And we're off!

After months of phone calls, fundraising, and prayer, we are leaving.

In one hour.

For Australia.

We are so excited!

We will be partnering with pastors and ministers over there, traveling, leading worship, and teaching.

The pastors' conference in New Guinea was cancelled, due to two earthquakes, and some unrest in the country. Pray for the Bible college and churches there.

We thought that cancellation would give us some downtime during which we could hang out with my parents (whom we haven't seen in two years!).

But, almost immediately, those slots were filled within Australia. The wonderful news is that those services are in Toowoomba, where my parents are! God definitely has a plan in us going at this time.

Ellie and Drummer Boy wanted to start a blog/club, as they cannot have a clubhouse at home. They just aren't here that much. Please go check it out and leave an encouraging message for them. There are games for you (or your kids) to play, and they will be posting pictures from the road (or foreign country). Check it out here.

Also, our itinerary is up. It's still missing some details, but you can see when where we will be in your area, so come see us! And please visit our website, nocompromiseintl.com and pray for us.

I will post pictures and news as I can.

Here we go!

Back In Town

Ellie took this picture with her ipod.

Her ipod.

I remember when I got my first camera, at the ripe old age of 13.

It didn't take pictures this clear.

Or this:

She took this over the summer in Colorado.

My daughter amazes me.

We have been constantly ministering, being gone on the road, in a different town every day, sleeping in a different bed every night.

She never complains.

I guess it's an adventure for both Ellie and Drummer Boy.

They get to meet new people, and see God transform lives, while experiencing all sorts of new sights, sounds, smells and cultures.

And that's just going to other States in the U.S.A.

Wait until they get out of the country.

It's going to be awesome.

We are carriers of God's glory, to cover the earth with His presence.

Keep us in your prayers. We have a fundraiser this Saturday to raise money for No Compromise International, our new God-planned ministry. Vance will be going to Kenya in January, Mexico and Guatemala in March, and all four of us will be going to Papua New Guinea and Australia in April.

I can't wait to see what pictures Ellie decides to take then.

It's so exciting!

She said it, I knew it.

I am a missionary kid. Raised by parents who traveled the globe, mostly before I was born, but we moved to Australia when I was fifteen. I have it in my blood to travel to the furthest regions, and minister in the process. (And I get that if I didn't embrace the way I was raised, and appreciate it, I would want no part of it now.)
Well, I have always wanted to go to Africa. My parents ministered there in the 60's. (Long, long before I was born, so I never had the chance.) Mom and Dad were in Nigeria and the Congo. I have a little elephant my dad gave me when I was younger that I used to play with. Now it sits on the cabinet in the living room, a reminder of what is still in me to do. I have no idea what God has planned when (yes, I said when, not if) we go to Africa, I only know it's in my heart. Especially Kenya and Uganda.
Monday, some of our Master's Commission students left for Kenya. I wish I was going.
We have some dear friends from Uganda, Elisabeth and Moses Kitakule. I was their children's piano teacher for awhile. Thanksgiving day, Elisabeth called to see if I wanted to meet their dear friends, Hazel and Peter from Kenya.
Oh boy, you bet!
So Ellie has been longing to go to Africa since she met the Kitakule's. Now she wants to go to not only Uganda, but Kenya as well. I love the fact that she is expressing what I already know. We are going to do missions. As a family!! Just as I cannot escape the calling and burden for the lost I was raised with, neither will my children.
Ellie looked up at me after her friends left and said, "Now we HAVE to go to Africa."
I feel exactly the same way.