Africa Again... March 2007

The question usually comes up, “When are you going to Africa again?”

The answer is, “As soon as we can, praying for the Lord to guide us and everything to come together.”

Where? We are actually making plans for Sierra Leone (SL for the rest of our letter!)

When? We hope to be ready to leave in early 2008, possibly January 3rd or 4th, but that is too far off to know right now.

Who? Only Randy and Toni will be headed to SL. Katey has won the Goldman award from Miami University and is leaving for Mozambique on August 16, 2007 for a year of language and linguistics study as a post grad, Jesse and David will both be “freshmen” in college, Jesse at Clark State here in Springfield for his first year, and David OSU. Both are starting out as engineering majors, but that can change.

What? Our first assignment is at the Evangelical College of Theology in Freetown, SL. Randy will be teaching as we begin to investigate strategic ways to help the United Brethren Church in SL to better serve the King and His Kingdom. Partnership has been a topic both of us have learned a huge amount about in the years back here in America, both in Randy’s study and Toni’s work. We are waiting to see where God will direct Toni to work, or how He will use what He has trained her to do, but we are both ready to move out and let Him lead.

How? We have been accepted with the Church of the United Brethren in Christ as the second set of a team they are sending from America to assist our fellow believers in SL. Many of you know about Randy being in Africa in February 2006 (and his subsequent cerebral malaria in March!). While there he was involved in a “needs assessment” for the church in SL. After his recovery from the malaria he went back in July 2006, and we have felt the direction of the Lord to be taking us there to help build up and encourage the church in whatever way possible.

And so... we thought you would want to know this!

What next? We will begin deputation; this letter is part of that. We will be speaking at missions events scheduled by the denomination, and also at events our former prayer partners and supporters arrange for us. This is where you can know as much or as little as you want, just let us know how deeply you want to be involved in the next step in our lives.

Currently in the daily mix we have jobs and the kids have busy lives. Katey is studying in Spain for this semester; she graduates from Miami this summer and then has a few months at home before going to Mozambique. David spent the year he would have been a senior in Croatia as a Rotary exchange student, so he is finishing up his senior year and has applied to a couple of state schools for college. Jesse had a very amazing 2006, it was a year when God was doing a million and one things in Jesse’s life and the end result is Jesse is back home with us and now ready to settle down and do college.

We expect this summer will be occupied with getting the two youngest out the door and on their way to the next thing. Jesse will live at home until he gets ready to move on beyond Clark State, or until we sell the house. This is one of the many things we will need guidance about; what should we do with the house we live in, and what should we do with the kids and their stuff?

Timing is always a big question when moving to the mission field, when do you say all your “good-byes”? When do you reserve tickets, and when do you quit your day job? We do not have answers to these questions, although we have been open and told the church all about our plans, and they are being as flexible as we could wish and generous in the freedom they are providing for Randy. You can feel free to pray for us in knowing as much of these and other logistics as possible!

So it begins again, we are gearing up to go, uncertain of exactly when, having lots and lots of unanswered questions and that sense of so very much to do and not knowing how it will all happen. And yet it is a very good feeling to know that although so much of what the next year will hold is a fog right now, we will be able to look back and see God’s hand and His care and provision clearly when we are through this next phase. We have always been able to see His careful guidance in details we did not understand at the time, but He is good, and He is faithful, and He will accomplish His purposes in us and in the Church.

Please let us know if you want to know more. Contact information is elsewhere on the website. The three kids are all on Facebook, so you can wander out there (with the help of a student with an account) and see more about who they are and what they are doing these days.

In the most literal sense possible we cannot do what we do in service to the Lord and His Church without your prayer and financial support. You are the means to keep us on the field, and your prayers will help to sustain us, enlighten us when we are uncertain of what to do, and comfort us when we are feeling very alone and far from the ones we love most. We cannot go without you participating in the adventure.

With overflowing love for Christ and His Kingdom,

Randy and Toni
Jesse, Katey and David Fennig
453 East Madison Avenue
Springfield OH 45503