October Newsletter

Seasons
Newsletter #7, October 7, 2010

(Note: Due to sensitive material, we had to leave out one of the articles this month. If you would like to read the newsletter in its entirety, please send us an email to receive an electronic copy, or sign up to receive our newsletters by snailmail on OMF's website. Actually, we still need about 10 more people to sign up before OMF starts sending them for us... so please feel free!)

We have been up and down the Pacific coast from Canadian Vancouver to Californian LA meeting with friends and making connections. When we say “coast,” we do, in fact, mean hundreds of miles on the vomit-inducing Pacific Coast Highway. During this last month, it was particularly encouraging to meet with a number of our fellow OMFers with whom we worked in Japan. At the end of October, we will be speaking at an OMF conference in Vancouver, B.C. on October 29-30--this will be two separate events: Youth Night and Heart for Asia--and at Vancouver First Christian Reformed Church on Sunday, October 31.

At the same time, we are becoming more involved with our church, Newport Covenant, through joining weekly groups, participating in the music side of worship, and attending the sermon prep prayer group. We believe that Newport Covenant is one of the reasons for which God has led us to Seattle; we want to support this church in its time of transition as they are implementing a new vision statement and searching for a new lead pastor. Another reason we are in Seattle is to support Celia’s mom while she cares for her aging parents.
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Christ-like with a Servant Heart: Re-learning to Love My Grandparents

Living in Seattle, as we mentioned, comes with the blessing of being near my (Celia’s) family. I never thought I would move back in with my parents, but I think God has given us a lot of grace and patience as we’re learning again to live together.

Everyone together at home, preparing for the annual Chili Cookoff

We’re also back in the same place as my mom’s parents. In my childhood, I spent many happy days at Grandmother and Granddad’s house, on their boat, and vacationing together in Hawaii. They constantly found new ways to show affection to each of us grandkids.

Grandparents change when they get old, though. Both of them have dementia now, Grandmother more so than Granddad. In some ways they’re the same: they still love me, and they’re still stubborn and independent. Despite their increased needs, they would prefer to be left alone to live their lives in a sort of “freedom” which means “without help from others.”

Grandmother lives in a state of perpetual confusion. She is nervous in an unfamiliar place, including her own room in the assisted living facility, and she gets flustered when Granddad, the anchor for her memories, leaves the room. Her confusion sometimes leads to agitation. Recently, matters came to a head when she hit one of the staff at her assisted living facility, and was therefore taken to a psych hospital. Although it is hard for me to imagine my sweet Grandmother hitting people, this development was not entirely unwelcome, as Granddad had been interfering when anyone tried to care for her. She was thus allowed to get help for her condition.

Meanwhile, Granddad, who finds the meaning of his life in caring for Grandmother, has come to live with us. This is probably a temporary solution, but it has made for a huge change in our house. Mom works hard at keeping him active and involved by including him in the household chores. Although he was once a gifted Boeing engineer, because of his dementia, now he must relearn simple tasks like grinding coffee and cutting up vegetables.

In this situation, I feel helpless. Granddad is the same person who loved and cared for me as a child; over and over he tells the same story about playing “hide and seek” with me on a boating trip in the San Juan Islands. But now he can’t hear, and he often forgets instructions. How do I show love to him now? If I retreat to my room and try to get work done, I feel guilty for abandoning him, especially if no one else is home. I have a hard time inviting him to help me in the kitchen, since I can do the same tasks faster and better.

Celia on the boat with Granddad

Sometimes it’s even hard to know what to talk about. One evening, when my parents were out, we ate our dinner in silence. No one could think of anything to say—except the same old “hide and seek” story. Last night was a little better. We talked about the time when Grandmother and Granddad went to Japan. He remembered a floating shrine gate, a lake with boats, and a big mountain. (I think they went to Hakone.) He also remembered that the people there were very kind.

As much as I want to honour my family by supporting my grandparents, who are lonely, confused, and probably bored, and by supporting my Mom, who is their tireless—and largely unappreciated—advocate, I can’t help but think at times that this “honour” isn’t getting us any closer to Japan. How do I reconcile my calling as a daughter and a member of this family with my calling to serve and evangelize the Japanese people? I’ve spent a lot of time in prayer wrestling with this subject, and I think I’ve found that the balance point between these two callings is “Christ-like with a servant heart.” This is the motto of one of my mentors, which I have adopted for myself. However, I’m still trying to figure out what that motto means in this situation.

Grandmother was discharged from the hospital a couple of days ago; Granddad will also move into their new place soon. This is the third assisted living facility that they have tried. I’m praying that this one works out for them—and I’m praying that I will find new ways of serving, loving, and appreciating them in these final years.

Here's a couple more grandparent pictures:

Celia and Colin with Grandma and Grandpa (Dad's parents)

Visiting Keith's grandma in Aberdeen, South Dakota

***


Prayer Points

• We have decided to attend Newport Covenant Church. Please pray for us as we look for ways to serve there and define our role—and also that we don’t over-extend ourselves. Please also pray for the church in its time of transition.
• We are thankful for peace in our home; the living situation with Celia’s family is going well. Please pray that we will be a good support for our families, especially Celia’s mom, Joann.
• Celia’s grandparents are moving into their third assisted living home. Please pray that they will adjust well and be content.
• Please pray for new and renewed friendships, especially for Keith.
• We are looking for partners to faithfully pray for us. Thus we are seeking opportunities to share about our work in Japan with churches, small groups, and individuals. Please pray that we would know who to ask and which opportunities to pursue.
• We are preparing to speak at an OMF conference in Vancouver on October 29-30. Please pray that God will give us the right words to encourage the attendees.
• We are thankful for our first pledges; we are up to 1.5% of our monthly support! Please pray for God’s continued financial provision for our life and ministry in Japan, and for our return there in God’s timing.

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Money Jar: We have 1.5%!

We need 100% pledged monthly support for our first term (5 years) before returning to Japan. Please  keep praying with us that God will provide for our  financial needs!
***

We hope this letter finds each of you well. Blessings as you seek to follow God in your own lives.

Love in Christ, Keith and Celia

Speaking about Japan in Van. Oct. 29-31

After my wife has posted some 170 blog posts, I have finally decided to try and pull some of my own digital weight (I'm not sure that idiom works here). So dear blogviewers, particularly of the Vancouver variety, let me invite you to mosey on over to

OMF Youth Night
Friday October 29, 7:30-9:30 pm
Basel Hakka Lutheran Church
2575 Nanaimo Street, Vancouver, B.C.

and then hop on by

Heart for Asia
Saturday, October 30, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Westminster Bible Chapel
7540 6th Street, Burnaby, B.C.

on your way to

1st Christian Reformed Church in Vancouver,
Sunday, October 31, 10:30 AM - 12:00 Noon
2670 Victoria Drive, Vancouver, B.C.

We will be speaking about Japan and missions to some extent at all three.

Update Post 1: Time with Keith's family in May (cute pictures of kids)

June was really busy, so we didn't manage to get many cute pictures of our nieces and nephews up on the blog, but they are really cute, and we're really proud of them, so here's some pictures from our trip to Florida in May.

This is Alexander, who turned 1 in June, with his mom, Sarah. Yes, that is an onigiri that he is eating. I got the whole family hooked on them. :)

Michael and Grandpa: it would be best to take the shirt seriously.

So cute... so messy... so glad I didn't have to clean up after him...

We surreptitiously got this shot of Keith's parents walking to the pool...

Here we are at the Magic Kingdom with Elizabeth, our "fairy god-daughter."

It was hot. We stayed cool with this umbrella... which attracted stares and catcalls. Weird. I guess people in Florida don't know how nice the shade is.

It was a long line... but Michael was having a good time with Daddy.

 It's a small world...

...and this is what Japan looked like back in the 1960s when the ride was built.

Needless to say, the kids got tired.

Meanwhile, Keith and Nate got into some trouble.

Back in North Dakota, we hung out over at Joseph and Catherine's house. Ali hung out on the lawn with the dogs.

Food and Fellowship

Ah, Brazilian food! I love it so. I never met a Brazilian food I didn't like... but I think half of what made it so good was eating it with good company.

I've posted a couple of recipes I learned from Carla previously on the neighborhood chili blog--feijoada, vinaigrette salad, Brazilian rice, farofa, and brigadeiro. Speaking of which, on Sunday, September 12, my neighborhood will be having our 22nd annual chili cookoff! (This is why we have a chili blog, by the way.) Come on over if you want to have some fun and eat a lot of chili. End digression. On to the recipes.

Let's start with the basics. All of these are on the other blog, but since they're really common and foundational for other stuff, I'm posting them again here.

Marinade (also known as Carla’s Special Mixture)
This mixture is the foundation of Brazilian cooking—so Carla tells me.
In a blender or food processor, blend the following until smooth: olive oil, cilantro, parsley, green onions, garlic, and onion. Store extra in the freezer.

Brazilian Rice
Heat olive oil in a pot, and add some of Carla’s Special Mixture; mix and allow to heat. Rinse long grain rice in a sieve. Add rice, fry for a little while and mix to combine with oil. Add water (1 c. rice to 1 ¼ c. water) and cook according to package directions.

Vinaigrette Salad
This is similar to salsa, and is an essential garnish with many dishes.
Finely chop 1 ½ green bell peppers, 2 tomatoes, 1 red onions, 2 green onions, parsley, and cilantro. Mix together with ½ c. water and ½ c. balsamic vinegar.

On to the main course...

Brazilian BBQ
Our first night in Brazil, as previously mentioned, we had homemade Brazilian BBQ! Carla taught us how to marinate the meat a few years ago in Vancouver, and we learned the art of grilling from her dad.

Preparing the meat:
Marinate chicken and pork by adding some of Carla's Special Mixture to white wine and water, then add the meat and allow it to sit for an hour.

To prepare the beef, choose sirloin steaks (or picanha if you can get it) with nice rings of fat around the outside. Tenderize them with the meat hammer, and rub them with coarse salt immediately before grilling.

Grilling basics:
Traditionally all the meat is cooked rotisserie style on big skewers in a barbecue “oven” over a charcoal fire (in this case, actual charred wood), as you see in the pictures. Carla's dad carefully prepared the coals, starting with one bag and a couple of wax fire starters, and gradually adding more until there were about 3 bags, and the coals were evenly glowing. The oven set-up meant that the heat came from all around the meat, so it cooked evenly. And it was juicy and tender and flavorful... best bbq we've ever had. (Sorry, vegetarians.)

A charcoal grill with wood chips (and standard American style charcoal briquettes) will suffice (albeit poorly) in the absence of a Brazilian style bbq "oven."

Caught mid-chew...

We also had restaurant-style Brazilian bbq at Baby Beef, which is one of the best steakhouses in Belo Horizonte. The waiters come around to the table with skewers of meat, and they cut off for you the piece you want--all you can eat! The salad bar was amazing, too.

Keith thought Carla's daddy's bbq was the best, though.

So, what do you do when you have leftover bbq meat? I learned this dish by watching Carla's mom in the kitchen...

This is the leftover meat. Not the dish to which I was referring.

Carreteiro Arroz (Trucker’s Rice/Leftover BBQ and Rice)
Heat olive oil; sauté chopped onion and minced garlic. Add leftover BBQ meat, cut into bite-sized pieces and some long-grain rice and sauté a bit more. Cover with water to the top of the meat and rice mixture; cook until the water disappears. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool a bit. Add more water and cook until the water is gone and the rice is tender but not mushy.

Enjoying our Carreteiro Arroz together

Here's what else was on the table.

A couple more side dishes:

Mixed Vegetable Salad
Chop smoked ham and bell peppers of different colors. Mix with a bag of frozen mixed veggies (that have been cooked) and raisins. Just before serving, add deep fried potato sticks, and toss to coat with mayo. 

Kale
Preheat the pot until it’s very hot. Add some oil (which will smoke—that’s okay). Add some minced garlic, then fine-shredded kale (like sauerkraut). Cook until the kale wilts. Don’t cover it, or the kale will lose its color and the flavor will suffer.

Carla's mom prepares the kale using a soapstone pot.

Feijao Tropeiro (Fancy Farofa with Beans)
This is a traditional dish of Minas Gerais, the state where Carla and her family live. I also learned this one by watching Carla's mom and taking notes.

Heat oil, sauté some sliced onion and minced garlic. Scramble an egg or 2 in the pot, until they are cooked. Add sliced sausage, a couple scoops of cooked brown beans, and salt. Mix well. Then add a few cups of toasted cassava flour; mix well. Add more oil if necessary. Mix in some chopped green onion and turn off the heat. Drizzle with olive oil, cover, and let it sit for a bit.

Here we have Brazilian rice, vinaigrette (the stuff that looks like salsa), kale, Feijao Tropeiro, a sausage, and a delicious chicken dish which Carla invented on the spot.

We also had great stuff for breakfast, especially fruit and different kinds of bread and cheese. Keith especially like the oranges.

One last Brazil picture that didn't really fit anywhere else...

It was fun! Thanks so much to all of our hosts in Brazil!

A Day (or 3) with Grasiele

Visiting Grasi at her university

Our third Compassion International visit was with Grasiele, the college student we sponsor through Compassion's LDP program. I started sponsoring college students because at the time, I was in college. It has been very rewarding to correspond with students who are close to my own age and in a similar stage of life. Granted I'm already 29 and out of college... (The college students are also better at writing letters than the children. ;)

We met Grasi at her university, where she gave us a quick tour, then we went to some of her favorite places in the city.

Watching surfers from the pier. The guy in the middle is Mauricio; he works with the various students in the LDP program. He was also our translator.

We went to lunch at a very impressive buffet restaurant (they weigh your plate, so you can have as much or little as you want), then we went to Grasi's house and met her mom and 2 of her 3 siblings.

Most of the family sleeps in ordinary beds, but Grasi's sister sleeps in this hammock. Well, not right now, she doesn't...

We had coffee again. This time Keith managed to politely refuse. ;) We made plans to come back the next day to attend church with Grasi and her mom. Church is at night in Brazil. Maybe because it's less hot then? I don't know. We went to the "youth service." It was very loud and enthusiastic. The music, had it not been in Portuguese, could have been Seattle grunge. :) We gave a quick "thanks for having us, we love your enthusiasm, we're praying for you, please pray for us too" sort of speech at the end of the service. Then they prayed for us.

Grasi serves on the worship team at her church as a vocalist. She wasn't on duty this week, but she and her friend Debra sang a couple songs for us after the service. Debra helped out with some translation; she learned English by reading novels and listening to Jars of Clay and other English language bands. I wish it were that easy to learn Japanese!

After church, we ate ice cream and talked to the pastor and some of the other students in the LDP program.

Grasi and Debra invited us to meet up and go walking on the beach the next morning.

Everyone becomes a kid again at the beach. We started by looking in tide pools.

We saw some awesome hermit crabs.

Random loose donkey on the sidewalk. He seems friendly, though.

Lunch was locally caught Pargo (red snapper) with a traditional rice and beans dish.

We walked back to our hotel (oh my, it was hot), and had coffee in the cafe there (delicious). We prayed together and then we said goodbye. (I have to say I felt kind of bad for not crying as much as Grasi did.) We headed for the airport, and flew back to Belo Horizonte!