Stateside Summer Highlights

7/4/12

Hello Everyone,

Happy 4th of July! Wow, it’s been a while since my last update!

I have been in the States for two months now and although I’ve been extraordinarily busy, I haven’t had much to write about. I sat down several times with the intent to update all of you, but every sitting concluded with me having writer’s block.

So I told myself that today is the day I will send something out. That ‘something’ turned out to be this summer’s highlights.

April 25th- Pioneer Bible Translators’ West Africa Branch missionary women threw me a Surprise African-themed Bridal Shower! I had no idea it was coming and was completely shocked! We had a meal (rice and sauce) and then the women gave me traditional gifts and blessings from the people group they work among. It was an amazing evening and a terrific way to close out my time in West Africa.

April 29th - 30th- Flew back to the States where I was warmly greeted by Mom, Ben, and my cousin.

May 1st - 15th- While adjusting to being back in the States, I traveled around Ohio reconnecting with friends and family. I started looking for a wedding dress as well as bridesmaids dresses.

May 20th- My Mother and Future Mother-in-Law held an Open House/ Couple’s Shower for Ben and me. It was wonderful to see so many friends and family together in one place! I shared what my time in West Africa was like and then answered questions during a Q&A Session. After that, Ben and I opened gifts and were amazed at everyone’s generosity.

May 21st - June 3rd- My time was filled with meeting wedding vendors, searching for an apartment, starting pre-marital counseling, and ordering various wedding items.

June 4th - 16th- Flew to Dallas, Texas to spend two weeks at Pioneer Bible Translators’ headquarters. The first week was a time of debriefing where I met with leaders to talk about my time in West Africa, discussed options for the future, and updated paperwork. In the second week, I served in the nursery during Pioneer Mission Institute, our annual conference. Seeing old friends and the Litseys again was wonderful; God knew I’d need to be around people who could relate with the culture shock I’ve gone through since coming back.

June 19th- The Missions Committee at First Christian Church in Sandusky threw a wonderful Bridal Shower for me. It is rare for me to feel as comfortable and accepted as I do with the women at First Christian Church. I truly enjoyed spending the afternoon with them. The food and desserts were absolutely delicious and I was once again blown away by the generous gifts.

June 20th - July 3rd- Meetings, meetings, meetings. Thankfully, these meetings are incredibly enjoyable because they allow me to catch up with old friends. One inconvenience is that most of the people I met with live quite a ways from each other. That means I was on the road often and living out of a suitcase. Of course, during my downtime, I was still juggling planning my own wedding as well as attending others’ weddings.

Right now- I am putting final wedding plans into motion and trying to keep all my other plates spinning. Ben and I signed a lease for an apartment and I am in the process of getting it set up for us to move in after the wedding.

Near Future- Ben and I have our Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties this weekend and our wedding the following weekend! We are very glad that we’ll finally get to take a break during our Honeymoon in Hocking Hills.

General Future- The plan is for Ben to continue working for the Data Factory in Norwalk, OH where we will be living. I will substitute teach again and just take time to work through all the emotions I’ve been too busy to deal with since leaving West Africa and arriving home. We’re also looking forward to simply spending time together after being separated for so long and learning what it means to be married.

That’s my summer in a nutshell. The plan is to send out a Newsletter after the Honeymoon complete with pictures from the Bridal Showers, Wedding, and Honeymoon. Thank you for your patience, understanding, and encouraging words.

Praise be to God for all of His provisions: safety getting home and with all the driving that I do, wedding plans coming together easily, and all of the people who have spoken wisdom and truth when I’ve needed it!

Please pray that Ben and I continue to heed the Holy Spirit as we enter into marriage and our life together. We don’t know where He will lead us, but we want to be open to whatever path He desires.

Thank you for all of the support you’ve shown me these last two years. God has used you to further His Kingdom. It is my prayer that you would continue to be obedient and sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leadings.

Resting in Him,
Julie

Daily Realities

April 10, 2012

I know a 13-year-old girl named Maria. She is in the seventh grade. Monday through Saturday she walks 5 kilometers (about 3 miles) to school.

If her teacher’s there, she will have class from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with only a few short breaks and no lunch. After school, she walks home and begins preparing supper. If the family needs water, she must walk to a local well, pump her water, and then haul it home by hand or on her head.

If her teacher isn’t at school, then she simply returns home because this is not an atypical situation (in fact, it would seem strange to her if her teacher was there every schoolday). Once home, she does additional house work: sweeping, mopping, washing laundry (on a washboard at the river), pounding rice or corn, gardening, and if all of that is done she can always haul more water.

But Maria isn’t terribly concerned about whether she learns everything she needs in order to pass seventh grade, because this will be her last year in school. Her family has promised her to a man and this summer, at age 13, she is getting married. At which time being able to become pregnant and have children will become her top priority. Feeding, clothing, and keeping her kids alive and mostly healthy will be her main thought each day.
___________

I have another friend named Jill. She is eighteen years old, married to a great man, but has no children after four years of marriage. Not only is she grieved because she cannot bear children, but she is also terrified that any day she could return home to find that her husband has taken a second wife. Not only is she mocked and shamed by her community, but her husband is also dishonored and considered a fool for keeping Jill as his wife and refusing to take another. Until she can conceive (or place her faith in Christ) she will live in a state of hopelessness, because in her mind there is nothing she can do as this must be “God’s will.”
___________

Last Sunday, I was at the market when our village learned that a local woman and her baby had just died during childbirth. The wails and sobs of her friends and family were heart-wrenching. The tragedy and pain of death is compounded because of the hopelessness in which they live. Within their beliefs, there is no certainty about your destination after death; if your good outweighed your bad, then maybe you’ll get into heaven. If not, well then…
___________

My time here is coming to a close, but God’s work isn’t. Even while living here, my only direct ministry to these people was through prayer. Now I pray that when I leave I won’t forget them, their struggles, and - most importantly - the battle for their souls. The Litseys will be returning (God willing) in a year and joining the many other missionary families who continue to serve the Lord on the front lines here, but they aren’t the only ones called to minister to these people. We all have a responsibility as the Church to intercede on behalf of those who have yet to surrender their lives to Jesus Christ.

From our standpoint, the advancement of God’s Kingdom here is very slow and requires us to have an incredible amount of endurance and perseverance, but we know God hears our prayers and is preparing these people for the harvest.

Please join us in praying that:

* Seeds would continue to be planted, watered, and to grow deep lasting roots.
* Scripture would permeate the country and it would penetrate its readers’ hearts.
* Persecution would deepen believers’ faith and strengthen their witness.
* Missionaries on the field would seek God daily and through Him find love, strength, wisdom, patience, discernment, perseverance, urgency, and balance.
* God would move in undeniable ways through dreams, visions, miracles, and Scripture, and that He would bind Satan’s attempts to deceive and maintain dominion in this place.

As I prepare for my return, please pray that:

* God will continue to prepare me for the reverse culture shock that I will experience.
* He would give me wisdom and discernment to handle situations in a way that is humble, Biblical, and glorifies Him.
* I would not fall into an attitude of cynicism, but continually ask God for His perspective and the ability to pour out love and grace freely.
* The lessons He’s taught me will take root and produce fruit in my life regardless of my geographical location.
* He would guide me in reestablishing and deepening my relationships with friends and family so that they are authentic and transparent.


Thank you for your continued prayer and financial support over the last 16 months; I couldn't have come and served here without you. I am scheduled to be back in the States at the beginning of May and would love to get to catch up with all of you. Again, I cannot express my gratitude for all you have done in order to see my ministry here a success.

May God pour out His blessings on you and your families,
Julie McKee

O Sovereign Lord!

3/13/12

When anyone decides to pursue overseas missions, the first question asked by loved ones is, “But what if you get sick?”

My response has been that I’m obeying God by going and trusting Him with my wellbeing. Admittedly, as soon as my safety net is removed and I step off a plane into a country with no 911, ambulances, or sterile hospitals, I have to wonder if my decision to follow God’s leadings wasn’t foolish and unfounded. However, each time God had given me sufficient evidence showing me He had undeniably been the one to lead me to this point.

Over the last month God has proven Himself a faithful orchestrator who organizes events in miraculous ways to care for His children. A month ago three of the missionary men from our village set off on a 3-week trek. They planned to travel 500 km (~310 mi) by riding on/in large semi-trucks that haul goods around the country and by walking. The purpose of their journey was to sell Scripture in the villages they passed through on their way to a neighboring country where their mission organization was holding meetings.

This was by far the longest trek these men took this dry season and we were all praying that their physical needs would be met throughout its entirety. By this I mean that all they take with them in their backpacks is Scripture to sell, a change of clothing, water bottles (to be refilled at every opportunity), and very limited toiletries. They rely on villages to feed and house them, but there are many times when these accommodations aren’t found or given. After even a 1-week trek, the men are exhausted and experiencing intestinal troubles.

After 2 weeks in the bush the men were finally on their way to the neighboring country’s capital. They had all been sick for quite a few days the previous week, but were generally feeling better by the time they piled onto a truck to make the 6-hour ride. However, when they finally arrived Luke expressed that he wasn’t feeling well. Assuming it was just an intestinal parasite or an amoeba, he was simply given some medicine and told to rest now that they’d reached their destination. However, the next day his abdominal pain had increased to the point that he couldn’t eat or get comfortable in any position. The following day the pain centered over his lower right side so he was taken to the local hospital where their suspicions of appendicitis were confirmed. That evening he had an appendectomy where they found that they were just in time because his appendix had perforated slightly.

Despite the horror stories Luke had heard the night before being admitted to this hospital, the truth is that this is one of the best hospitals in West Africa. Its main criticism is their post-op care. Knowing this, one of the two other men always stayed with Luke to ensure all medication and care were being administered properly. It’s been two weeks since his operation and he is finally well enough to travel back to the village.

What makes this story incredible is how God disrupted all of our human efforts to change their plans. We’d learned new travel details that meant that Luke and one of the other men should return to our village instead of continuing on to the capital. For several days all of our efforts to communicate this were done in vain. When at last we were able to communicate with them, we learned that we were a day late. The last truck going back towards our village had left the previous day.

Had we gotten our way, Luke and one of the other men would never have made it to the capital and would have been in the middle of the bush with little to no communicate and certainly no way of traveling anywhere quickly. But even if they’d somehow gotten back to our village before this happened, his appendicitis could have been fatal. We are a 10-hour drive from the nearest airport that could fly us to another country with a decent surgical hospital (from our village it’s a 20-hour drive to the hospital he went to).

Without a doubt it was God who orchestrated everything so that these three men would go on this trek, along the route that they did, arrive in a city with decent medical care, and be able to ensure care for Luke throughout his recovery.

But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone. Psalm 71: 14-16

God’s sovereignty is overwhelming. When I remember this, fear and worry seem futile so long as I am trusting in His will even when His way seems illogical to me. There is a much bigger picture than I could ever imagine and it’s within that context that His plans are made crystal clear.

In June, I plan to return to PBT’s annual conference, Pioneer Mission Institute, where two years ago God asked me to be faithful to Him and go teach in West Africa. Pioneer Mission Institute (PMI) is an opportunity for people to learn more about all the different branches of ministry within PBT as well as to become acquainted with the ministries that are going on all over the world. I am eager to get back and hear about how God is moving throughout the world and to see Him call more people to join the PBT family.

This is an amazing event that changed how I view missions, missionaries, and the peoples of the world. I would encourage all of you to pray about attending. God is moving in SPECTACULAR ways and it is a joy to be able to be a part of that. If you feel God calling you to relinquish control of your life to Him or if you’ve been searching for a way to be more active within His Kingdom, then this could the route He wants you to take.

Trusting In Him,
Julie


Pioneer Mission Institute (PMI)
Sunday, June 10 - Friday, June 15 (Dallas, TX)

A doorway to serving Bible-less peoples with Pioneer Bible Translators

Discovery
This program is designed for those interested in learning more about Pioneer Bible Translators' ministries and finding where God might be leading them to serve.

• Explore ministry roles within Pioneer Bible Translators*
• Meet missionaries currently serving with Pioneer Bible Translators
• Learn about the skills necessary for successful cross-cultural mother tongue ministry
• Gain a vision for how you might serve in God's Kingdom

Cost:
Register before April 30: $150.00 (plus room and board)
Register after May 1: $175.00 (plus room and board)

For more information or to sign up go to:
pioneerbible.org > Events tab > Pioneer Mission Institute

Still have questions?
Email Matt Weldy (matt.weldy@pbti.org) the event coordinator or me (julie.mckee@pbti.org).

*Pioneer Bible Translators has a wide range of ministry roles. I was astonished to learn just how varied and impactful they are. Some examples include:
o Bible Translators
o Scripture Distributors
o Church Planters
o Literacy Workers
o Community Development Workers
o Prayer Warriors
o Teachers (K-12)
o IT Workers
o Electronic Communication Workers (Websites, Videos, etc.)
o Printed Communication Workers (Magazines, Pamphlets, etc.)
o Ethnomusicologists
o Bookkeepers
o Administrators
o Recruiters
o Missionary Trainers
o Finance Workers
o Missionary Care Members

Weekend Getaway

February 13, 2012

I had the opportunity to see what it was like to really live in Africa this past weekend. There are a couple of Peace Corps volunteers who teach in the local schools and live near our village. It’s been such a delight to be able to get to know them over the last few months. Since we often host them when they come to our market (which is larger than the ones in their villages), Stephanie invited me to spend the weekend with her.

So last Thursday afternoon the Litseys dropped me off on their way to their weekend getaway in a town another 15 kilometers away. If you’re not familiar with the Peace Corps method, the basic explanation is that they try to have their volunteers live like the people they are working with. This means that the only furniture within Stephanie’s house (of 3 bedrooms, 1 living room, and 1 shower room) is a bed, a table and three straight-backed-wooden chairs. Then as far as appliances she really only has a water filter. So how does cooking work? How do you wash your dishes? Where does your water come from? What about going to the bathroom and showering? And what do you do when it gets dark?

Well here’s what I learned…

Water: In order to get water, Stephanie has to work for it. She has to walk to a neighbor’s yard, remove the well covering, drop down a bucket attached to a rope (no pulley system), haul the water up by hand, pour the water into one of her personal buckets, and repeat until she has the desired amount. She then has to carry it back to her house (which is approximately 150 yards). I’m used to carrying buckets of water about 30-50 yards, so that walk was definitely testing my strength and endurance.

Cooking: Her only way to cook anything is with an outdoor charcoal-stove. Unlike a charcoal grill, this contraption is simply a circular metal pan in which you burn the charcoal. It rests on a base that raises it up off the ground about a foot. (By the way, our “charcoal” is made here by pre-burning/smoking wood, it’s not nearly as convenient as the stuff I remembering using in the States.) Thankfully there are a lot of things you can do with pots and it is possible to cook a variety of items with this method. (For example at different times over the weekend we made rice, leaf sauce, and oatmeal)

Dishes: Because she doesn’t dirty a lot of dishes and in order to conserve water, Stephanie goes outside and uses a plastic tea pot to pour some water into one of the larger dirty dishes. From here she simply uses the local bar soap to create a lather and uses this small volume of water to wash all of the dishes. After everything has been scrubbed the soapy water is tossed and she proceeds to rinse the large dish and fill it with clean water. The rest of the dishes are rinsed here. Throughout this process she at most uses a quart of water.

Bathroom Business: The simple answer is that she has an outhouse. However the outhouses here are literally just a room around a hole over a large pit. So they are affectionately dubbed “squatty potties.” As for showering, well there is a small closet-sized nook in her bedroom that has a slightly tilted, tiled floor (all other flooring is simply concrete) and a hole in the wall for water to drain out of. Here she sets up a bucket with water and a cup and “Voila” we’ve got a shower!

No Electricity: It’s amazing how simply you can live when you don’t have any electricity. At about 6:30pm the sun has set enough that it is almost impossible to see inside a house that has no electricity. The simplest solution Stephanie has found is to use a candle to allow for basic light within the living room. Unfortunately, it’s really hard to do any work with only one candle for light. So she also makes sure to have a flashlight and batteries available so she can read and grade. Also, the flashlight is incredibly handy for any evening strolls to the outhouse. Since you’re limited to what you can accomplish in the dark, she tends to go to bed around 8:30/9:00. This means getting up around 6:00 which works perfectly because sunrise is around 6:30/7:00.

Electronics: Stephanie doesn’t live entirely without electronics. She has a cell phone and an MP3 player. It is possible to get these items recharged in town when someone is running a generator, but that isn’t always reliable. But luckily, her mom mailed her a portable, solar panel pack about the size of a study Bible that charges during the day and can recharge small electronics.

Besides learning about how to live here like the locals do (without all of the comforts we missionaries live with like stoves, water tanks, toilets, electricity, and cushioned chairs), I got to see where she teaches and how she interacts with her village. It was great to see all the relationships she’s built and how well-received she is by everyone. I admit that I don’t think I would be brave enough to go live out in a village by myself. Thus, I greatly admire the progress that she’s made and her attitude toward her job.

One of the best parts about this weekend away was that I was incredibly grateful for all that we have here at home. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed sleeping in my bed again after three nights of sleeping on concrete. It was also a nice break from being with the Litseys and it gave us all a chance to be refreshed before we enter into our last 10 weeks of school.

Prayer Requests

- God’s doing a lot in my heart right now and although it’s been challenging, I know that “He who began a good work in [me] will carry it on to completion.” (Philippians 1:6) Please pray that despite the growing pains that I will continue to look to Him and rely on His strength and wisdom daily.

- The last few months before going home are apparently the hardest and every one of us here is feeling that strain. Please pray that we are able to focus on the tasks that are still at hand and that we have the necessary patience to serve in our given ministries.

- Many people all over our region have purchased or received Scripture in their heart language. Please pray that they read it over and over again and that the Holy Spirit continually works on their hearts to bring them closer to Him.

Committed to our Faithful Creator,
Julie

New Year's Revelation

Sometimes I reach a point where I know something’s bothering me because I’m constantly cranky or depressed, but I have no idea what the cause is. After Christmas I tried to attribute my irritability to not being with my family for the holidays, but it became increasingly apparent that this assumption was faulty. Below is the journal entry in which I attempted to work through my feelings and figure out the reason for my melancholy.

December 29th, 2011
The most prevalent emotion I’m feeling right now is hopelessness. I’m overwhelmed with the size of the task at hand (not my specific job, but with people hearing and coming to Christ) and I’m depressed by how long it takes the Gospel to change lives. Meanwhile my weaknesses are abounding and my smallness is stifling.

It’s not just the number of people who need to hear the Gospel that is overwhelming. It’s all the barriers that hinder them from really hearing the Good News that are so incredibly frustrating. Satan has his dirty little hands in EVERYTHING! Even if we could distribute Scripture to everyone, written in their heart language, and preach to them in a contextualized manner, we’d still only be at the very beginning of the journey. There is so much work to be done in people’s hearts and minds. There is so much more at stake for people than just changing religions. It just seems like people everywhere are too afraid to change, too deceived to change, and too weak to change.

This job is impossible. Even thinking about attempting to change even the smallest part is completely absurd. No person, no organization, no government can even mine a pebble from this mountain of a task.

Thankfully, I know that God has designed it this way. It is so incomprehensibly large that He doesn’t expect or want us to attempt to complete His work. Instead He simply asked us to join Him by following His commands because only He has the knowledge about the perfect timing for orchestrating His master plan.

Knowing this should be a relief. And to some extent, it is. Unfortunately, it also leads to questions. What role do we play if we are so unfathomably small within this world? If He wants something done and He will use those who are willing, then why bother using us at all? Is part of our problem with how we view ourselves and the importance we ascribe to our labor? Since this task is unbelievably immense and we’re merely pawns whose mortal roles are incredibly limited, can we really fail? Even when we falter and make mistakes, is it ever possible for a meager person to affect His plan more than a raindrop affects an ocean? Then what is our role?! What purpose do we serve?!

Why do I fret about being productive all the time? Why do I operate under the assumption that if I don’t labor as hard as I can God’s work won’t get done? What am I really going to accomplish during that time that God couldn’t easily have done another way? Stop thinking you’re so important and necessary! He’s got this thing under His control and you’re just along for the ride.

When He gives me a task, I need to work hard at it and focus on it as He leads. He will enable me to complete the job when and how He needs it to be done. In the meantime, I need to chill! Stop the worrying and the questioning and simply praise Him.

Time is a blessing, not a curse. It is not meant to confine us, but it is another commodity He’s given us to use to glorify Him. Life isn’t all about productivity or even effectiveness. It isn’t about sneaking off or going on vacation just to get away from the work. It’s about enjoying the work you’ve been given and then making time each day to just be. Stop only ever striving and producing and instead invest your time in people and loved ones.

Perhaps that’s true contentedness. When you finally get to the place where you realize God doesn’t need you to run His world. When you finally understand that your worth is found in how much you invest in praising Him and loving people. When you finally give up trying to earn His love and start focusing on showering others with your own. When you finally realize that today is all the life we have and it is a blessing no matter what your situation is because God has entrusted you with a job to do today.

Calling the crowd to join his disciples, [Jesus] said, "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?
Mark 8: 34-37 (The MESSAGE)

By the time I reached this conclusion, I felt much better. However, just because I know the Biblical answer doesn’t mean I truly understand and appreciate that answer. Sometimes God has to remind us what it means for Him to be Sovereign and for us to be servants. I pray this update encourages you to surrender the self-imposed responsibilities that God alone is supposed to carry. He has given us people and jobs to take care of, but we can’t complete those tasks through our own strength. We fulfill our responsibilities when we lift our joys, fears, dreams, and concerns to God in prayer and rely on Him to guide us.

Thank you for all of your support. Knowing that you are praying for me and giving financially to see both my ministry and me grow is an incredible encouragement. God has been exceedingly faithful in his providing for all of my needs before I even realize I have them. I am humbled by the thought of serving such an immense God and knowing how much He cares for me.

Blessed to be in His service,
Julie

December Newsletter

Contentedness or Apathy

October 27, 2011

I find I have taken a wrong turn in my journey to find joy and peace in God. My contentedness no longer possesses a passion for serving God. Instead, I pass through each day indifferent and shortsighted.

I think I have let Satan twist phrases like, “Take it one day at a time” and “Live in the now,” and have shifted my focus from laboring for God to checking another day off the list. Simply passing time can’t be joy. I know there is more to it. I’ve experienced a taste of true contentedness and this isn’t it.

How did I let lies lead me astray? Taking stock of my daily decisions reveals a continual failing to commune with God and dwell on His Word every day. Doing devotions is no different than studying if I don’t engage in what I’m reading and learning. In order for God to work in me, I have to consciously open my heart and mind to Him each day.

It’s not enough to simply go through the motions, even if I’m doing what God’s called me to do. If each day isn’t surrendered and if my heart isn’t focused on Jesus, then I labor in vain. How terrifying then are Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:21-23:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (NIV)

Performing like a Christian and doing Godly acts does not ensure salvation. The only hope we have is found in living a life submitted to knowing and obeying our Almighty God.

Recognizing my failure has spurred me to cry out to God for forgiveness and guidance. Please pray with me that:

* I would be reminded daily that Satan is always feeding me lies to keep me from living the life God desires.
* We would seek out and rely upon our ready, willing, all-knowing, all-powerful, ever-present, just, and merciful Savior.
* My perspective would extend past today, this year, and even my life and focus on God’s master plan for His Creation that stretches into eternity.
* God would continue to reveal how He desires me to interact with and teach the Litsey kids, and that He would continue to grant me the patience and wisdom necessary to accomplish this task.

Striving to know Him above all else,
Julie