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

Resting in Faith

Jana and her sister Debra

Even though at first I had felt such peace when Dave brought up the idea of us moving to the U.S. for a season, this was no easy decision. East Africa had been our home as a married couple for 19 years and my home for the first 8 years of my life with  additional 2 - one year  seasons.

We ( Dave and I ) had really grown up here. We were so young and idealistic when we first moved to Uganda in 1993. The African people and culture had shaped us in many ways. The value of relationship over time, sense of community over individualism, generosity and hospitality; but also the persecution that comes from being on the cutting edge of life, has also really shaped us.

I love watching God's transforming power in peoples lives! Seeing God at work through my weakness and Him taking the "little things" that I have done and make them life changers in others. I love God plus me and I have really grown to love a special group of people that God has called Dave and I to serve!

One of things I realized as we were processing this decision was the people group we feel called to serve is not confined to East Africa-- in fact many do not live here but are scattered--- so in some ways as God was calling us to be scattered-- we were joining others--walking a similar path.

But I am getting ahead of myself. As Dave and I began to process this decision we needed our community to help us. I think that most of us who are from a more western society tend to make decisions primarily on our own. We my ask advice from others but ultimately we believe the call is up to us. This is a different decision making pattern then we had learned in East Africa. Decisions are made in community. You call your community together and talk and talk and talk ( as Christians you also pray together) listen a lot and then over time the way is made clear. We began to do this process. I think some of our expat community who were used to individual decision making thought we may be crazy, but after several weeks we answered God's call to transition to the U.S for a season.

Handover of Gabe, our foster baby, to the Jacobs

I think in many ways this was a harder call to answer then when He had first called us to Africa 2 decades earlier. But what begin to help us was hearing our community speak blessings over us and seeing our relationship network that God had given us spill over into the U.S. We have been called primarily to serve a segment of society on the move-- thought leaders-- influencing those of influence- calling leaders to the transformation power of Jesus in their lives and seeing it spread through those that they are leading and influencing.

This can be a mom who everyone in her community comes to for advice, government leader, university student, or youth leader. In Rwanda where we were living there is a lot of this group that has been in transition-- because of persecution,turmoil and ultimately genocide --many had scattered. They call themselves the Diaspora -- many had returned to Rwanda but many were also still living a broad. It was interesting that shortly after we answered the call-- we found as many as 9 children and relatives of our CCR community( Christ Church in Rwanda) that lived in the greater Chicago area ( since moving we have met many more ).

Back to my University days of early missionary training, following relationship lines was something that my Mission professors pushed. So even though we were going to move to the other side of the World God was showing us that that was were our relationship lines were going. 

CCR's 4th Anniversary

A beautiful gift that God gave us was being commission and prayed for by the church plant that God had used us to start. As my brothers and sisters laid their hands on us and sent us out from Rwanda to the U.S. to serve , I was filled with peace again--- there were still a lot of unknowns but I could REST IN FAITH.

The Call

The Call

When my husband is away, with having 5 children--after everyone is asleep it is usually treasured time to think and reflection life. It is a much needed breathing time.  

Dave had taken our eldest daughter, Sophia to the States to begin her first year of college. I had desperately wanted to be the one to take her but when the time approached it was not to be. We were fostering a small baby boy,Gabe at the time and he needed me to stay. 

    In reality Dave was probably the better choice to take Sophia to Wheaton--he could crunch the numbers, sign the papers and give her the stability she needed to thrive. We had sent her off well. We had an African party--a" Harambe" Invited all our Rwanda community---Rwandans,other Africans from neighboring countries, ex-pates--both Christian workers and seekers--a real hodgepodge of folks.

     

                                        

I love a good party. This was the first one in our new home. I enjoyed setting the stage for an exciting evening. Tents were put up in the yard, table clothes were laid on the tables and all was decorated. Chairs were placed strategically to encourage conversations. Candles were lit and the bomb fire was built and stoked. Yummy food was laid out to share…..friends began to arrive.

     Sending Sophia off was both an expression of faith and a test of faith…..How would God provide for His calling on us and Sophia to send her to a Christian University. Were we crazy to think this would be possible? We had asked our community to pull together and help us send her( Harambe).

We were humbled that night as over $5000.00 U.S dollars was given by our Rwandan community and the largest gift was from our Rwandan friends….humbled! As I write this, Sophia is in her 2nd year at Wheaton and God has provided mightily. She has had to take out only small loans each year and the rest has come from grants and scholarships. We and her will never forget the push that our Rwanda community gave us that night!  

     Anyway back to my treasured time to think and reflect. As Dave was taking Sophia to school, he felt God calling him to a 40 day retreat from the church God had asked him to plant and pastor. Even though I was still in Rwanda and emerged in life--it was these still quiet evenings that I would join Dave in prayer and reflection.

    Since returning from an unexpected medical leave over a year ago,I had still not found my place. At first I thought it would just take time……then God had plopped baby Gabe in my lap and made it clear that this was who I was to pour into. Gabe was a foster baby that we were caring for. The first "Spoken For" baby. A new ministry that our church had started to care for orphaned and abandon babies and give them a temporary home as a permeant home was found. Preventing them from going to an orphanage.   

    

 Then God made me move from our house that had become our home for the last 6 years in Rwanda---full of unforgettable memories--my  retreat--my place that I had served out of to so many…..Then my youngest son Timothy needed mom to be his teacher….

      All these things took me away from being "plugged in" --finding my place again. Or should I phrase it finding where God wanted me. In the past, although it had sometimes taken time, I had always found my spot--the place that I knew I was right where God wanted me--joining Him where He was working---Being Jana plus God and using all the gifts, experience, and makeup that God had called me to be and service flowed naturally.

       This was not the normal season. I loved loving on Gabe, and was enjoying the extra time Timothy and I were having together with homeschooling….but I was feeling out of place and out of sorts in my community. In someways my relationships with both my Rwandan friends and expat friends seemed to polarize me like never before. Different sets of expectations seemed to pull at me and I started to feel very uneasy….uncomfortable…a hah…I know why I do not like this feeling---in the past this was usually a sign that God was going to move me! "I DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE!" I found myself crying out!

  Even though I had been thinking about this for sometime it all seemed to be boiling up since Dave was away. On this night of reflection, I was praying and crying out to God asking Him for direction, answers, and clarity. Then Dave SKYPED me and shared something he wanted me to pray about….One of our ROC board members and dear friend had asked Dave if our family would consider a move back to the U.S for a season and help with the work on the U.S. side.

   As soon as Dave shared this news with me I was flooded with a tangible peace--not the serean peace you can feel looking out over calm waters but the strong secure peace when it seems that everything is falling around you but you have been caught--held tightly. A since of relief as well--like someone turn on the light so I could see a few steps in front of me.

    This was the beginning of my journey with God back to my passport country. I could go on this journey with Him because I had traveled many journeys with him in the past and He had been so faithful!

Home at Last!

Home at last! Over a year ago I left Rwanda with my husband and oldest daughter to travel to Nairobi for 2 weeks to find some answers to my sever abdominal pain. That journey ended up taking us to the States, where the rest of the family joined us and where we have been this last year.

As I sat on one of the four planes that would transport me back to Rwanda, I  begin the process of shifting from my life in America to my Africa life. Sometimes I feel that I live two parallel lives....It is like  all my furloughs run together with some of my childhood in America------- one continues timeline although in reality it is broken up with long periods of life lived thousands of miles away in Africa. Conversely, my time in Africa seems like it has piled up all together without the reality of several stints in America.

Recently, my son Caleb and I went to see the movie “ Inception”----where real life and the dream world sometimes blur, as we left the theater we were both struck how our life living in two worlds ----America and Africa sometimes feels similar.

As a result of this phenomena, the longer I was living in the States the further my Africa life became. I began to get into the rhythm of America life....where business sometime eludes relationships.....where you can get so caught up in your church life that you do not notice the unchurched or d-churched. Where things can become so important..... Though there were several things that I really enjoyed..... movie dates with Dave, fast food ( a little to much) and an ease to living----being able to turn water on and not have to wonder wether it is hot or going to be there. What I really enjoyed most about our time in the States was quality time with family and friends. During the last few months it was especially nice to reconnect with old friends that Dave and I had not seen in a long while.

Sweet memories to savor but now I am shifting gears and will land in Rwanda soon. I am already anticipating the smells of home---open cooking fires mixed with diesel fuel and exotic foliage. My mind races as I think about all the relationships to renew and cups of coffee to drink.

What has God in store for this tour? Fresh starts and new beginnings are a nice by- product to my parallel life!  Africa home here I come!

My Dream for Vulnerable Children

It is early in the morning and I am cuddling with my youngest son, Timothy. We are exchanging our ritual morning greetings. “I am so glad that you are in our family”, I say. “I am so glad to be in this family,” he squeals. “I love you sooooo much,” I say. He says, “I love you more.” “No, I love you more,” and it goes back and forth. I am sure many of you have similar morning rituals with your children. I feel so thankful in my heart that Timothy has a family and I am saddened as I remember that there are so many children who are not a part of a family.

I believe that all children should have forever families and I am committing my time, energy and life to make this happen in Rwanda, the part of the world God has planted me.

I have a passion for adoption that has been nurtured throughout my entire life as my younger brother is adopted and as I have seen the most vulnerable up close throughout my time in Africa. Yet from this state of vulnerability I see hope beyond human imagination. I see my role in Rwanda as the culmination of the Lord's intentions to use my experience to help find families for these most vulnerable.

What can one mother do when faced with 687,000 orphans in Rwanda (total number of orphans according to estimation in 2010 by Children on the Brink 2002)?

Possibly, I can break it down smaller to 140,000 double orphans (Also done by Children on the Brink 2002.)

Sometimes these numbers are fuzzy and overwhelming. Often we can feel paralyzed to act but I am reminded, as I look back at history that individuals and communities alike can make a difference!

As many of you may know I have been helping several American families adopt these precious orphans and will continue to help. However, I recognize this is just a small solution to this crisis. I have also been an advocate for Rwandan families to adopt. Many take care of their extended families but some have not been exposed to taking a child that is not blood related into their family as their very own child with all the rights that this entails. There are several Rwandan families that have adopted but sometimes they chose to keep this quiet as there is sadly still some stigma that orphans carry. It is my hope to be an advocate for orphans ---getting the information out, brainstorming with the community, and encouraging adoptions.

Sometimes this task seems daunting but I know that with the help of our church family in Rwanda, our friends around the world, and God’s faithfulness this will be possible.

God compared His love of Israel to that of an orphan child, “When you were born, no one cared for you. When I first saw you, your umbilical cord was uncut, and you had been neither washed ...nor clothed. No one had the slightest interest in you; no one pitied you or cared for you. On that day when you were born, you were dumped out into a field and left to die, unwanted. But I came by and saw you there...and I said, “Live! Thrive...!” and you did (Ezekiel 16:4-7)!”

God has set the example for us in Ephesians 1: 5, “In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons (and daughters) through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. “

Why am I sharing this all with you? As Dave, our children, and I head back to Rwanda, I would like to ask you to prayerfully consider joining me in this task----whether you would like to give a onetime gift, help in an ongoing monthly gift, or open your home to one of these precious children; I know we can with His help find forever families for these cherished children of the King!

Jana

Week 2

Well, week 2 of Jenkins Tour has gone well with over 2000 miles , 4 cities, 3 ROC parties, lots of fun with old friends, lots of coke with crushed ice and lots of bathroom stops!

Our family dynamics have changed with just the 2 youngest kids traveling with us....it is odd to be such a small family of 4. We only have to get 1 hotel room and can sit in 1 booth at restaurants. We did not realize how much the older kids helped with the entertainment of the younger kids. Dave and I are really feeling our age....not quite as cool..... I have shared some older movies with the kids as we have traveled. I love Red Box...it works well as you travel across the country. " The Inn of the 6 Happiness" is one of the older movies we watched together. Very inspiring! If Gladys Aylward could travel my train all the way to China from England, I can certainly survive this Jenkins Tour! 

Little Rock was our first stop. Friday night we stayed with dear friends that use to live in Rwanda--the Brogdens. Ruth and Timothy's buddies were eager to get together. They all had that awkward few minutes but they warmed up fast and were playing like old times. Dave and I stayed up late as well visiting with our friends....laughing,remembering, and learning! 

The next day it was hard to say good-bye as we continued on our journey....till we meet again! We then got together with one of Dave's college buddies that is hosting one of our ROC parties at the end of the month. It was nice to visit and share what God is doing in Rwanda and pray together. 

Sunday we worshiped at Little Rock Church where one of Dave friends is ministering. They were having a special 4th of July day with 2 churches combined---Hispanic Church and English service----it was an interesting blend of cultures....highlight of the morning was Christian Mariachi Band! We had a nice 4th of July "Picnic" lunch with the church and then back in the car on our way to Chicago.

Dave took me to see Wheaten University ( the school that is on  the top of Sophia's list).....mixed feelings of joy and sadness as I could picture her there. We met some more dear friends ,who use to live in Rwanda, the Payes ,for lunch. It was fun seeing their kids and talking of the "old days " in Rwanda. 

We drove across town to Judson University for our ROC party. One of Dave's college friends who is a Professor there hosted the event. I had a splitting headache so the kids and I stayed at her apartment well Dave and her went on to the reception. After I rested a while I picked up a book she had called "Half of the Sky" by  Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. I could hardly put it down. I have since bought my own copy and I know when I am done I will blog about it....the little I have read has been life changing.

After having Chicago style Pizza , we proceeded at 9:30 P.M. head out of Chicago.....we got lost two times and it was 12:30 before we were out of the city....we drove till 2:30 before we found a place to lay our heads . We were very very tiered! The next day  we continued our trip to Memphis. We have had several faithful supporters through the years and it is always such a joy to visit them ...one of the highlights of these trips.  The Curtis  were so hospitable and gracious. We enjoyed our time with them . We had 2 ROC parties at Highland Church of Christ. It was fun meeting several old college friends of Dave's. We were the excuse for a mini - Harding reunion....some had not seen each other for years although they live in the same town.

Well we are now in Wichita, KS with my sister and her family. It is nice to relax and not be "on" for a few days before we hit the road again on Monday ..... Colorado here we come.....