Foreign to Familiar

Foreign to Familiar:
A Guide to Understanding Hot - And Cold - Climate Cultures
by Sarah A. Lanier
McDougal Publishing

This little book was given to us by Alan and Esther Giesbrecht, our Eastern Field directors. It is a concise, easily understood work - written from vast experience. It shares some very valuable insights into the differences in cultures and the way in which they interact. 'Foreign to Familiar' is a very practical break down of basic cultural anthropology and an invaluable resource to anyone who might encounter individuals of another culture.

I would encourage anyone to read this who might be considering any type of ministry work - or any travel abroad for that matter. It is surprising how much about our own culture that we taken for granted.

Various cultures interact with those in their group differently. Our perspective as North Americans is based on our own cultural system - without actively seeking to do so, it can be difficult to grasp anything other than that which we currently understand as 'normal'. Throughout the book it is explained clearly that there are numerous ways in which people of different cultures relate. Some cultures are relationship oriented, some are task oriented - and the way in which they communicate can vary greatly. Simply understanding that these differences exist and how we can recognize them will allow us to be much more sensitive and prepared to interact with people from other cultures.

Crabtree Cottage | Home For Sale

Our little home quietly awaiting it's next family.

Well folks,

It seems like it's been forever in the coming, but the house is now for sale! The sign went on the very snow covered lawn on Monday. Now we have simply to wait for the happy new home buyers to come along an buy it up. We are very hopeful that we'll be able to sell it and get everything taken care of before we are scheduled to leave for MDP (Missionary Development Program) training in April. Please keep us in prayer over the next few weeks as we endeavor to sell the house and step into the next part of preparing to minister at Arrowhead Native Bible Center. If you'd like to have a look at our home listing you can see us at either of the following links:

Here is the link to our MLS listing:
http://tinyurl.com/crabtreecottage

Here is the link to our FaceBook ad:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=48416312919

I've just been on the phone with the NCEM bookstore and we should be receiving some of our required reading within the next few weeks (hopefully sooner than later). As part of our training there are several books which we will need to read and prepare written reports for prior to going out west. I'll post my written reports here for you to read as they are ready.

It was necessary for Arrowhead to aquire a new camp truck, and the Lord has provided a wonderful new vehicle for use at camp. This will be a welcome addition to the camp equipment.

2002 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4 Quad Cab

Please keep Kevin and Marcia in prayer as well over the next few weeks. They are both very busy, as well as preparing to go to MDP in April. Marcia is busily getting the books up to date; there is an upcoming event at the camp that they will have to prepare and facilitate, Kevin will be going to Burnt Church to assist with some ministry there and they are busily readying things for Camp this summer as we will all be away during the regular shoulder season for MDP training.

A Long Month...

Hi everybody,

We're sorry for the long absence to our blog. It has most certainly been a hectic month. But the fruits of our labours have been realized. Our house is finally going on the market. The realtor was in today, and we are very excited about listing our house tomorrow. It is looking very much like we will be able to sell the house for sufficient to pay off our mortgage and all of our other debts (student loans, car loan etc..) So we will be able to go to the mission field completely free of debts. Now we need to pray that it will sell prior to going to MDP. I'll post the MLS listing and some pictures, once it is available.

Tonight Liz and I are registering online for MDP. MDP stands for Misionary Development Program. It is to take place in Timber Bay, SASK from April 26th to June 20th. The training, as far as we understand is to include various forms of cross cultural training, mentorship,
Bible study and training, even some languane training. We will be leaving early to travel out west as we also are going to be involved in a week of training with NCEM at head office prior to MDP. I'll talk a bit more specifically about what exactly we'll be learning and doing in another post.

Thanks so much for your encouragement and prayers as we've been busily preparing to go. This promises to be a full and eventful year.

Blessings,
Grant

Happy New Year.

Greetings all,

Well the holidays are over, it has been a busy month. It was certainly a blessing to be able to spend time with family and friends. Liz and I spent several days over Christmas with her family in Annapolis Co. and had a truly blessed Christmas Season.

The Lord continues to teach us to completely resign ourselves to Him. It is easy to try to rely solely on our own understanding, and when we do it is very overwhelming. But He faithfully cares for us and continually provides for our needs. The insulation job that I had begun (or thought that I'd begun) earlier in December has not panned out very well. There were not very many days of work and so I began to look elsewhere. This week I began a new job here in Windsor. I am working at the Martock Ski Hill at a BeaverTails outlet... I've worked three days to date and have really been enjoying the change of pace. We are hopeful that this job will tide us over until we are ready to start with the mission full time. The Lord has seen fit that all of our bills be paid and we are very grateful for this new job.

I am very hopeful that we will be able to have in a real estate agent to meet with us about listing our house this week or next. I want to paint the spare room and the floor in the basement before we do that, but we feel the time has come to list the house. we are prayerful that it will sell quickly and for the right price.

We are hoping to send out our Winter prayer letters in the next week or so. If you are not on our mailing list and would like to be, please feel free to drop us a line and let us know!


Blessings to you all in this new year,
Grant

This was taken for the Martock website on my first day of work, if you look closely, you can see me in the left hand window.

Another Advent Devotional

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11

In our current Western culture, we esteem men and women of accomplishment - athletes, actors, scientists, musicians and even businessmen. Individuals who achieve greatness in his/her field or discipline are showered with fame, fortune and power by our individual constant desire to have everything they seem to have. We erect statues, construct buildings, and even pave streets in the name of those to whom we direct our adoration. Sports halls of fame, celebrity walks of fame, award shows by the dozens - all evidence of a society’s feeble attempt at becoming something greater.

As followers of Christ, our only real source of inspiration, the object of our adoration, the author and finisher of our faith is to be the Lord Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 12:2) Our own Scripture has a hall of fame, or perhaps more appropriately a Hall of Faith. Each verse of Hebrews 11 reads like an inscription on a display case in God’s Hall of Faith. I can almost see the first glass window, verse 4 is the inscription below a photo of Abel and a shepherd’s staff. His testimony of faith living on for God’s glory.

Through this Advent season, let us remember just what it means to be a Christian. Things of this world will pass away, that includes the esteem of men. May we aspire to live a Christ-like life and hold a place in God’s Hall of Faith; that even after we’ve passed on from this world, we may leave a testimony of faith that points to Him.

Prayer
Dear Lord, may You be the object of our affections.
Help me to recognize every day that the attractive things
of this world will pass away. May it be my desire to
live a life that points to You. Amen.

Christmas Blessings

Greetings friends,

We are currently being blanketed with a healthy coating of snow, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to update everyone on how things are here.

It has been a very interesting month, the Lord has continued to bless us far beyond what we could have imagined. As you know I was layed off recently from the general labour and landscaping work that I'd been doing. I had thought that I'd found work doing insulation for a local company, but it seems that may not work out. I've worked one day with them so far, but have not had opportunity to again since, the work will be available in the coming weeks, but not in Windsor as I had been led to believe. I've found this time to have given me opportunity to practically learn what it means to depend on the Lord - and He has been so faithful. Our needs have been met and new opportunities are arising for employment while we continue to prepare to move to Cumberland Bay and work with the mission full time. These days have given me the chance to do some more of the things around the house that have needed done, so Lord willing we'll be listing the house with a realtor in the coming weeks.

We've had some difficulties with the car the past week or so as well, nothing too serious as it turned out, but again the Lord has it all well in hand. Elizabeth's brother is our very generous and skilled mechanic, he has us back on the roads safe and sound.

We are looking forward to a wonderful Christmas with family and a very exciting new year. This past year has certainly brought us to a place we would never have imagined, but we are so pleased to be standing at the edge of a new year in the palm of the Lord's hand. Thank you all so very much for your notes of encouragement, we hope to be able to visit with many of you in person over the coming months.

Merry Christmas and God Bless,
Grant & Liz

A view from our front stoop.

The Great Adventure

Greetings Friends,

This is it - my last week of work for Just Perfect Solitude. I've always known that it was a temporary job, but I had no idea that it would be extended this far into the year - I've been with Bob for 4 months now. It has been a bit scary for me not knowing just what is around the bend - having had steady employ for a decade has given me an over inflated sense of self confidence. These few months have certainly been training me to put my trust in the Lord - and He has been providing for us in unexpected ways. As far as I know right now I will be starting work with an insulation company in the next week or so, this job should carry us through until we are prepared to move to Cumberland Bay and work full time with Kevin and Marcia!

I was talking to Kevin this past week, and they have begun thinking about next summers camps already. It's all very exciting and the Strouts have some awesome ideas for this years ministry. We plan to do some team building work with Kevin and Marcia in January and are looking very forward to that as well. Just now we have completed all of our booked speaking engagements, but are optimistic about opportunites that will arise in the new year. As a point of praise, our car is running well and we have been blessed with a new set of winter tires.

We look forward to visiting with family and friends over the Holidays, it's without a doubt my favourite time of year.

Blessings to you,
Grant