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? 

June update

Springtime is HERE (at least in Portugal anyway).  Portugal is really beautiful this time of year.  People are out walking more and it doesn’t get dark here until after 9:00 PM. 

We were so thankful for our brief visit back to NC to be with my Mom and family.  She is continuing to improve with her therapy and her appetite is improving, and we are so thankful.  Thank you to each of you for praying for her and for my sister as she cares for my Mom. We were unable to see many of you while we were home. We are thankful for the quick visits, the e-mails, and the phone calls we did receive. 

The girls finished school last week at GLCA.  It has been a wonderful experience for them to be able to learn in a Christian environment with Godly teachers and being able to spend time with other missionary kids.  God has blessed us with this opportunity for Riley and McKenna.

Since we have been back in Portugal, we have really seen things “take off” in many directions.  We are also starting to feel the need to “wrap up” things in some areas but know that God is not finished with us here quite yet.  We have really been focusing more on our language study.  Before now, we have been learning more rules of the language along with conversational skills.  However, conversation has become the big thing.  I know that Eunice will have more things in store for us in our final months here. 

We have to say goodbye to our 4th set of friends who are leaving on June 12th to head to Zambia while they wait on their visas for Angola.  This is a very hard part of missionary life and we are learning this lesson quickly.  The family that is leaving lives 2 floors below us and they have been such a HUGE blessing to our family.  We are thankful that the Lord put them in our lives for this brief season and pray that our paths will cross again.  The coming and going of missionary life can be very uncertain.  We have to enjoy the time the Lord gives us and remain focused on the one true constant, Jesus. 

We are in the process of making plans for our time in the US this fall.  We have a few churches lined up to visit and share about the work that the Lord is doing in Angola, but we are hoping to schedule more.  Currently, we are at 55% of our monthly support.  We have been able to come to Portugal for our language training without being fully funded because of a couple of factors.  First, the cost of living is a little less per month to live in Portugal than it will be to live in Angola.  Second, we have been blessed by some people began donating to our ministry before we came to Portugal.  This allowed us to build up an account with AGA that has sustained us while we are here.  Unfortunately, that surplus is coming to an end.  Third, the Lord has blessed us with some “surprise gifts” that some people felt called to send us at just the right time.  One of the blessings of this lifestyle is truly trusting in Him to provide and seeing it happen.

Before we move forward to Angola however, we must be 100% funded.  Our agency requires it and we would not want to move into a long-term mission position without that support.  It would be an additional stress on our family and could make us a burden on other missionaries that are also living on limited resources. The remaining balance can look something like this:

                             10 people at $100/month

                             10 people at $50/month

                              20 people at $25/month

                              100 people at $10/month 

Some people think that they cannot be a part of our ministry because they can’t donate a large amount of money.  However, our goal is to have a large group of supporters doing whatever the Lord is calling you to do.   God wants us to be a community of believers and doesn’t expect any of us to go it alone.  So please don’t feel that any amount is too small.  We are thankful for each and every donation and trust that the Lord is guiding each person on how they should give.  We just need to know what we can expect so that we know when our budget is reached and we'll be allowed to move forward. 

Another area that we are in need of prayers for is for our one-time expenses of  $47,000.    The majority of this amount is for a vehicle.  There is no safe public transportation in Angola.  Therefore, having a vehicle is essential to our daily life there.  We have started a separate vehicle fund for this purpose.  It is important to get a vehicle that can handle the roads and one that you can get parts for.  Several missionaries have purchased Toyota Hilux trucks and we will probably do the same and there is a Toyota dealer in Lubango.  If this is something that you feel the Lord calling you to join us in, you can just put “Hall vehicle fund” in the memo section of your check to AGA.

This fall we are back in the US.  We will be applying for our visas for Angola and traveling for fundraising.  The visa application can be a long process and will involve lots of paperwork, phone calls, and time.  Please pray for patience and guidance during this process.  

We will have a busy schedule while we are in the US (home assignment) and we would love to visit with as many of you as possible.  Please contact us at hallangola@gmail.com and hopefully we can connect for lunch, dinner, or a coffee.  We anticipate being in the US through the end of the year and pray that the Lord provides for us to leave for Angola in January.  

We are very thankful for all the support and prayers you have provided.  We are thankful for your e-mails, love, and encouragement.  We are thankful that you are listening to His voice and being obedient.  We are thankful for such a wonderful mission team!  We could not be here without you.  We are so thankful to be able to be ambassadors for Christ and to partner with each of you to do His work.  We continue to pray for each of you and love to hear from you.

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

Update on Danny's Mom

I wanted to send you all a quick note about my Mom and our time here.

The doctor went in on Monday to do a biopsy of an area they were suspicious of in my Mother’s colon however they were not able to.  Turns out there was no tumor and the area they saw was just a thickening of the muscle around the colon that he said may have to do with her diverticulitis.  What great news!  He said she checked out great with the sigmoidoscopy and the endoscopy.  We were all very excited and give thanks to the Great Physician! 

Her overall health has continued to improve and her physician said yesterday that she could possibly go home today!  Please pray for her appetite to come back and for her strength to increase.  She will receive therapy when she comes home and hopefully this will encourage her to work hard.  Please continue to pray for her improvement.

Our time here has been short but it has been a blessing.  Being able to see family and friends, if only for a brief while, has been a blessing.  My children have been able to see friends as well and that has been a big boost to their spirit.  Thank you to all of you who went out of your way to make things happen on our visit.

We leave Greensboro on Friday and arrive in Portugal on Saturday.  Please pray for safe travels as well as for our final 4 months there.  We have a lot to do and I am sure the time will go quickly.  Please pray for continued language learning and for the girl’s schooling.  They will be finishing up their semester.  However, as Riley said yesterday, we have to go through saying “Goodbye” again and that is never easy.  Fortunately, it is just for 4 months this time.

Thank you again for your prayers and encouragement during this time.  We have truly been blessed by your love and support! 

In him,

Danny