the rooms into a nursery. I had so much fun turning this house into a home.

Our 3rd home was in Uganda and it was a very large 6-bedroom home by lake Victoria. The house had been empty for a while and had been vandalized and needed a lot of TLC. We were able to rent it at a low cost and proceed to fix it up over the next few years. Our first year we hosted over hundred visitors so it was such a blessing we had all those rooms. I had fun redoing floors, painting and stenciling...hours and hours of work. The house transformed into a beautiful home. The landlord noticed and with pressure from her extended family she more than doubled our rent. We departed bitter- sweet from this home because of all the money and time we had invested.

Our 4^th home was on top of a very large hill with a less than desirable road. The home was a newer construction with 3 small rooms and a garage that I transformed into a bedroom and school room. I loved our porch on this home with its beautiful views. Dave built a playground for the kids (4 kids during this time) …so many great memories in this home! But as time passed we began to out grow this small home. Our landlord had built a much larger 2-story house next door that had sat empty for a long time and he graciously lowered the rent so we could live there.

That became our 5^th home. Oh what space we had now. We enlarged our one-room school and several others in the community joined. This house was similar to our first home in Uganda but a bit smaller with only 5 bedrooms. So many good times with lots of visitors and parties in this home. When Timothy was a baby there was a small attic fire and everyone was down stairs and did not know but he cried and ended up saving us all with his warning. Dave and Mark one of our co-workers put the fire out! Our home was saved!

Our 6^th home in Africa was in Rwanda. We rented a furnished place when we first moved, as our shipment with all of our stuff in Uganda would take a while to come. We were so thankful to find a 3-room duplex that was fully furnished. It was a tight squeeze but we were ready to get out of the hotel. A few weeks after we first arrived in Rwanda 14 Oklahoma Christian students joined us for the summer. It was fun learning about Rwanda together. This house although temporary ended up being in the neighborhood where the church and school that God allowed us to help start was in.  At that time the neighborhood was new and water was a bit of a problem and after 2 months of no water we decided to move our next house even though our furniture had not yet come.

Our 7^th house, I new would be our home seconds after I drove down into the tree-covered driveway. It reminded me of the old colonial homes of my Kenya youth. The house was a simple bungalow style with a breath taking beautiful yard.

View from my porch in our Kimihurura home                                                        

I must admit out of all of our homes this is my favorite. It had unique flooring in the living and dinning area. It also had a fireplace. After converting the garage into a bedroom (one of my trademarks) we had 6 bedrooms.  We had a large parch with ½ of it screened in. This was one of my favorite spots to spend time with God. We hosted many guest and had lots of parties! I think one of my favorites was my surprise 40^th birthday!  It was a sad day when we had to leave that house as the landlord needed to replace the roof and do some other upgrades that would place the house into a more expensive rental than we could afford. We had almost 6 wonderful years in that home in Kimihurura.

Our last year in Rwanda we found a house that both Dave and I could agree on and was in our budget. After extensive renovations during the first few months. I grew to really enjoy this home. My porch grew on me especially after a few parties. ( I am of the opinion that a good party helps to turn a house into a home).

My sister Debra, my self holding our foster baby Gabe, and our son Caleb with one of our dogs                                                                                                          
Shortly after we moved in we answered the call to move to the U.S so we were only in this home for a year. In hindsight I am glad that God pried me out of my Kimihurura home a year earlier because he new I needed to grief one loss at a time. Leaving this new home was not as difficult.

Over our 19 years in Africa we had several extend furloughs and lived with family and friends and house sat and stayed in Visiting Missionary houses. We have always been blessed in these seasons. My kids have developed a quick adjustment to a new place becoming home. I hope this is a skill that will serve them well in life.

This last year was our first year back in the U.S to live for a longer season. God blessed us by opening a door for us to stay in Missionary Furlough Homes in Wheaton, IL outside of Chicago. These are fully furnished homes even down to the linen and kitchen utensils. It was a great landing spot for us. We had hoped to stay there for another year or 2 but that was not the plan. We are now transitioning again. We are moving into the city of Chicago as missionaries and hoping to partner with East African Diaspora to plant a multi-cultural church.

First task is to set up home base. Thanks for indulging me as I have walked down memory lane. It is building to my faith to record all the houses that God has turned into homes for my family. Not only much needed shelter from the storms of life but also where joy has flowed out to our family and community.

I am encouraged not to get bogged down in the details but trust that God has this! I am praying and would ask for prayers that He will provide the place that can be our next home not only for our family but a place that we can serve out of.

Guest Blog @ http://www.overacup.org/

“Share one of your God stories?” I was asked…..I do have so many to choose….hundreds, thousands….but right now I am in an unfinished God story. I know from experience that it is going to be an awesome story because the risks are so high…potential for failure so real. I also know in times like these where you are in the middle (I hope I am close to the end) that it is good to remember your God stories.


Check out  my guest blog at : http://www.overacup.org/2013/07/gods-story-jana-jenkins.html 

This summer is not the time for furlough!

As the summer rolls in the reality hits that the furlough we planned is not going to happen. Over the years, as my husband and I have served as missionaries in East Africa, we would often talk about what it would be like if we ever moved back to the U.S. I remember that I always said if we do move back to  America we will have to furlough in Africa! So last year as we were planning our return to the U.S for a season, we also began to plan our first furlough.

For those of you who do not know what a furlough is let me help define it for you. I do not really like Webster's definition--"leave of absence; temporary release of imprisonment ( unfortunately, I think some  of us missionaries have related to this during our early years); temporary layoff'.

Let me first say what furlough is not...a vacation! Although it can be a break from your work in the field that you are serving in, there is a lot of work one does on furlough as you speak in different churches sharing about what God has done since your last furlough; reporting on what has been done and assessing future goals and dreams;discovering much needed funds:depending on the ages of your children....looking at potential universities they might want to attend, taking care of doctors visits you may have to supplement, health issues--i.e. surgeries,  shopping for supplies until you return next, and reconnecting with family and friends. I am just tiered thinking about all the different things furlough is.

 I always would have mixed feelings about furloughs. I would look forward to connecting with family and friends and enjoying many of the foods and entertainment  etc ...we missed.... but would dread living out of suitcases; dealing with the stress of communicating well so that there was some understanding of what you were doing. Early on most of our furloughs were crisis management rather than proactively planned. This added a whole new level of stress to furloughs.

What we felt we looked like as would show up on someones doorstep!

We have also dealt with more than our share of health challenges on some of our furloughs. Many of our furloughs were spent either living with family or on the road staying with supporters or as our family grew --crammed into hotels. We had some furloughs that we had the luxury of having a furnished apartment or house to ourselves. ( A big thanks to all those families and supports that made this a possibility!) Those times worked best...even though we would be in someones home for dinner ( or out to eat) each night we would have a place to come back to and just be our selves. It is hard sometimes always being 'On" --telling the same stories over and over. Our family has some great memories from all of our furloughs through the years. I think it brought us closer and we have bonded through both the good,bad and the ugly...that only road trips can bring. I remember once when our oldest was preschool age and was asked to draw her home as we were on a furlough, she drew a picture of our van!

There is a lot  of different practice out there amongst  evangelical missionaries as to how long and how often one should take furloughs. We did all sorts through the years.  Our longest tour we did was 3 and 1/2 years but usually they were 2 years and our furloughs have ranged from 3 months to 12 months. I noticed a new trend towards the end of our time of short 6 to 8 weeks furlough every year in the summer time. I can see especially with school age children that this makes things a bit easier.

As we were planning our first furlough back to East Africa , I thought this new trend might work best for our family. We could return during the summers back to Africa. At the time I think this was the only way we could leave Rwanda was knowing we would be back for a visit in one years time. Well lots of things have been differently than we had expected for our transition. ( I will save that for another blog)

We are going to have to move out of our temporary furnished Missionary Furlough home on July 15... We have some ideas of were we are moving to and some on going conversations but nothing for sure yet. I know if we were going on furlough back to Rwanda  this summer we would not return back to the States so I hear the wisdom of Mission organizations and old - time missionaries that would advise that you try and have a longer first tour and discourage going on a furlough after only one year.

We are still finding our way here and looking for our place ....learning about the culture here....trying to meet as many folks as we can and asking the missionary questions where is God working and where does he want me to join him in here? As much as I am sad about not going "home ' now I know that this summer is not the time for furlough!

DVR your time with others and God?

Lots of things have changed in the U.S. culture in my time overseas. Wives and husbands no longer have to argue about asking for directions  because there are GPS'. You can access the Internet just about anywhere now with your Smart Phone. You can carry a full library of books now on your Tablet.....


I can remember a time when folks would re-arrange their schedule for that one T.V. show they did not want to miss....but now you are in control of your T.V.------ T.V. is not in control of you. YOU CAN JUST DVR IT! So what ever show or should I say shows( now that there is DVR you can follow more than one show) you can watch them when ever it is convenient for you.



This idea of control or time management spills over into many aspects of our lives. There are many books on the subject, webinars, and personal consultants that can help your time be better organized. There are also so many things that are being advertised to help us save time so we can spend it on how WE WANT! Our work,play,relationships and even our family time is all scheduled. 



I am not advocating no planning or time management but I am just encouraging us to be careful that we are not so fixed on OUR schedule, OUR plans, OUR agendas that we are not open to what God would have for us to be, to do or not do!



Have you ever met a friend for coffee and feel that you are just a 30min slot in their scheduled day? As we have been visiting a lot of different American churches-- one common buzz word that I am hearing over and over is "COMMUNITY". Pastors are challenging the church to live in community. Often this is followed by some elaborately scheduled program to help cultivate this community,but as a friend said to me this week, " It feels more like 'steril' community".


When you look at the Jewish culture during biblical times they did community well.....so the idea the early Christians having everything in common,sharing bread together,giving to anyone who had need...was not as foreign as these concepts are today in our current western culture.



One of the many things I have learned from my African sisters and brothers is that they know how to do community! People are valued over time-management! Relationships trump all! And as Christ infuses their culture they show the world His love by walking together,sharing life,praying with each other,crying together in the sorrows and celebrating the joys. Basically, they show up and are present in each others lives!



Let's not DVR our time with others--God has made us for community--community with Him and others!


Sometimes I think if we are not careful we can take our 'DVR' attitude and begin to 'DVR' our time with God. WE decide how much time we are going to give Him or maybe we may be tempted to think "I'll just DVR my time with God today, this week, or this month. Thinks are so crazy right now--it is such a busy season....I will catch up with my God -time later....." DVR may work great for your T.V. shows but not with our time with our Lord. God may want you to cancel your plans for the morning and spend longer in focus time with Him.....or He may ask you to cut your mountain- top experience short to join Him in the valley at a friends hospital bed..... What ever it may be....let us tune our ears and heart to hear His voice and let Him show up!


The next time you use your DVR for that favorite show.....please just push the pause button and ask yourself am I open to God today--showing up now? Am I open to the people He is bringing in my life? Am I willing to go where He wants be to go? Be who he wants me to be?

DVR your time with others and God? I do not think so!

In the Saturdays of life

 I love going to the movies. Most Friday nights are date nights and Dave usually takes me to see a movie. This is one of the things I enjoy in America because we didn’t have a movie theatre in Rwanda (I have heard one has opened since we moved).

           

            One of the things I like about movies is that there is a clear beginning, middle and end. Most movies are pretty well tied up in an hour and a half.

            Unfortunately, life is not as clearly tied up. There are lots of beginnings and endings but many times you are in the middle. I heard a sermon recently that said we like to hear the Friday---‘Jesus dying on the cross for our sins’---sermons and the Sunday----‘Jesus rising from the dead’-----sermons but we do not hear many Saturday –--- ‘the in between – waiting – what is going to happen next?'sermons! 

 Well this newsletter is just that –--- a waiting –--- what is God going to do next kind of a letter…

            This has not been the easiest season in our lives but we have tried hard not to give way to depression, anger, and bitterness, as we have allowed ourselves to grief, cry, relinquish, celebrate and be thankful for the journey that we are on. We know that God has called us back to the States for a season and we thought we had a pretty clear picture –-- we had a good “preview” of what we were going to do.

http://www.kicsrw.org/

            We thought our primary role coming back to the US was to build ROC’s network –--- tell the story of what God has and is doing in Rwanda and recruit others and raise needed resources. We have and are doing this. Dave just got back from a week at York college in Nebraska where he spoke in chapel and taught in several classes. He had several meals with folks doing just that - recruiting KICS teachers and sharing about all God has done through those of us with ROC.

            But as we were leaving Rwanda and sharing with our CCR family that we were moving to Chicago many shared about children and relatives that were living in the Greater Chicago Area and we have also sensed God calling us to shepherd the Diaspora living here in Chicago Area.

http://www.facebook.com/ChristsChurchRwanda

 What does this look like?

 Currently it looks like 3 main things:

1.     We first began following up visiting all the children and relatives of our CCR family. It was almost 15 folks but the number has grown to over 30 relatives from CCR. 

2.     We have widened our network to include those from the Great Lakes region of Africa. This includes Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Congo. Dave and I started going to different fellowships of Kenyans, Ugandans, Tanzanians, and meeting lots of people – making new friendships and renewing old networks of our Uganda years and my Kenya childhood.

I love all the fellowship and prayers that this African Table has seen!

3.     We have been having these people in our home on Saturday nights for an African meal, fellowship, and prayer. We have also been going to their homes as well.

TCK(Third Culture Kids) both missionary and Diaspora have so much in common!  

Laughter--- a universal healer!

 Prayer-- Brings us to His feet
 in utter dependance!

But what does all this mean…

We are in the Saturdays right now……. We can look back at Friday and feel the loss of our 

19+ years in East Africa – see how God used us and was so gracious with us ...We can look ahead to Sunday.... though it is not fully clear... will we be working at a local university, on staff at a local church, or involved in church planting????…. We are not sure how God is planning on resurrecting our gifts and experiences for His Glory but we know Sunday is coming!

            But today we are in the Saturdays serving whom He brings us, praying, grieving all our losses, praying, eagerly waiting, praying, learning, praying, playing with different possibilities, praying, filling out different job applications, praying, sharing about ROC and CCR, praying, recruiting for KICS, praying, helping our kids adjust and thrive in their new environment, praying, meeting lots of new people, praying, slowly starting to build community, praying…

            Will you join us in our Saturday? We have lost some big contributors, we are praying for our daily bread… God has been so faithful and many of you have given so sacrificially and faithfully! Thank you for joining us in our Saturday time! We need your prayers and support!

            We will keep you updated and I assure you when our Sunday comes we will share in more detail what God is asking for us in our next chapter!

Blessings,

Jana for the Jenkins