Same difference

We just had another snow here in NC.  We prayed that we would get to see snow while we were home since we knew this would be our last winter in NC and we have been blessed.  However, I am not sure the rest of our friends here are happy with our prayer!

We have been waiting a little while to send out an update because we have been working on a transition.  The most recent update for everyone is that we are changing mission organizations from AGA to SIM (Serving in Mission).  We have spent the last 8 months, beginning with a Skype interview while still in Portugal, meeting with various SIM representatives, filling out pre-applications, applications, multiple questionnaires, medical exams (they even measured our head circumference), reference letters, additional immunizations, 5 days of training and interviews at the SIM headquarters in Charlotte, and LOTS of prayer.  This was not a decision that was made lightly but one that we have prayed earnestly about and we have discussed with other missionaries in the field.  We asked the Lord to close the doors if this was the wrong path but He continued to open doors that no man can shut and has gone before us in many ways to lead us to SIM.

Our 5 days of training at SIM headquarters in January were a wonderful blessing and affirmation from God.  We spent a wonderful time getting to know the staff at SIM and meeting with other missionary applicants from all across the US.  It was great to hear the ways that God was working in the lives of others and the calling that is around the world. 

How does this change our ministry?

Not one bit!   Most of the missionaries that we will be working with in Angola are either with SIM or Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF).  April will still be working at CEML hospital giving Anesthesia and teaching in addition to traveling to the bush as needed.  Danny will still be working at ISTEL Seminary. 

So why the change?

As I said above, most of the missionaries that we will be working with are SIM.  The housing that is available for us in Angola is SIM as well which means rent will be much more reasonable since we are also with SIM.  Due to AGA’s size, they are not able to offer the field support that a larger organization like SIM can provide.  SIM provides for insurance, retirement, training, etc. that AGA cannot.  We have  been blessed to be with AGA throughout the first couple of years of our journey but see that now is the time to make the change.

What’s next?

We have 2 additional weeks of SIM-specific training that begins this Saturday.  We also have several online classes and suggested books to read before we head to the field.  We have begun the process of applying for our visas for Angola and will apply for these after our SIM training.  Please pray for this process.  It can be quite timely however, when the visas are issued, we only have 60 days before we must enter Angola or the visas are invalid.  So please pray for the Lord’s timing as we continue to fundraise so that the funding and the visas will coincide.  We know that the Lord’s timing in perfect and we pray for His guidance in this process.

For those of you who have joined us with financial support, you can still contribute to AGA for the next couple of months.  We are working the transition to SIM for financial support and will contact you personally about making the transition to SIM.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support.  Several of you have sent encouraging emails since our last update and it is truly a blessing to us to hear from you.  We are very excited about our move to SIM and wanted to share this with all of you after we had been accepted.  Please continue to pray for this process and our move to Angola.

In Him,

Danny

Merry Christmas 2013

What a wonderful but busy time it has been the last couple of months.  We have been blessed with several opportunities to share about our ministry in Angola with churches and individuals since we have returned to the US.  It has been exciting to see the interest and is an affirmation from the Lord when new people join our ministry! 

 

Nov 2-10 was also the Fall Global Missions Conference at Westover Church in Greensboro.  We were presented as candidates with Westover and this was a wonderful spiritually renewing week.  We were invited to several homes where we were able to share with several people and  we were blessed with the opportunity to connect with other missionaries.  There were missionaries from every continent and it was great to see how God is working all over the world. 

 

Preparing for ministry in Angola is a big task; it's a wonderful journey that the Lord has for us.  Our time in Portugal was a blessing in so many ways. Now, our time here spent preparing for the next step is also a blessing.  We have made new friends, re-connected with old friends, and been able to spend valuable time with family.  We know this is part of His plan.

 

We ask for your continued prayers for connections with new partners in our ministry.  We cannot move forward to the field without 100% support. Please pray that the Lord will direct us towards more opportunities for new partners.  Also, please pray for the Lord’s guidance as we deal with family issues and long-term care and living situations for them here in the US.

 

We are so thankful for the encouraging calls and visits from family and friends since we have returned to the US.  Transition can be hard but we see the Lord’s hand in our process every day.  We take courage every day in Deuteronomy 31:8:

      “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he 

      will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be

      discouraged."

One of the biggest lessons we've learned during this journey is to rest in Him.

Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" 

We pray that during the busy-ness of the Christmas season, you will be able to rest in Him and focus on what this season really means.  We are thankful to be able to spend this Christmas in the US with our family and friends.  We pray that each and every one of you will be able to rest in Him, have a blessed Christmas season, and feel the love of God as we remember what He gave up to rescue us.  We are, as always, very thankful for your continued prayers and support.  Without your sacrificial giving, we would not be able to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to the people of Angola.  You are part of our team!

 

God Bless you all and Merry Christmas!

 

Danny, April, Riley, & McKenna

 

The Moonlight

Sometimes this world is just too harsh for my tender heart.  Sometimes the pain of this world is too overwhelming.  Hearts are broken.....lives are shattered.....darkness prevailing.

Many evenings, I stood on the veranda of our apartment in Santo António dos Cavaleiros, Portugal looking out over the hills.  I especially love the nights when the full moon shown it’s bright light…...Lua Bonita…..Bella Luna…..Cosmo’s Moon (for all of you “Moonstruck” fans).  A glorious sight, as if I could actually reach out and touch it, put a lasso on it and pull it close…..looking as if it would explode from all the brightness it held within that perfectly round sphere.   

Standing there, I thought about the light….the sun and the moon….day and night...I thought about Christ. 

The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, is coming into the world.

John 1:19 (NLT)

He is the light of the world.  He lights our paths and makes our way clear.  Sometimes the light illuminates a long path, a large area.....sometimes it’s just enough light to see the next step and we have to take the following step in faith.  

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 

Matthew 5:14 (ESV)

We are to carry his light.  Just as the moon reflects the sun’s light, we are to reflect the Son’s light.  In doing so, He provides light to today’s world.  Sometimes our light shines for just one person…...sometimes for many.   In our obedience to Him, we shine and He reaches the world.  We reflect His light…..we are His beautiful moon.

I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

John 12:46 (ESV) 

I find such comfort in these words!!!  He shines in the darkness, He provides comfort for the shattered lives and broken hearts…..He gives hope to the hopeless…..He gives peace….He gives peace...He gives peace!!!

Are you in darkness, searching for His light?  Are you reflecting His light?  Where has He called you to shine today?  Are you willing to be that light…..full, bright, glorious, and reflecting Him?

Aug 6 update - clarification

After a couple of questions arose from our most recent update we decided that we needed to make sure that everyone knows, we are still moving forward with plans to go to Angola.  I re-read the email below and see that I mentioned visas and Angola but didn’t make it clear.

Our plans are to work on the visas this fall along with fundraising.  When the two of these processes come together, we will head to Angola.  At this point we are anticipating some time after the first of the year.  However, as we have seen before, this is all dependent on His timing.

So, in case there are others that thought we were not going forward, we are.  It has been part of the plan all along to return to the US to apply for visas before heading to Angola.

Sorry if this was not clear.  We will keep you posted on how things are progressing with our move to Angola.

Thank you again for your prayers and support!

In Him,

Danny, April , Riley, and McKenna

Support Info:

AGA Inc.

25 Maple St

Addison, NY 14801-1009

Please put “Danny & April Hall” in the memo line

9 days

9 days!  That is all we have left here in Portugal.  Our time here has been a blessing and it is true, “Time flies when you are having fun!”  April and I have been working on getting packed and making other preparations for our trip back to the US on Aug 14.  There are still a lot of things do. We have all made some life-long friends while here in Portugal and will always cherish our time here.  The Lord has blessed us in this past year in so many ways and we look forward to the new things that He has in store for us with this next step.

We want to make this update more of a prayer request because we have a lot of things that we need for you to join us in prayer. 

Prayers:

- We ask for your prayers for our packing over the next 9 days.  It can be stressful.

- For the relationships that we have begun here to continue to grow despite the distance.

- For some of the seeds that have been planted here to take root and grow.  That our leaving will not be the end of what has begun.

- Safe travel from Lisbon back to DC on Aug 14.  Also that our luggage will all arrive together on time in DC. 

- Safe travel as we drive back to Greensboro from DC on Aug 15.

- Settling into our new living conditions in Greensboro.  We all have to adapt to a new living space again.

- Strength and good health for us all to get through the many things that must be accomplished during our time back in Greensboro.

- Continuing language learning when we return to the US.

- More opportunities to share with others about our ministry in Angola.

- Visa paperwork.  We have lots of documents to get together that all have to be translated by an official translator before being submitted with the paperwork.

- Quick renewal of Riley and McKenna’s passports which must occur before we can apply for visas.

- Funding for our ministry.  Unlike our time here in Portugal, we are not able to move forward to Angola unless we are 100% funded.  We wouldn’t want to go for our family’s sake and we don’t need to be a burden on other missionaries there that are on a budget as well.

Thank you all for praying for us.  We are so encouraged when we hear from you. We consider it a privilege to pray for each of you as well.  It reminds us that we are not doing this alone.   We cherish each one of you.  Thank you!

Please know that we want to see as many of you as possible while we are back in the US.  I know that each of you are busy as well so please let me know if you have time to get together and we will work it out.  We deeply value your friendship.

We will be staying at our dear friend Sheila-Foster Fabiano’s house in Greensboro.  We will also send out our cell phone numbers when we get them in the US so you can contact us that way as well. 

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Danny, April, Riley, and McKenna

56 Steps

56 Steps

On April 20th, we returned to Portugal from a two-week trip to the US.   We walked up the familiar 56 steps to our front door.  

56 steps…….to our new home.  

56 steps to our new life, a new culture, new experiences, new adventures…...a new norm.  

It’s 56 steps to a world filled with things being done differently….not wrong…..just different.  

We’re learning a new language, a new culture, a different way of living…...a way of living with less, but gaining so much more!  We don’t have all the material possessions we had in the US.  We don’t own a home or a car (but we are very thankful for access to a car).  We are “homeless pilgrims for the Lord”.  But we’re really not homeless…..our home is wherever we are together.  We have more time with each other…..to discover new things together….to learn a new language together...to encourage each other and to depend on each other.

As I take the 56 steps down to the front door of our building, we look forward to taking this new adventure with the Lord guiding us….making our paths clear…..bringing new wonderful people into our lives…..and showing us things we were blind to before.   It’s a different place with different people…...all with their special God-given gifts.  How blessed we are to be here…..in this place…..right now…..together…….56 steps away.

Sometimes, these steps take us to a place that is very unfamiliar….sometimes scary….because we can’t navigate as easily as we could before.  Sometimes, I’m afraid to speak or ask questions, because I might not say it correctly…...and at times, I have said some EXTREMELY embarrassing things.  But, I step out any way…….and do my best to communicate.  

In this time of uncertainty, I realize how important it is to speak to someone in their own language.  How important it is to take the time to learn their language in order to be able to speak truth to them…...to speak to their heart, which may be hurting…..just as everyone’s does at times…….to speak God’s truth of love, salvation, grace, and mercy…..to speak of His free gift of salvation for us and His unconditional love for us.

A few weeks ago, I was walking up those familiar 56 steps, I saw my neighbor that lives below me.  I spoke and asked how she was doing.  I couldn’t understand everything she said, but I understood that her husband was in the hospital.  Apparently, he’s an alcoholic and he’s had a stroke.  I’ve seen him numerous times and have spoken to him.  But, I can’t have a meaningful conversation with either one of them because of the language barrier.  I can, and do, pray for them everyday.  I pray for the Holy Spirit to capture their hearts and for them to fall crazy in love with the Lord.  I pray for their pain to be healed and for them to know the immense love that only God can provide.
It’s times like this that. I see just how broken and weak I am….incapable of doing any of this on my own.  It’s only through His strength and His wisdom that I’m able to move forward…..to make a difference for Him.  

9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

So, every time I walk up or down those 56 steps, I celebrate my weakness so that He can shine….so He can get the glory and honor for everything…..so that all can see it’s His perfect timing….and that alone, I can do nothing…..but with Him, all things are possible.

As you take the next 56 steps of your life…..where will it lead you?  Across the room…...across the street…...across the state…..to another country?  Are you willing to let Him be in control?  Are you willing to let Him guide your next 56 steps?