The more you know... and monkey tales...

The more you know…

So as a nesting mama-to-be, the unknown has been getting to me- especially in regards to our missions endeavors. Today we talked to a Covenant representative and asked her a bunch of questions. We got some great information about what the future may look like. The next step in the application process is to meet with a mental health professional to ensure we are “fit.” Only for God’s grace will we get through this part! . After we “pass the test,” our application will be passed on to the director of missions and then to the Africa missions directors for their approval which usually takes a few weeks. So we should know for sure by the end of the year. We also learned that the missionaries in Central African Republic have already been contacted concerning us and were “excited for us to come.” So this told us two things: our assignment will be CAR and we have their blessing! Once we have officially been approved, we can start fundraising. The Covenant person gave us a very rough figure- about $100,000 for the two of us for two years. This includes all of our traveling expenses, health insurance, housing, etc. The figure is actually half of what we thought it would be- so that is nice. In order for us to start our two year journey, we will have to have 85% raised through either upfront gifts or pledges. If we don’t raise it all, we will have to continue fundraising from another country. I am praying for 100% so that way we can focus on our training. Speaking of training, looks like our first training session will be in June in Chicago. This is Covenant annual training for all missionaries. I look forward to meeting people like us going all around the world and to getting prepared for our mission, but it shall be interesting with a 2 month old! Our training will continue probably in either France or Belgium for French language school for 3-4 months. Then a few more months of language study in CAR. Then the real work begins. Looks like the earliest we would leave for language school would be Fall/Winter 2011. I would like to push it back a few more months to January 2012 so that we can spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with family- especially since it will be the first Christmas with the new baby! But I pray that I will be content with God’s timing- whenever that may be!

Monkey tales…
As for the little monkey- I am 16 weeks and feeling great. I have felt the baby move a little bit. It feels like tickling, but from the inside. It is kind of weird and exciting at the same time. We will find out in 1 ½ weeks whether we are having a boy or a girl! We have also started the process of getting the baby room ready. We are converting my office to the nursery which means I have done a lot of rearranging of my stuff into other rooms of the house and also letting a lot of stuff go (putting it into boxes for a yard sale). Which has made me realize how much junk we have and how little we will be able to take with us which is a little sad, but mostly freeing. Today, Josh set up the crib! That made having a baby that much more real!

A little monkey on the safari!

As you probably know by now, we are pregnant! I am 16 weeks and feeling great! One of the first questions people ask when we tell them our good news is, “Are you still going to Africa?” Most people, Christians included, are surprised to hear that this little monkey was all part of the Africa plans. Have you met my engineering husband? We Shinars plan things! We found out we were pregnant a week after we mailed our missions application into the Covenant office!

Yes, that is right- we have officially applied to be missionaries! So far, we have completed the in depth application, background checks, health screenings, and integrity questioning. The application questions included: “Please tell us about your Christian conversion and Christian experience,” “How have you participated in the church?” “What plan do you follow in maintaining your devotional life?” “What is your position on alcohol, tobacco, and drugs?” “What motivated your missionary concern?” in addition to questions about how much debt we have, school grades, and work experience. Then there was the health screening which included crazy detailed questions like “Do you floss twice a day?” “Have you ever had a sunburn?” and at least 20 questions on our sex life! There are definitely no qualms about asking personal questions. The integrity questionnaire asked if we had ever had an affair with someone in our church, if we have ever sexually harassed anyone, if we have been fired from a church for sexual reasons, if we have ever been arrested, if we are attracted to people of the same sex, opposite sex, or both. I see that these are all important questions, but I was just surprised and saddened that they had to ask them. So now you know the preliminary questions to being a missionary!

The next step on our journey is a church interview. A small group of people from our church need to ask us some questions, give us their blessing, and recommend us to the mission board. The person heading the interview has already told us that it will be more of a time of affirming our call and praying for us rather than raking us against the coals.

What happens after that? Well, we are not too sure yet. There are still many unknown steps on our journey to Africa. I feel like Peter stepping out of the boat. Jesus has called and I am responsible for making the first step. What happens after that is up to the Lord! But to be honest, not knowing all the details can be a little frustrating for a mommy-to-be in the early phases of nesting mode! Here is where the trust part comes in!

We would appreciate your prayers in the following areas:
- for the health of the baby
- trust in God during the process towards becoming missionaries
- peace in the unknown
- that we will have plenty of time in the States after the baby is born to recover, get used to parenthood, and spend time with family
- for the preparation of us to spread God’s love
- that God would prepare the hearts of the people we will encounter

One step closer to reality!

One small envelope for the postman and one giant milestone for the Shinars!





We sent in our application to the Evangelical Covenant Church to be real missionaries! Finally!

And what a humbling process that was! The first few questions were easy- name, birthday, address, and that kind of stuff and then height and weight (ouch). I guess they have to make sure you can fit in an airplane or boat. Then the meaty questions (here are some of them):
- Give a statement of your conversion experience and your Christian experience.
- How have you participated in the life of the church?
- List your practical experience in Christian work.
- What plan do you follow in maintaining your devotional life?
- Explain your personal position and practice regarding the use of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and narcotics (unless prescribed by a doctor).
- How does your life style differ from the life style of the world?
- Are you willing to give up personal habits or attitudes which might irritate or offend fellow missionaries or national Christians and which might lessen your influence as a missionary in certain situations?
- What influences have led you to consider overseas involvement in the mission of the church?
- What motivates your missionary concern?
- What is the extent of your financial indebtedness, including school loans?
- How are you planning to meet this obligation while you are abroad?

So we have completed the first step of many! What’s the next step you might ask? Well, our application will get reviewed. If we meet all of the requirements, we will have further interviews, psychological and health testing, and then we would need an invitation from the host country (the mission already established in the country). The ECC is working in 7 counties in Africa- Burkino Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, South Africa, and Sudan. Hopefully God will lead us to one of these! Once we have a destination, we need to raise money and have orientation. With the ECC, we will work for the first 2-3 years as “short term missionaries” or “project missionaries.” After that time, we can be considered for positions as “career missionaries.” That is our goal- we want one way tickets!

The Call

For me (Lori), the journey began in 2001. The Baptist Student Union at Georgia Baptist College of Nursing was promoting the “Summer Missions Program.” I really wanted to use my summer to serve God. My parents graciously allowed me to do so, but on one condition- “As long as you do not go to Africa!” The program began with an orientation weekend where the students learned about the serving opportunities in Georgia, the U.S., and abroad. We were each to pray and pick out our top three desired locations. I had a hard time deciding. I lamented to my small group leader that I really wanted to use my “medical skills” (now that I look back I have no idea what medical skills I thought I had after only one year of nursing school!), but could not find a medical trip. He said, “What is more medical than sex?!” He was referring to the True Love Waits (an abstinence and AIDS education course) trip to Mozambique. “I know, but my mom said I could not go to Africa.” I told him. “Well,” he replied, “if it is God’s will, He will soften her heart and use it to grow her too.” Prone to rebellion, I jumped at the thought of religiously sanctioned rebellion!
So I left that weekend with Mozambique as my top choice and I prayed, “Lord, if this is where you want me, please lead the people placing the students in the positions. Oh and by the way, if you are up for the challenge, you will also have to get my mom to consent to allowing her daughter to go to a third world country for 3 months. Amen.” I think God chuckled for that same day I read 2 John and came across these verses: “It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. (vs.4-6).” Talk about the Living Word. I knew God was already working on my parents. I got the telephone call that night that Mozambique was my destination. I called my parents to tell them and all I heard was silence. Eventually, like Abraham, they left their child in the hands of God (and like Isaac, I too came back unharmed to faithful parents!).
For three months, two other students, our fearless leader, and I taught God’s design for sex and marriage to the “youth” (often in Africa, “youth” range from 13-35 or until married!). We also saw the devastating effects of AIDS on the people. It used to be the custom of the land for the people to stop when a funeral procession passed by. One man told us that they could no longer do that because the constant parade of mourning families would hinder them from getting any work done. The devastation broke my heart, but instead of viewing the situation in Africa as hopeless, I saw a land that could be restored and redeemed. I still think the Spirit can move and cleanse and repair Africa so that one day the world will look upon it and see the transforming power of our God at work.

At the end of three months, the rest of my team was ready to go home, but I felt like I was already home. I knew God was calling me to this great continent. I cried and cried when I boarded the plane back to the States. When I arrived in Atlanta, I very seriously considered quitting nursing school, going to seminary, and returning to Africa as soon as possible, but then I understood that God desired to prepare me so that I would be more effective. I needed to finish nursing school so that I could share God’s love in a tangible way. For in John we learn that to love Jesus is to take care of His “sheep” and to do so in a tangible way- “Feed my sheep!” (John 21:15-17). (This is what I looked like when I got back to Atl!)



While in nursing school, I met a peculiar, blue-haired drummer who like me desired a life that was anything but “normal.” On one of our first dates, I told Josh, “Just so you know, one day I am going to be a missionary in Africa.” “That’s cool. I have always wanted to be a missionary, but didn’t know where” he said. I thought he might go running and screaming after I told him about Africa, instead he asked me to marry him. On April 10, 2004, our paths towards missionary life merged. Since my trip to Mozambique, Josh and I have been to Kenya and Central African Republic. Now, we wait with baited breath to see where God will lead us permanently!



Stay tuned to read about Josh’s call……