A Foreign Address Does Not A Missionary Make

Some blog entries are hard to write. I have been sitting on this one for a week, trying to get up the courage and heart to write it, knowing I had to, but not knowing how I could do it.
Long before Ryan and I were called to Mexico, we had a different calling to work with Young Life Ministries to High School students. Even at that time, though still very comfortably in familiar settings, I considered myself a missionary. After all, is there anything so "foreign" as a high school lunch room. During the time that we served with Young Life we were privileged to help begin a program at Ninety Six High School here in South Carolina. We worked closely with an amazing and very unique bunch of kids. Strangely, as all American in appearance as Ryan and I are, we were drawn to and attracted the outer fringe kids. Kids who wore all black, pierced body parts and got tattoos, dyed their hair different colors. In other words, the outcasts, the misfits, the ones who wore their pain on their sleeves. We dealt with the drugged out, sexually permissive, the sad, the depressed and the angry. And we loved them!!!!
One of these precious souls became a particularly good friend of mine. Amanda and I share a similar, hurtful past. I was drawn to her immediately. God said almost audibly to me, "Seek her out, go to her!" I walked with her as she came in and out of hospitals for depression, anorexia, and attempted suicides. I touched her arms where she had cut herself mercilessly trying to make the pain inside go away. I took her to doctor's appointments and counseling sessions. More often than not it was hard, painful, and draining. But God continued to say go. Last week, the pain became more than she could stand any longer, and Amanda killed herself.
After six years of being out of Young Life, not seeing some of these kids since that time, and the others sporadically at best, they were thrust back into our lives. I didn't know if I wanted it. It scared me, and I hurt so bad over this loss. Guilt was crashing on top of me, anger, fear, sadness so intense I felt I could vomit. But once again I could hear God almost audibly say to me, "Go!"
I thought I was waiting to become a missionary, to move to Mexico so I could start ministry. I had forgotten. The hurting, broken and lost are all around us. Last week I became a missionary again. May I never forget...

Karen

Rain and The Changes It Brings

"We really need you to be flexible." This is the standard line delivered during the orientation of volunteer work teams by the Isaiah 55 staff. While it is always true that flexibilty is key, this phrase was never more true than during the week of July 17-24.

Several weeks before our trip to the border Hurricane Alex & Tropical Depression 2 dropped torrential amounts of rain up the Rio Grande Valley and into the mountains of eastern Mexico. The deluge filled reservoirs and forced hydro-electric officials to release massive amounts of water into smaller rivers that lead to the Rio Grande flooding the valley from Nuevo Laredo to Matamoros. The floodplains bordering the river in McAllen, Texas and Reynosa, Mexico were still eight feet under water two weeks after the initial flooding. These are areas that haven't bean flooded in 70 years.

Wes, Jess, & their 1 year old daughter, friends of Isaiah 55, are currently living at a property owned by the Isaiah 55 that is located near Boystown, the notorious walled portion of Reynosa that serves as homes to prostitutes and drug dealers. After flood waters covered a squatters camp near the border about 50 homeless individuals, between the ages of 6 months and 80+ years old, showed up at Wes' gate. Being the gentleman that he is, Wes invited them to stay.

This is the situation we walked into on Monday morning.

"Be flexible...”

Through out that day and the days that followed, I was able to have several conversations with a few of the folks staying there. The story I remember most was not told to me, but to a friend. So here is that story: Miguel was hoboing from one migrant farm job to another. As he went to jump off of the moving train he was caught between the wheels & tracks. In the process he lost a leg, below the knee. After being treated in a hospital in the States, he was deported. Driven to the border, dropped off, and basically told not to come back. He wound up at Wes' place after the squatters camp flooded. All Miguel had was his two crutches, a prosthesis made from a walking cast, and a shoe shine kit. At this, my friend expressed his sympathy. Miguel's response “Don't feel sorry for me. If I had three legs just like the one I lost, I would give them all to know Jesus.” Most of us who were there had conversations like these.

The point I want to return to is this... Be Flexible... Wes called Nono (Isaiah 55's team leader) on Sunday evening & explained the situation. Nono's response was not “Wes you need to find them somewhere else to stay” or “What were you thinking.” His response was “What do you need.”

This is the team Karen & I get to be a part of. A group of individuals whose call is to reach the deaf...and the deaf at heart.

Thanks for being part of the ride,

Ryan

Confession

We are half way through Ryan's week in Mexico with the team from Greenwood Presbyterian. And ... you guessed it: I miss him like crazy!!!!! I wish I was there. I wish he was here. I wish I was packing boxes to meet him there in some new little Texas house. Wish, wish, wish.
I am not complaining mind you. The kids have been wonderful (although Ellie does seem to have some summer crud.) God has graciously protected me from fear. Usually when Ryan leaves town, we do too, and head for Momma's. But not this week. We are sticking it out here and I have not had a moments pause about being in the house by myself. I have not been afraid for Ryan. I know he is in God's hands. And if I were to confess yet another thing, it has been kinda nice to have total pwer over the TV remote for a while (not that anything is ever on....).
Still, I miss him. I'm ready for him to come home so I can fix him dinner and talk to him about his day and tell him about mine. I want to wash his clothes. I want to hear his guitar. I want to see the kids rush into his arms and not want to let go. I plan to hold on for quite awhile myself.

Karen

Our Family In God

John Thomas is currently fascinated with the difference between who is in our family, who we consider strangers, and who is our family "in God". It isn't an easy concept to explain to a four year old boy who happens to be a bit shy. Afterall, we want to encourage him to be friendly and respectful of all people, but in todays world you have to teach them to be cautious. Just one of the many perils of parenting.
But in the midst of this adventure the Culbertson's are on, we have met some amazing people who help to make the idea of "family in God" much easier to understand. God has cared for us in so many ways, and not the least of these are the amazing people whose paths he has allowed us to cross. Just this past week at Interview and Orientation with Mission To The World we were blessed to go through the process with an incredible class of people. These people inspire me. We met couples, who by all rights should be setting their sights on future retirement and stable, prosperous jobs, but instead are uprooting themselves to go forth and obey God's call to minister to all people. We met singles, who again should logically be concentrating on career or schooling or maybe even future family, but instead they are heading forth to the Far East, Africa and to Latin America. We had the distinct pleasure to fellowship with a couple whose own missionary adventure to Thailand has taken them 6 years. These people are truly amazing to me, not just because of who they are, but also because they have chosen to obey the call God has placed on their lives to go forth into all nations and make disciples of all people, from Uganda to Japan. I have been challenged by them, encouraged by them, and made part of their family by our common Father.
In addition Ryan and I met the wonderful staff of MTW. I have new respect for these people who serve tirelessly behind the scenes so that we and others can go to our destinations with proper education, resources and support. The Culbertson family adventure is backed up lovingly by a whole building of cheerleaders. In fact, in God's great provision, I can safely say that we personally have been paired up with the most perfect MTW representative possible! I honestly cannot wait to talk with Kelley again!
And ofcourse, our family in God is bigger because it now includes the amazing staff of Isaiah 55, our new, official team members. We are so excited to get down to the border and join with them in all that they are doing in service to the Lord and the people of Reynosa.
My sweet John Thomas, we are very blessed to have many members of our family in God.

Karen

Celebrate!

With great thanksgiving to our God we are so happy to announce that Mission To The World has approved our desire to go to Reynosa, Mexico and serve with Isaiah 55. We can not thank you all enough for the support you have given to us thus far. We prayerfully hope that you will continue along with us the rest of the way!!! "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2

Karen

Grateful

Finally. The checklist, so long, has come to an end. Here we sit in a hotel room in Atlanta, GA. The first day of Interview and Orientation with Mission To The World is over. By Wednesday afternoon we will know if our missionary adventure has come to an end or if it is truly just beginning. Will we have more to check off as we pursue funding and prayer to go to Reynosa, Mexico or will we drive home to process what God had for us in the journey yet destined to go no further for now?
Don't know yet. What Ryan and I do know is that we are so grateful. God is so very good. Incredibly generous to his people. In so many ways He has already wrapped His arms of love around us, encouraged us, confirmed us, and lifted us up. He has done it through...YOU! The response we have had is overwhelming. Our Facebook Page has 272 friends! We have already had people speaking to their church missions boards about supporting us if the time comes. We have had a monetary offer of support, and we haven't been officially confirmed. Words of encouragement and prayer have been lifted up for us. This week while we are away our sweet children are being cared for not only by our family, but also by our christian family, taken in each day by people who love them and want to help us in a very real and physical way. God in His amazing grace has sent us a whole team of people to walk with us, counsel us, pray for us, serve us. All this for the mere possibility that we may be missionaries. Just for a maybe.
Friends, we love you so much. We are grateful for every thought and prayer you have lifted on our behalf, every wise word you have offered, every meal you have given our children, each scripture offered, and every listening ear. Ryan and I "thank our God with every remembrance of you." (Phil 1:3)

Karen

The Doors

Yes, it has been a long time since any updates. I have come to the conclusion that May is just as busy or more than even December with its Christmas rush. We have been up to our eyeballs in recitals, programs and even kindergarten graduations. That's right, we have an official 1st grader! Would seem that our family has many doors to walk through these days. We watch our children grow every day, changing sometimes before our eyes. With the end of this school year, we start a new chapter in our lives. I am now a retired preschool teacher. Yet my teaching career is only beginning as I will now prepare to start homeschooling both children. I am so excited about that adventure. It is just one of many facing the Culbertson's these days. Things have been crazy, to say the very least. But even in craziness, God is good. Because the other reason there have been so few updates lately is because there is nothing to tell. Since news of our invitation from Isaiah 55 we have been playing a waiting game. There have been some things to accomplish, more testing and forms to fill out. But mostly we are waiting and praying. The craziness of May and the milestones of our family life have certainly helped in that waiting and kept us from too many feelings of anxiety.
Now we find the next, and maybe biggest moment is at hand. In one week we leave for Atlanta to meet face to face with staff of Mission To The World and seek final approval to be missionaries and go serve in Mexico. One more door to walk through. One more chance for God to confirm or to say "Far enough, the door is closed." We still believe with all our hearts that we are on the path God has set before us. We still feel very called to this mission. And we still hold fast to our hearts desire, to follow God, door open or door shut, and to learn from Him what He has for our family.
The updates will come quicker now friends. Pray!

Karen