September-December 2015 WattsLine Posted

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Wycliffe Connection 2015

What is the Wycliffe Connection?
TWC is designed to encourage and equip Wycliffe USA members during their return to the States from the field. Wycliffe's goal is to care for, celebrate, and connect members with the people and services they'll need while on furlough or making a change of assignment.

I was delighted to be able to attend TWC October 26-30, 2015. Twenty-two family units participated, plus crew members. Photos posted are limited as six families serve in sensitive areas and need to stay off the internet.

Persons who most recently served in Cameroon. So good to see familiar faces! 

"Let's Get Acquainted!" After dinner Monday evening, each family or individual chose an object to help introduce themselves. I chose a velour flower - it represents my philosophy "Bloom Where (and How) You Are Planted." I've also purchased many of these flowers, bent the stems into stands for hospital and nursing home visits, plus seniors at home. Low maintenance flowers - no watering needed! 

"Sharing Stories" - favorite sessions to which we all looked forward. 

Each individual/couple had seven minutes to share stories of our missions

 work - call, highlights, challenges, etc. I used my turtle puppet to share a motto I have long and am now living out - "Behold the turtle who makes progress only when it sticks out its neck."

At "Entermission," the weekly worship time of staff at Wycliffe USA headquarters, Wycliffe Connections participants were assigned a table. We briefly shared about our ministry abroad and several ways the staff at our table could pray for us. The prayers voiced were much appreciated. 

I appreciate valuable information received in elective sessions such as: Salt 1 to 1 Personalized Communications, Retirement Planning, Career Guidance, and Insurance.

Back in Orlando, Bible study friends rode with me Monday morning to Wycliffe USA to attend the Wycliffe Connection. Bonita, one of my Orlando hosts, showed the other ladies around the Discovery Center during an appointment with my Resource Coordinator.

Showing friends the Bible Coloring Book (blank to black/white to color pages) available in the Village Shop that I've used for decades in children's ministry to emphasis the importance of faithful personal Bible study and now how vital scriptures in folks' heart language / mother tongue are to change lives, give color and meaning.

GiveBack Operation Christmas Child 2015

   

GiveBack is a program of Lift DisabilityNetwork. It is an annual event that empowers the Disability Family to move from a role of recipient to contributor. The Central Florida disability community was invited to fill shoe boxes at Calvary Assembly of God in Winter Park as an expression of their desire to give back and share gifts with others less fortunate around the world via Operation Christmas Child.  November 7th was a fun filled day of activities which included face painting, cookie decorating and Christmas caroling. Volunteers from various churches and groups assisted with the event.

I did a variety of things: pre-packed boxes with generic items, carried box for a nine-year old with walker as he chose treasures and coached him in filling out a paper introducing himself to the child who will receive their box, and helped consolidate contents of table near the end. 

The favorite part of my participation was definitely the privilege I had to pray over dozens of partially prepacked shoeboxes and volunteers before they chose special treasures for an age level and gender. I thanked God for the volunteer's service to God through packing the box, guidance in packing the box for whoever would receive it, blessings on the box recipient and their family - that they would sense God's love and care though the shoebox gift, and blessings on the packer.

Entrance to the event. Thank You Calvary Assembly of God in Winter Park for hosting the GiveBack event. 

Jim Hukill, Executive Director of Lift Disability Network and Bonita Slaymaker, OCC Volunteer

Tables were set up with items appropriate for three age categories: 2-4, 5-9, and 10-15... with gifts for boys on one side, gifts for girls on the other. Volunteers choose an age  category and gender to pack each box.

Distributing additional items to appropriate age level tables

Volunteers gather before the event for instructions.

Andrew leads the pack to begin the event.

Volunteers in action

Working at front table for age group 10-13, pre-packing boxes with
generic items: pens/pencils, nylon backpack, small bags with soap,
toothbrush, toothpaste, and washcloth.

Volunteers cheering on the gal in wheelchair packing the last box of the event.
Leftover items will be saved for another packing event.

Indiana Visit - AU Homecoming & Fortville Church Visit

The 2015 Homecoming of my alma mater, Anderson University and School of Theology in Indiana was October 2-3.

The highlight of the university weekend for me was the AU Presidential Inauguration of John S. Pistole, the former Administrator of the United States Transportation Security Administration and a former Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was moving to hear so many good things said about my alma mater and our extremely capable new president. WATCH ONLINE  

Other Homecoming events I attended were:

~ School of Music, Theatre, and Dance Homecoming Concert with the Outstanding Music Alumni Award Presentation

~ Street Fair, Rain-or-shine event (it rained, a lot!) including the Tri-S (Study, Serve, Share) Alumni Tent

~ AU Football vs. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. At the edge of the football field was the 6th Annual 1970s Hospitality Tent where I enjoyed hot apple cider and refuge from the cold wind.

As one who has long enjoyed making and wearing costumes, I wanted a photo taken with AU mascot "Rodney the Raven."

  

~ English Department  Alumni Reception @ home of Deborah Miller Fox (center pic above)

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       A great treat for me was visiting First United Methodist Church in Fortville where I served as Associate-Youth Minister 1978-80 while in seminary at Anderson School of Theology. I oversaw Children's Church, Youth Ministry, and Young Adult Ministry plus assisted in worship. Such a pleasure to re-connect with old friends and youth ministry colleagues and meet new friends. Precious people!

       It was something of a shock to me to realize that the youth and young adults I had the privilege of working with (and still call "my kids") are now in their 50's, some with grandchildren. Yikes! I feel old. Fun reminiscing...such things like a then student's pizza birthday party in the hay loft of the family barn; I jumped down through hole from loft to bottom floor once and allowed "my kids" to bury me in the hay. Fun!

I still pray for my grownup "kids" and their families. 

Thank you Reagan & Andrea Grubbs for your hospitality in Anderson and Bud & Kay Shoults for you hospitality in Fortville.

NewarkNaz - Ohio

While staying with my sister and her husband during my Ohio cancer surgery, recovery, and treatments, I enjoyed attending Newark Naz. After decades of church leadership, it was refreshing to primarily sit back during this season. I enjoyed participation in the activities of Newark Naz's womens ministry.

What an anointed message: Prayer Is Powerful  by Margaret Nsubaga (second from left below) from Uganda. Our hearts united in compassion. 

 

It was my privilege to share briefly about my ministry in Cameroon on October 6 at Newark Naz' Woven Women Ministry, "Girls Night Out" that focused on Africa. 

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It was refreshing to worship and be nurtured from God's word as well as from personal testimonies at the Fall Retreat of Woven Women Ministries on September 19th.

I had a small display set up with information about ministry with Wycliffe at the retreat.

                   

Girls' Night Out during the summer.  

One evening I joined Woven Women's Ministry to encourage the precious hearts at The Courage House. These women are in rehab for substance abuse. Woven comes alongside them once a month through the Gifted Hands crafts ministry. Many of these gals have attended Woven events over the years.

Radiation Wrap-up

A Bell Ringing Celebration marked my last radiation treatment last month. 

       My appreciation to the kind, caring radiation technicians pictured at Stephanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center AND my whole oncology team. In the background is the big radiation machine used for my sixteen treatments...climbed up the little stairs, laid on stomach, heart and lungs protected. Thankful for modern technology!

       After these gals saw on my interests card that one of my hobbies was puppets, they had some curiosity questions that led to my African "David" puppet in his Cameroonian soccer jerseys visiting them, other staff, and patients in the lobby after a treatment. David brought many smiles! Other info on the interest card was used...my favorite music genres (Southern Gospel and 50's) was played in this room during treatments.

                                            

       My shirt says: "family gives me strength, faith gives me hope". A shout-out goes to my younger sister Juanita Walker and her husband for hosting me in Granville, Ohio during this part of my cancer journey, for Juanita driving me to many appointments early on, for the sign, and for use of Dick's truck/J's car. Coming back to the U.S. after several questionable but non-definitive mammograms and ultrasounds in Cameroon (even in Florida a surgical biopsy was necessary)...Juanita had a clear contingency plan if needed. She insisted I come to stay with her/husband, and she took me to the renown OSUCCC-James Comprehensive Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (of which Stephanie Spielman CC is a part) in Columbus, Ohio, What a blessing!!!

        A shout-out to my older sister Pat for her example of an awesome positive attitude, her encouragement, and helping me computer issues long distance (YEA TeamViewer!).

THANK YOU family and friends for all your prayers, cards, calls, texts, and more. 

Watch out world, I'm preparing for a comeback!

Pennsylvania Wedding & Church Visit

CONGRATULATIONS and BEST WISHES to Carolyn Partridge Hampson and David Hampson! It was a joy to share Carolyn and Dave’s wedding festivities last month in Pittsburgh with these friends / colleagues who supported Bible translation with Carolyn in Cameroon. Though weather during the dinner reception was chilly and rainy, the warmth of friendships and memories of life together in Cameroon radiated.

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The morning after this wedding, I visited North Main Street Church of God in Butler, Pennsylvania - where I served as Director of Christian Education immediately following seminary (35+ years ago).

The worship service was a beautiful blending of contemporary songs and traditional hymns...flowing from hymn verse to contemporary verse and back, relating to Pastor Brandon Lenhart's sermon theme. So uplifting! I appreciated a warm welcome. 

July-August WattsLine Posted

Announcing:  

 July-August WattsLine   

   is  now  posted  under
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Missionary Speaker for Vacation Bible School Via Skype

Early this summer I was asked to share about my missionary work in Africa with the Vacation Bible School children at Orlando Friends Community Church in August. I was delighted to do so since it was through missionary stories and pictures from Africa when I was a child that God put a burden in my heart for Africa and a call to missions work.

 I had anticipated sharing in person, but with my “bump in the road” putting me in Ohio during August, we communicated via Skype. I emailed VBS director, Robin Kirchhof, a PowerPoint illustrating answers to most of her interview questions with photos of a short special assignment in Cote d’Ivoire and my support of Bible translation in Cameroon. We practiced connections twice. Via Skype, they projected my face on the middle screen and my PowerPoint slides on the two side screens. The children had practiced ahead and sang "This Is the Day the Lord Has Made" with my puppet and I before signing off.Thank you God for technology!

I would be happy to share about my missions work with you, your family, small group, church service or children's group. Call or email me to discuss potential.

“A Bump in the Road” Update

       

          

My lumpectomy on July 13 at the 0SU James Cancer Hospital in Columbus, Ohio went well. THANK YOU for your prayers!


At my post-op appointment, I received the final pathology report that we had been praying for - NO CANCER IN MY LYMPH NODES. My surgeon called for oncotype testing of my small cancerous tumor to determine if chemotherapy would be beneficial in preventing reoccurrence of that tumor. I finally received oncotype test results August 13 and NO CHEMO IS NEEDED. The same day I started an oral med to help prevent reoccurence.

The following week I received a scan, got markings, was scheduled for 16 radiation treatments beginning September 2nd. Praying for minimal side effects from radiation and the inhibitor drug.



My oncologist, surgeon, and radiologist all consider it do-able for me to return to Cameroon in January. A dear missionary friend and financial partner responded to my Facebook announcement of doctors' approval to go back to Cameroon with 
      “So happy about this! Obviously God has more up His sovereign sleeve for you in Cameroon.” 
The Facebook response (as of 8/25: 238 “likes; 73 comments, and 2 Shares) to this announcement was so heartwarming and affirming. Thanks, friends!

I am seeking to improve my limited French language skills during medical leave and taking in several health related seminars to strengthen myself for Cameroon. Coming post: “Making Progress by Sticking Out My Neck…Like the Turtle”