We've Moved!

...but not far. This weekend we moved to a larger apartment right next door. Our old apartment was a studio apartment and our new one has a separate bedroom. We are excited about this because it means we will be able to have people over and they won't feel uncomfortable walking into our bedroom for dinner. We have so much space, we don't know what to do with ourselves. We completely filled our old apartment, but moving into the bigger apartment we have found that our furniture is miniature with all the space we have. Our address is the same though so don't change anything in your records.
We also made time to get our visa pictures taken. I hope to send off our paperwork for our visas this week.
Last night we met with the ABWE rep to Africa. We had time to ask some more of our crazy questions like "What kind of shoes should we bring?" "Flip flops!" is every one's very quick response to that question. However, maybe it's just me, but I keep thinking that I might get bit by a snake if I wear flip flops. Though, if you know me well enough, you know that I won't let that silly fear get to my head too much. In fact, I might just go barefoot!
On our way home, Ryan and I were talking about how we'll be just north of the equator in Togo. Then we got into a discussion wondering when they named the country of Ecuador. Obviously it had to have been named after they found that the world was round and that the equator is a hot ring around the earth. Anyway, if you know when Ecuador was founded and named and by who, I'm curious to know. I'm also curious to know the history of the finding of the equator. Hey, maybe I'll look that up someday.
Please do write me. I love to hear from you all.

No Internet in Togo

I just found out that there will be no internet access for us in Togo. However, there will be e-mail. I will post the e-mail address you should use while we are there on this blog as we get a little closer to the date. I will also attempt to find a friend to cut and paste our e-mails to you into this blog.

Anyway, this may be an exciting adventure to be away from the internet for six whole weeks! I use the internet just about everyday, with the exeption of maybe Saturdays and Sundays, and I use it for everything from reading, to getting weather reports, to managing our finances. It might be nice to go back to real life for a few weeks. :) Just think, in Heaven there will be no internet, just Jesus!

Contentment?

So I've been struggling with what to write next because I know that we just sent out our prayer letters and I'll have an audience. This makes me kinda seize up to be honest with you. So that's exactly what I'm going to do... be honest.

Contentment. For as long as I can remember I have struggled with contentment. It's almost a dreaded word. When I was four I wanted to be five. When I was in 1st grade I wanted to be in 2nd grade. When I was in middle school I wanted to be in high school. In high school I wanted to be out of school. In college I wanted to be married. Now I'm married,... :). Ultimately, I just want to be in heaven. Jesus promises I'll be content there. Hallelujah!!! However, that doesn't solve the problem now. Yikes! That sounded like the little girl from Charlie in the Chocolate Factory when the bratty girl says, "but daddy, I want a goose that lays a golden egg NOW!" However, it's all a part of our groaning for the Day when Christ rules as King of the earth! As a cool musician I know sings, "and may He come soon!"

In the mean time, may I learn to be like Paul who said from a jail cell in Philippians 4:11, "for I have learned that whatever state I am, to be content." May I be completely at rest with where God has me right now. Jesus said, "Come after me all you who are weak and heavy laden and I will give you rest." Lord, help me to search only after You for peace, rest, and contentment.

Green to Togo

I just got the green light from Togo to purchase our plane tickets!!! We're getting sooo close!!! YAY!!!
We'll be leaving on June 16th around noon and arriving back to Greensboro (our local airport) at 7:00pm on August 1st!!!
I'M SO EXCITED!!!

Originally published in the 1967 Farmers’ Almanac

• Always call them "Mother" and "Father,"or "Dad."

• Always introduce people to your mother. No matter how important the other person is, begin: "Mother, I’d like you to know"?

• When your parents introduce you to their friends, make them proud. Stand up for an introduction, and acknowledge it with the friend’s name: "How do you do, Mrs. Carter." Don’t sit down, while either your mother or Mrs. Carter is still standing.
• If your parents’ friends ask questions, even though they seem a little foolish, answer. Never say, "I dunno" or just giggle. Admittedly, "You’ve grown so, haven’t you"? is silly; but it becomes sensible conversation if you answer, "Yes, I’m nearly two inches taller than I was last year."

• If your dad tells a story involving you and gets some of the facts wrong; let it go. Setting him straight in front of an audience just sounds quarrelsome and childish.

• Let your mother precede you into a train or bus, or down a theater aisle. In these places, walk ahead of your father.

• Treat your mother like a lady and your father like a gentleman, and you can’t help impressing the world with your own charm and poise.

Times Have Certainly Changed! But they don't have to. Don't people deserve a little more respect than we give them. (SB)

Psalm 37:23, 24 (ESV)

The steps of a man are established by the Lord,

when he delights in his way;

though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,

for the Lord upholds his hand.

Togo in 8 weeks

I suppose I ought to give another little update on Togo. As of this weekend, our support is now at 64%. We have enough to buy our plane tickets, but we are waiting until the checks that were sent in today show up on our account with ABWE. I will call ABWE this week and ask them what the next step will be in making travel arrangements. I also need to schedule our Yellow Fever shots. It's been pretty difficult getting a hold of the health department to get on the schedule.

It is so cool to meet and talk with people who are interested in what we are doing. Everyone has been so encouraging. We can really sense the uplifting hands of those around us along with those who are not so close to us geographically. There's a neat fellowship that comes through this project. Thank you to all of the special people who give. Thank you also to those of you who pray. Elizabeth George wrote in her book A Woman After God's Own Heart, and a guest preacher who came to our church last night also mentioned, that prayer changes the course of history. I believe that to be true. So much in this world would be different if there was no prayer. Praise the Lord that he wants to hear about what we care about. Not only that, but He cares about it more than we do.
I'm posting some of the pictures of the airplane in Togo that Ryan may fly one day. Right now it is not airworthy, but hopefully very soon, this will once again become a well used tool for missions.

Puritan Prayer

While Jesus is representing me in heaven,

May I reflect on Him on Earth.

While He pleads my cause,

May I show forth His praise.

Buczak Letter ~ April

Spring is here! It is definitely springtime in North Carolina. Daffodils grow like wild flowers here and start blooming at the beginning of March! Stephanie has been allowed to plant a garden at the airport. This is a nice little blessing, because we live in an apartment in the city where it feels like there are more bricks and buildings than blades of grass. She is planting Zinnias, tomatoes, and mammoth sunflowers!

New Job. In December, Ryan got a new job as an aircraft mechanic at Landmark Aviation. This means that Ryan is finally using what he learned in Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) school.
In overseas aviation, American ratings have little value to them. Most countries want to see proof that you have experience in your field. At Ryan’s new job, he maintains a log book describing every detail of the work that he does to the aircraft. This will serve him as authentication of his certifications in another country.

Dream Big. Stephanie is beginning to participate more and more with the sign language ministry at our church. She took three years of American Sign Language in high school, but has used it minimally since then. However, our church has a deaf ministry and for our resurrection program she will be helping with the interpretation of some songs. Her dream is to start a school for deaf children who are considered unintelligent in another culture.

Volvo. This will be our last report on Ryan’s old job at Volvo, but we wanted to tell you that the owner of Volvo, Rob, finally put his faith in the Lord and has been attending church. Isn’t it amazing what the Lord can do through prayer! We are also staying in contact with Warren who we are still praying for.

Flight! Ryan is steadily chiseling out his flight courses. Now he is in the middle of his instrument rating. This will be completed before we leave for Africa this summer.

Togo! Our trip plans to Togo are coming along. Soon we will be reserving our place on the plane, getting our visas and shots, and packing our bags. We are so excited about this trip that it couldn’t seam further away. Please continue to pray that the Lord would be preparing our hearts for the ministry there, but mostly that we would come back with a stronger passion for the people of Togo. After all, the people are what it’s all about.

We now have 50% of our support. In order to raise some of the funds for this trip, we have been detailing cars of people in our church for a donation. This has turned out to be a blessing to us as it opens up opportunities to meet more people. It also gives people the opportunity to get to know us better and learn about our dreams in missions.

Thanks Pastor Dad

My dear Pastor Dad preached a sermon recently about the having security of salvation. What stuck out to me the most about what he said was, don't be too sure. In other words, if your heart is challenging your salvation, why not secure it again. This is not to say that you can lose your salvation, but there are times in the Christian life when you wonder about yourself, "if I'm saved, how could I have done that?" He read a quote from John Newton which said,

"If I ever reach Heaven, I expect to find three wonders:

First, to meet some I had not thought to see there;

Second, to miss some I thought to meet there; and

Third, the greatest wonder of all, to find myself there."

.

Praise the Lord for John Newton! My heart definitely echoes his words.