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