Well it has been a while again and I want to apologize for it. July and August were very busy months. To start off the concert went really well, we had at least 100 people who show up to watch and everyone had a blast. We were able to sell concessions which led NCF to be able to purchase its own pop corn machine. A missionary leader and a friend of the people in Dilkon loaned NCF a popcorn machine to use that night. The whole night was a huge success we hope to get to do more things like that in the near future.
Prior to the concert we were busy hosting teams. First Capital out of Corydon was the first team to come and to say I was nervous is an understatement. I had been here twice as part of a mission team, I had even worked with Angie to lead a team, but this was my first go-round working with a team as the missionary in the field. It sure helped that I knew First Capital's team leaders, Mark & Jeanette. Plus it helped that it was a small group. This group was very special to me, they were fun and a "hoot" to be around there was even a guy on this team that could come off with funny remarks as fast as I can, and they kept my belly full all week!
Cobblestone was the second team to come out and my nerves went to another level with them because I didn't know anyone, but just like you would expect in the Body of Christ, they welcomed us in and really made us feel like part of their team. That was an awesome group of people to work with. We got to spend some time together bonding and making friendships that I think will last a lifetime. I felt like Marty in the movie “Back to the Future” because there was a teenager who took me back nearly a decade to when my daughter was 14. By the time the week was over, I felt like we had been friends forever. In addition to our love for Jesus, we found out we shared a love of horses, cowboy boots and giving little Joey a hard time.
The next group was our home church of New Life Christian Church of Lanesville. Just days prior to New Life's arrival we also received four blessings in the Children's home. They are 2, 4, 6 and 8 years old. To go from having one teenager living at home to having four kids under 10 was sure an adjustment to us all. While the kids are a blessing, it made things difficult because Angie was anxious to spend time with New Life. While she did spend some time, she didn’t get to participate in a lot of the activities because of the responsibilities of being a foster parent.
I wasn’t nervous with this team because who gets nervous about spending time with your own church family. It was an awesome week and I have never experienced a week that went by so quickly. I didn’t realize how much I missed everyone until Friday of that week. Watching those white vans pull out of the NCF gate was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.
Thankfully there wasn't time to mope as we welcomed a team from a United Methodist Church in Ohio. Again, the nerves returned because this was a group of strangers. But again they took us right in and made us feel right at home, like we were members of their team. This team was made up of both kids and adults, split right down the middle. I got to spend a lot time with this team and that allowed us to do some talking, some sharing and to have lots of fun together while serving.
Some of the projects that we were able to do with the teams were amazing. This is the first summer that mission teams were able to go out in the community and do projects. The First Capital team painted a fire house in Luppe. It was great and we've heard rave reviews about the job they did. Cobblestone adventured out in the area to a few families that they knew and visited with them, shared meals, and cleaned yards. New Life and the UMC team worked on a church in Nadi (Na dee) Canyon or as some of the locals call it Hallaleuia Canyon. Not sure where it got its name, but it sure is beautiful out there.
All the teams got a lot of work done and a lot of new friendships were made. We also shed a lot of happy tears. It was a tiresome month both emotionally and physically, but it was made easier because I know we can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (us)! I thank the Lord daily that he made it possible for me and my family to be welcomed into all the different teams.
The back to school party that Angie planned was a great sucess, thanks to Loren Thomas who is a local native, friend, and brother in Christ. He helped Angie get everything together and planned, she told him her idea that God laid on her heart and he practicly ran with it! We were able to provide 60 children with back packs, school supplies, lunch, games, and three different organizations came and talked to the children about drugs, alcholo, eating healthy, immunizations, good hygene, and a bible devotion. It really was a fun blessed day! We praise God for making it all possible.
An update on the kids is that they are still here and are doing very well. But with four little bodies we sure are finding our immune systems tested. The youngest came to us a little fussy and we thought maybe she was just a grumpy baby. Come to find out she had a small piece of sponge stuck in her nose (I am not pointing fingers on how it got there, but she does have two older brothers!)The staff at the doctor's office didn't know what they were in for. It took three doctors and Angie to keep her still. That was just the beginning, at one point or another we've all had the bug that has been going around. I noticed recently the youngest holding her ear, so please pray that if that is an ear infection, it is healed quickly.
It hasn't been all runny noses and fevers. We were able to celebrate the birthday of one of the boys. We had a party for him and some of the people in the community came to celebrate with us. The kids enjoyed playing the games, eating cake and ice cream, and playing hide –n- seek.
One more thing I want to share with you all that I found very encouraging was, Bo told me the other day that this has been the best year for NCF that he personally has witnessed, with all the events, gym nights, bible studies, praises, prayers being answered, work teams, and things being accomplished around and within NCF. I am not trying to say it is all due to the "Brownings" but what I am trying to say its due to the Love of Jesus.I close my blogs with prayer request, but I can't stress to you guys how much we need this. We need it for physical and emotional strength and we also need prayer for the Lord to provide financially. To this point He has done it. Every time there has been a need He has provided, but there is a situation with the car and while I don't know why God wants us to “Wait”, that’s what we are doing. Someone did donate $50 toward the $900 we need to fix it, but we are still a long way off. I have worked on the van but it still stalls occasionally and in this heat with four little kids, it's a leap of faith every time we leave the driveway. Also please pray for NCF, the NCF staff, all the happenings in Dilkon and the Navajo people. Pray for them that the work being done here will lead them to accepting our Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks in advance for your prayers and your financial support. Feel free to write or call to find out more about the work we are doing here.
God bless you all and much love;
Joey (with love from Angie and Little Joey)
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