The Schafer Family Journey of Faith : The Next Episode

Well, we did it.  We went there and back again.  And every step of the way God was with us and faithfully provided for us and for all our needs.  When I think back on the trip and all the places we went and all the things we did, I still find myself a little surprised that we made it.  Not so surprised that God actually came through every time we needed Gas or Food or Repairs, but more so that I made it.  Before we left last July I questioned whether I had the faith to do a Journey like this.  I knew I had the head knowledge that our God would look after us and provide for us, but I don’t think my heart got it.  After we left and we got away from everything familiar and safe there wasn’t time not to have faith.  It was faith or bust.  What surprised me the most was how natural it felt to live like that, it just sort of flowed.  There were of course many challenges we faced every day, many of them seemingly insurmountable, but we always made it through.  Our heavenly Father was always there helping us, encouraging us, and carrying us through.

Now that we’re back home in Lethbridge and I reflect on the past 9 months on the road I am beginning to realize that while we were gone God had given us a tremendous amount Grace to face the challenges and hardships of the Journey.  In the midst of it we knew God was with us and we saw His mighty hand all the time, but looking back I realize that without His hand and His grace and His favor on us all along the way we would of failed miserably.  In myself I see the fragility and the sinfulness of my humanity but when He corrects my vision, cleanses me and sets my feet on a solid place I feel like I can fulfill the call He has put on us.  

Coming home has had its challenges.  Our first week back I quickly realized that the Lord’s grace had lifted from us.  I couldn’t understand why it had been infinitely easier to trust God and to have faith for our needs on the road, but coming back home it was totally different.  I struggled to believe that the Lord would help us find a house, to acquire couches, table, chairs, bed frames, food, gas all the things we needed.  I really struggled with my faith that first week, it was harder than any week on the road.  

Now we’ve been back for 2 weeks and the Lord has met our needs for a home, we have just about all the furniture we need, we haven’t lacked food or gas and Shayne and I  have been able to pick up a little bit of part time work which has been able to mostly provide for our financial needs.  

We believe that the reason the Lord took us on this Journey was to learn to trust him for our temporal day to day needs, to learn more about the North American Church, and to learn to function as a family unit away from our comfort zone.  I believe that we have learned the lessons we set out to learn.  Our time at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City as well as St. Andrews in Gainesville were ripe with spiritual growth and experience.  We were blessed to have many opportunities to serve and minister everywhere we went.

Many of you know our story, some don’t, here’s a quick look back.  

Almost 7 years ago Shayne and I felt the Lord calling us to move our family to Lethbridge, which we did.  We knew we were to move here to become a part of ROL.  What we didn't know was that our move was going to be the start of a much larger journey with bigger purpose for us as a family.  Shortly after moving here, the Lord began to stir my heart (Markus) towards missions in Africa, with the specific desire of moving our family there long-term.  BUT he was not stirring Shayne!  So, I simply journaled my new desires concerning Africa and left it in the Lords hands. 

Then, In the late spring of 2009, one of Shayne's friends asked her if we had ever considered moving to Africa, and said that she felt like that might be in our future... Not too long after, Shayne had a dream that we were in Africa ministering to children, and thus we began to pray and seek the Lord as to his will concerning us and missions, both short and long.  At that time I also had a dream, as well as a vision in which I saw the word "Malawi".  I had never heard of a place or thing called malawi and didn't know what it meant.  Shayne thought it might be a country in Africa, so we checked the map and there it was.  

Since that time we have been earnestly praying for discernment as to when and how we should pursue this dream that God has given us, as well as confirmation in the specific things we have felt the Lord calling us to do.  The reason for the Journey of Faith was that we felt it was the next step in the Lord training us and preparing us for Africa, the first few steps being the short term mission trip we made to Kenya in the spring of 2010 as well as my internship in the River of Life school of Discipleship in the Spring of 2011.  

It is still our belief that God is calling us to move our family to Africa, and to pursue long term mission work among the people there, specifically among children, youth, and families, and particularly in Malawi.  We still don’t know exactly how the Lord is going to make all of this happen financially, but we know that He will, in His timing, if He wants us to go.  

So, what’s next?  What big things God has in store for us next only He knows, but we are looking eagerly to this next season of our lives and our personal development with anticipation.  Paul the Apostle wrote “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” and Jesus charged the disciples to “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons” saying “Freely you received, freely give”.  Both Shayne and I are keenly aware of our need for deeper Theological Study as well as our need for both personal discipleship and ministry experience and we fully intend to pursue these with the help and direction of Todd, Ryan and the other Pastors and Elders at ROL.  It is our deep hope and desire to be ordained to the ministry the Lord has called us to, after completing our final steps of training and preparations.

We would like to express our deep appreciation and love for our Church family.  Without the love and support of our Church there is no doubt that we would not be who we are today.  It is our hope that through reading this letter you will be able to peer deeper into our hearts and lives, and in doing so be able to better understand the Journey of Faith we just completed and how it all fits into the bigger picture of pursuing Missions work in Africa.  

We LOVE being a part of ROL and happily serve with you to advance Gods Kingdom on the earth, and to see his glory advance in our city, our province, our country and the into the whole world!

With Love,

Markus, Shayne, and Family Schafer