Stewart 5

I have a number of things I have half-written recently.  These include insightful cultural observations, humorous anecdotes, heart-warming family moments, what I’m learning, what we’ve been up to, and updates on what’s next for us.  I really want to get a bunch of these posts/articles/emails finished because they are important to me (and I think to many of you).  But…

• I usually have my best ideas either in the shower or at the gym – both places where I can’t write anything down as it crosses heart or mind
• I have talked about aspects of all of these with enough people that I don’t want to sit down and recap for everyone else
• I can be a bit of an idealist/perfectionist, so I want to consider every angle and put in every thought related to what I am writing about
• I’ve been struggling to sit and write – too many other things to do!
• I only have self-imposed deadlines, so it is easy to keep putting them off

BUT, I  want to get some of these off my to-do list AND really do need to get some of this on paper – for my sake and yours!  So, you can help me, dear reader, by sending me a message/email/comment along the lines of, “I would really like to hear about…” or “what was that thing you mentioned related to…”  Yes, I am asking for a bit of external motivation

thank you!

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In the rush to get our sabbatical started, pack up our entire house, and move from South Africa to California for the year, I haven’t sat down to write in detail about this sabbatical thingy.  But, with a little room to breathe, I wanted to start giving our friends more information on what we are up to.  I am sure this will turn into a multiple-post series, especially as we process and can begin to share what God is doing in us through the process.

In wrapping up our time with NieuCommunities in Pretoria and before starting for something new in Cape Town, we have a unique and precious window of time to let God prepare us in significant ways.  For today, some basics on the PURPOSES of our sabbatical…

1. The first purpose of our sabbatical is rest from several years of cross-cultural living and ministry.  We need to decompress, have time as a couple, and opportunity to do things as a family that we haven’t made as much time for in the last several years as we would have liked to.  We believe this will put us in a better place personally, spiritually, and relationally.

2. A second purpose of our sabbatical is restoration.  This is part of the reason we needed to leave our normal environment so we have time, space, and freedom from our normal obligations that can detract from making growth a top priority.  We are in the middle of a great program at Link Care in Fresno specifically designed for missionaries and their unique needs.  We will continue counseling throughout our time in Fresno as part of the process of continuing to grow into the people God wants us to be.  A big part of what we anticipate is deeper intimacy with God, one another, and all those God brings into our life.

3. A third reason for our sabbatical is reflection on the past several years of life and ministry.  What has taken place in our personal lives, what have we learned about life in community, how has God shaped and used us in South Africa, and what does all this mean for the future?  Expect lots of writing…

4. The final purpose for our sabbatical is preparation for what God has in store for us in this next season of life and ministry.  We have some pretty good ideas about what that will look like, but want God to confirm and clarify.  We expect God to further reveal hopes, details, and specifics.  We also anticipate this leading us to further training and learning to get us ready.  And, we want to use this time to develop the patterns and habits we will need to continue successfully in the next season.  Of course, you will hear more and more as we do, and as we gear up for all that is to come when our sabbatical ends on May 31.

For now, we are settling into life, school for the kids, and soon a new house (renting from friends) in Fresno!  More on all that, and some pics, soon

In the meantime, would appreciate your comments and prayers.

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Tonight is our last night in Pretoria.  Tomorrow, we pack away last things, take care of final details here, and head to the airport.  It’s hard to believe that we are moving and ending our time with the team we have worked with for over 6 years.  Yes, we know this season is done and God has new and exciting things ahead.  Yet we are feeling somewhere between sad and surreal in leaving.

Thanks to all who have made these last years so special.  And here’s to all those we jounrey with in days ahead!

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Most of you probably know that at the end of last year, we decided that 2009 would be our last year leading the NieuCommunities team in Pretoria, South Africa.  We have been part of this ministry for the past 6+ years and feel that God has something new for us.  A recent development in our preparation for what’s next (and the reason we are writing to you now) is that we are going to take a sabbatical from now until June.

This sabbatical will allow several important things to take place.  First, it will provide us a needed opportunity to step out of our normal environment to reflect on and capture what we have learned and experienced over the past several years of life and ministry.  We also need some time to recuperate and be restored from cross-cultural living and the various personal issues this surfaces and magnifies.  With that, we need room to clearly discern and thoroughly prepare for what God is leading us toward next.  We have a sense that this will be something new and big in Cape Town, and we want to prepare as best we can.  Finally, Melissa has been thinking for a while that it would be good to spend an extended period of time in America.  Because we are ending one season and preparing to head into another, we have a unique chance to do so now.

We are currently working with the leadership of CRM (our missions organization) on all the details, but a few things we know and want to let you know:

• Our sabbatical begins August 1
• We arrive in California on August 6 (yes, in 3 weeks!)
• We will be living in Fresno near most of our immediate family
• Our kids will be in school there for the year
• The goal of our time is restoration and development, as we will be diligently pursuing God to prepare us for the new things He is moving us toward.  This will include everything necessary to begin a new ministry.  We remain serving as staff with CRM during this time.
• We plan to return to Cape Town, South Africa, in June 2010

Surprising, you say?  For us too!  All of this has come together rather unexpectedly and quickly.  God is actually stirring a lot of changes in our team, which have allowed us to transition out quicker than we had anticipated.  We are now busy making all the preparations necessary to move our family.  Part of the rush is that we want to land and get our kids into school.  We are also anxious to hear more from God on what He has planned.  It seems that He has things in mind that we don’t know of yet, but we trust are amazing.

Please pray for us.  A few specific needs are to find a place to live in Fresno, transportation, and to get our children enrolled in school.  Would you also keep your eyes, ears, and hearts open for these on our behalf and let us know of anything that might help?  We would also appreciate your prayers for our family to have supernatural peace through this transition.  We know it is good, but change can be difficult.

God has given us an unexpected gift.  We don’t have it all figured out yet, but are excited for what is to come.  Please feel welcome to send us your thoughts, questions, and suggestions.  We are looking forward to sharing this next leg of the journey with all of you.

Arthur for the Stewart5

(Apologies if you are reading this more than once.  In an effort to get this out quickly to as many people as possible, we are using email, our blog, and facebook).

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1. Too many youth pastors and worsip leaders look like either Rob Bell, David Crowder, or both.  Come on guys, get a style of your own.
2. My tattoos and stretched ears don’t get me any attention here – because I seem like a librarian compared to most people walking down the street
3. People freak out about everything too much (the weather in LA right now being a current example)
4. From Iain tonight – why do they make you pump your own gas here?  Then how do people get paid if you pump your own gas?

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We are leaving tomorrow for America!  In the midst of packing and cleaning, wanted to update you on a few things (in a very pragmatic & list-filled fashion):

Schedule:
Dec 1-8    Ohio
Dec 9-13    LA then SD for meetings
Dec 13-17    SoCal.
Dec 18-26    Fresno
Dec 27-Jan 1    SF & Oregon
Jan 2-11    Fresno
Jan 11-15    Arthur & Melissa in SoCal
Jan 16-17    Fresno
Jan 18-20    Ventura
Jan 21-23    Family Fun before we leave
Jan 24        Fly back to South Africa

Events, etc. – take note!
•    Speaking at Foothills Community Church, Pasadena on Dec. 14
•    Arthur Birthday something in Fresno on Dec. 26
•    Speaking at Wesley UM Church, Fresno on Jan. 4
•    Speaking at Friends Community Church, Fresno on Jan 11
•    Goodbye open house or party in Fresno on Jan 17
•    Likely speaking at The Gathering’s Social Justice Night, Ventura on Jan 18
We will also have 2 open houses in Fresno that have yet to be scheduled.
For details on any of the above, please contact us.  Would love to see you.

Still need:
•    A place to stay in SoCal Dec 13-17.  Bear in mind that we are a family of 5
•    Someone to host an open house in SoCal Dec 13-17
•    A car for our family to use during the CA part of our trip (Dec 9-Jan 23), or at least while in SoCal – OR – a little money to help us rent a car.
•    Recommendations for a place to stay by LAX on Jan 23.  We have to be at the airport at 5:00 AM on Jan. 24
•    Extra cash you have sitting around to help with the costs of our family’s trip.  Here
If you can help with any of these, please let us know.

We really are looking forward to seeing you.  Thanks to all who have offered a meal or expressed an interest in getting together.  We will be working out those details once we are in Ohio.  More to come…

Please pray for our family as we travel Sunday into Monday.

See you soon!
Arthur for the Stewart5

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This is a head’s up to let you know that we will be visiting America in December and January and would love to see you!

December 1-8: Ohio visiting family, meeting “Baby Anthony,” and acclimating
December 9 – January 23: California & southern Oregon.

We will send more specific details as we have them – where we will be speaking, when we will be in which cities, etc.  Would be great to see you while we are in the neighborhood.  We have lots to share about what God has been doing here with NieuCommunities South Africa and us. And, we look forward to telling you more about what God is opening up in the near future that you can be part of with us…

For now, we are wondering if you:
•    Have a cell phone we can use?
•    Have a car (for 5 + luggage) we can use?
•    Can get us into Disneyland at a discount?  Will be Mairin’s first time as a non-infant!
•    Can help us stay at the Disneyland Hotel for a discount?
•    Would want to have a meal (Mexican is always a treat), coffee, or visit with us?
•    Have space for us to crash at your place in southern California?
•    Would be willing to get some people together at your house to hear more about our ministry?
•    Can financially help us with this trip ($7000+ for the plane tickets alone).  Click here

I know you have a lot going on today.  Have you voted yet or are you going to tomorrow?
And, in front of all of you, I say HAPPY BIRTHDAY ED!  I love you and we are looking forward to being with you soon!

Please respond to any/all of the questions above.  We’d love to hear from you on these on anything else.  More to come ?

Arthur
for the Stewart5

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are you like me… you have lots to do.  instead of this motivating you to start plugging away, one bit at a time, it actually leaves you getting almost nothing done.

sometimes i think i spend more time thinking and organizing what i need to do than actually doing anything.  this is compounded when a bunch of what i need to do is write – which i love – but that take a bit of heart and creativity out of me.  so, hard to crank our one writing assignment after another.

so, if you are one of those people waiting for a newsletter, update, blog post, curriculum, plan, or notes, then i have to tell you that it’s not quite finished.  but will be “soon.”

and for all 10 of you that read this blog just a quick note to say we will be in the USA in December and Jan.

• We will arrive in LA on 9 december and be there until around the 15th-17th.
• then, fresno through dec. 26.
• 27-jan 2 we hope to travel through SF to Ashland, Oregon.
• back to Fresno jan 3-18.  (Arthur and Melissa will be in SoCal for training 1/11-15).
• whole family to SoCal (Dinseyland?  San Diego?) Jan 19-23.
• depart home to South Africa on the morning of Jan 24.

of course, that’s some of the info i need to actually write out nicely for an update email, but you heard it here first (reason enough to read this blog, don’t you think?

maybe tomorrow i will get to one of those other things i need to write.

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finally got around to updating our blog roll (to the right).

Added some good local news sights.

Added some good Jesus resources.

Added all the NCSA bloggers.

Added some sites for musicians we like.

Check out the links – you may find something you enjoy!

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not going to bother sounding pretty, just wanted to pass along an update on how NCSA has been corporately addressing the needs of the refugees here in SA. Many of our people are taking personal action as well:

Much prayer. Together and individually, we give this to God and demand that He respond. He is…

We have invited a friend and his wife (refugees from Zim) to live in one of the rooms at Pangani, at least for a few weeks. Considering how we can make space for others.

Money given to NCSA to help with refugees has been directed to some people building houses for refugees

Several of us are talking to others who are helping refugees – looking for ways to partner & help.

We have money which we are giving to others who are working with refugees to provide food, shelter, etc.

If you would like to contribute financially, we can receive your money and forward to appropriate services and people working to make a difference. If you are interested in helping, email me.

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