Lumpumu and Silas are getting to know each other.  Lumpumu isn't all that sure that this will work out.  Silas has sharp teeth and an unnerving habit of pulling his lips back and snarling when he is unsure of himself.  He's is a pretty good-size shepherd dog and Lumpumu hasn't been around big dogs that much.  But for the next year, Lumpumu will be taking care of our Lusekele house (and Silas), depending on Silas for security backup.

Challenges like this for us and our neighbors are just a very small part of our shift in focus every four years.  Home assignment is upon us.  We leave our Congolese colleagues and day-to-day involvement in agriculture and literacy to join our missionary partnership team, our support network partners and International Ministries staff for a year.  The first task at hand is giving an account of how the church in Congo is living for Jesus, trying to touch and transform the lives of people here.  Hundreds of people have contributed to make our ministry among and with Congolese Christians possible.  We want to share the stories of what is happening as a result.

A second obligation is evaluating what we have accomplished in Congo, not only as individuals but also as a mission partner with the Baptist Convention here.  Geographical distance and a bit of separation from the immediate demands of our work give us some space to see the bigger picture of what God is doing.  But equally important is the chance to sit down with the people who sent us to Congo (our leaders in International Ministries, our missionary partnership team and supporters) in order to assess what we have done and consider what direction God wants us to go in the future.

A third important task is to translate vision into concrete action.  The vision, the sense of call and a general willingness to participate in the Lord's mission arise from sincere reflection with other believers on what God is doing in the world.  The financial meltdown this year has destroyed many of our illusions as American Baptists.  One is that it is possible to accomplish what God wants us to do by relying on emotions and pocket change.  In this next twelve months all of us together have to decide if God is calling Ed and Miriam back to Congo and (if He is) are we willing to mobilize the resources it is going to take.

Some might say that this looks like a daunting year, a year of uncertainty.  But think back on your life.  When did you feel most alive, closest to the Lord, most energized by your work and your vocation?  I think you will find it was in those periods of uncertainty, of reassessment, of (dare I utter the word) hardship.  This year is going to be a year where we encounter the Lord in a new way.  And I think we will discover that He able to accomplish something glorious that we haven't yet dreamed of -- in us, in you and in this world.

Ed and Miriam are members of Calvary Baptist Church, Salem, Oregon and will be based in Keizer, Oregon starting in July.  If you or your church want to invite them to talk about IM's ministry in Congo, drop them an e-mail at mfnoyes@hotmail.com .