Interview with Missionary Wife Mindy Bush

It all started in the church nursery. I was scheduled to work in the infant room with Mindy Bush, a busy mom I had not had the pleasure of meeting. In addition to cuddling adorable babies and changing a lot of diapers, we had the chance to get to know one another. Today I have the opportunity to give you a glimpse into the servant's heart of my new friend, Mindy Bush! 

Maria: Welcome to Life Lessons, Mindy! Tell us a bit about yourself:

Mindy: I was born on a pig farm in Indiana. I happened to be born with a “built-in best friend," my twin sister, Jacky. As little girls we talked about being missionaries one day, and pretty much did everything in life together even having a double wedding and having our first babies within two weeks of each other!

I met my husband, Jeff, at college, and we were married two weeks after graduating. We began deputation pretty much on our honeymoon, and 18 months later we arrived in Peru for language school with our first daughter, Lydia, who was six weeks old at the time. Our two years of language and ministry training with Bro. Austin Gardner (who is now our pastor at Vision Baptist Church) laid the foundation for our future ministry in Argentina. In Peru, God blessed us with our second daughter, Adriana.

Maria: Sounds a little like the stuff stories are made of! Love the part about you and your sister's double wedding! And having your first babies only two weeks apart...I know you and your husband served as missionaries in Argentina, South America for several years. Describe your ministry there:

Mindy: Wow! It’s hard to fit eight years into a short paragraph but I will try. We arrived in Argentina in January 2004, and lived in a hotel for three weeks while we looked for a house. It was our desire to start a ministry from zero and not be close to other missionaries so as not to hinder their ministries. It was a little formidable to figure out how to do everything, but jumping right into the culture and just asking the people, helped us to learn more about them! 

We found a house and then started looking for a building to rent for the church. The first church was started two months after we arrived. It felt like our ministry was on “high speed” the entire eight years we were there. There were always things going on and we kept very busy: Jeff, training leaders and me, being wife and mom to three little ones (I found out I was expecting two months after arriving to Argentina, so we had our third daughter, Johanna, before our oldest turned three years old, so you can understand my “busyness”). 

My ministry was mainly to my family, but I was also involved in discipling and teaching ladies, teaching piano, and English classes! Our ministry focus was on training leaders and starting churches. Today there are four churches going strong for the Lord with leaders who studied in our Bible institute, which is in it’s seventh year and currently has 32 students!  We are excited that the ministry continues even without us there and love hearing from the pastors about how people are being saved and the churches are growing! That’s what it’s all about – seeing souls come to the Savior and seeing those people win others to Him!

Maria: I can see how those eight years flew by! It sounds like you made quite an impact in a short amount of time too. Tell us about your transition back to the states and what your ministry looks like today:

Mindy: When we left Argentina for our furlough last year, we didn't know we would not be returning.  We love Argentina and were planning on dying there! But God started working in my husband’s heart when he went back to Argentina on a visit during our furlough. He was both saddened but happy to find that all the churches were doing exceptionally well….without him. It made him wonder if going back would just hinder the work. 

As he prayed about the next step that God would have us to take, he started asking counsel from many Godly preachers. When Bro. Gardner presented  the need for a Director for Vision Baptist Missions (VBM), Jeff knew right away that this was where God was leading us. 

My husband has always had a burden to see more missionaries around the world and train young people to be missionaries so this is where we are today. We have only been in this position for about four months or so, but it is exciting to see how God is calling out people for His service! We feel very privileged to help these young missionary families as they prepare for the field, and we are praying for more young people to give their lives to God on the mission field.

Maria: It's wonderful to hear how God guided and directed you! Describe a typical day in the Bush household:

Mindy: With five kids and a rather busy schedule, I’m not sure what a “typical” day looks like yet. When we are not on the road, visiting churches and presenting the VBM ministry, I love just staying home with my kids! I homeschool so our mornings are pretty much taken up with that. We are involved in the ministries of Vision Baptist Church so when there is an activity going on there, that is where you will find us!  

Maria: I can understand how homeschooling five kids would keep you VERY busy! Have your kids adjusted to American cuisine? What are their favorite foods?

Mindy: Well, not being able to get a lot of processed foods in Argentina, my girls naturally didn't develop a taste for that kind of “cuisine” so we are still working on getting them to like Macaroni & Cheese, Pizza Rolls, and processed American cheese,etc. Give them a ham and Swiss croissant, an empanada (meat pie) and fresh fruit and they act like it’s Christmas! They ask me to make Argentine food at least once a week.  They will eat anything because they have a strict mama, but if you ask them their favorite foods, they will still say, “Milanesa de Pollo” which is Argentine. J

Maria: All this talk of food is making me hungry! What is the funniest thing that happened on the mission field?

Mindy: Well, we have made many cultural and language mistakes but probably the funniest one was when  I was having really bad morning sickness, and my husband had to get the girls ready for school. Well, Adriana was in K4 and had to wear a smock over her clothes. Jeff just thought she wore the smock so he sent her off to school wearing only the smock. When she came back that afternoon, the teacher had sent a note home telling us she had to wear clothes under the smock.

Maria: That's hilarious - I'm sure you must have been mortified! On a more serious note, what is the most important lesson God taught you when you were in Argentina?

Mindy: That He is enough! I missed my family; I missed American traditions; I missed American food; but I could deal with all those issues as long as He was with me! I had to learn that I couldn't lean on my husband’s walk with God. I had to personally have my own daily spiritual walk with Him or I would be headed fast down the road of depression and “pity parties."

  

Another important lesson that He taught me was that when you are in His will and something doesn't go as we would have thought, that He is in control! Every time our plans went “off script” so to speak, the trials only led us in a closer relationship with God.  

The night a gun was held to my head and we faced the real threat of being shot to death in our own home, we honestly could not explain the peace in our hearts! Even our youngest daughter, Alexa, who was about 14 months old at the time, sat quietly still during the whole experience. I don’t believe that God speaks in an audible voice, but I heard Him speak to me in my heart, telling me that it was all going to be okay and that He had allowed it to happen! That is what kept me from panicking as the men ransacked our house, threatened to kill us and then threatened to come back for our youngest baby and kidnap her if we called the police. God’s grace was enough in that moment of difficulty!

Maria: What a terrifying experience! God certainly is the only One who can give us that peace that passes understanding.What goals do you have for the future?

Mindy: My goals for the future are my present goals really – to be the best helpmeet I can to my husband, to see all of our children accept the Lord as Savior and serve Him with their lives!

Maria: Beautiful! What words of wisdom would you like to share with our readers?

Mindy: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths,” (Proverbs 3:5-6; KJV). If God calls you to full-time service – Trust Him! If your life is suddenly “off script” – Trust Him!  

At the end of my life, I’m sure I will wish that I would have just trusted Him more! Worry and fear are emotions from the devil. When we worry, we are not trusting. Faith cancels out all Fear, but Fear cancels out all Faith!

Maria: Thanks for those encouraging words Mindy! I appreciate your willingness to share what the Lord is doing in your life - God bless!

Stay up-to-date with Mindy and her husband Jeff's work at Vision Baptist Missions:

http://www.visionbaptistmissions.com

http://www.reachingall.com
http://www.womenbehindthescenes.com

An Interview with Missionary Wife and Blogger Heather Marks

In her own words, "I'm hopelessly in love with my best friend, Jonathan. I adore being a mom to my three children, Nathan, Anna, and Joshua. I enjoy life and love to laugh! I like trying new things and I love my Savior!" Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to this sweet, vivacious, young lady - Heather Marks. Pull up a chair and grab your hot beverage of choice and join me in welcoming her!

Maria: Great to have you with us today, Heather! Tell us a bit about yourself: 

Heather: I am the oldest of three born to fabulous Christian parents in Ohio. I attended a Christian school and an outstanding, vibrant church. Both of these had a tremendous impact on my decisions to follow Christ throughout my teenage years. I met Jonathan at college on a volleyball court. He says it was love at first sight, but I was too into the game to notice.J He wouldn’t let me overlook him for long. We married 3 weeks after graduation and it’s been an adventure ever since. God has blessed us with three amazing, healthy, and energetic children. We are living in Georgia, and we are so blessed to be members of Vision Baptist Church.

Maria:  Love the volleyball story! Did you always dream of being a missionary's wife?

Heather: I gave my life to the Lord during my church’s mission conference when I was 14. I didn’t have anything specific in mind, but always hoped that I could be a missionary’s wife.

 

Maria: Tell us where you'll be serving and what you're doing to prepare to get there:

Heather: We want to plant churches in Japan. To get there, we are on deputation. Deputation is more than just fundraising. The term comes from the word "deputize,"  like a deputy. It includes traveling to churches and presenting our ministry and burden for the Japanese people. We are seeking churches to partner with us in order to fulfill the Great Commission to go into all the world. We are their deputies assigned to work with them across the globe. This partnership is extended both through prayer and financial support.

 

Maria: Thanks for defining 'deputation' for us. What a neat opportunity for churches to partner with you to get the gospel all the way to Japan! What is included in the funding you're raising?

Heather: The money we raise will cover the expenses for our family’s needs as well as ministry needs.  Ministry needs would be things like literature distribution, outreach projects, a place for a church to meet, etc. Japan is one of the most expensive countries to live in, but we know God can provide.

Maria: So you're raising support not only for yourselves, but also for the church you will start. How much support have you raised so far?

Heather: We are praising the Lord for the 12% He has given us!

Maria: Fantastic! How can others partner with you in your ministry?

Heather: We would love to have your prayers! Also, we are praying that God will let us go on our survey trip within the next year. You can pray or give toward that goal. We are asking God to get us to Japan quickly! There are so many who need to hear of our precious Savior! Japan has over 127 million people, and fewer than 1% are born-again believers! The need is great!

Maria: Wow - that's a sobering statistic! Once you get to Japan, how long will it take for you to learn the language?

 

Heather: We will most likely be life-long students.J But, we will be spending the first two years in intense language study.

Maria: Love your positive outlook! What do your kids think about moving to a foreign country?

Heather: Nathan (5) is the only one who really seems to be affected so far, and he is very excited. He drew a picture of “Japanese letters” and read it to Jonathan and I in his own version of Japanese (gibberish). It was too cute!

Maria: How adorable! I'm sure you've got some deputation stories to tell. What is the funniest thing that's happened so far?

Heather: I actually devoted an entire post to that very topic! A few months before deputation, my husband asked me to let out his suit pants a bit. So, I went to a friend's house, and we worked on the pants together. There were 3 or 4 pair that needed alterations. Sewing is not my day job, so I asked my friend to do the first pair. She started on the slacks from his brown suit. (I must add that this chocolate colored suit was a hand-me-down from no one knows who and no one knows how old it is, but it fits and looks nice). So my friend showed me the process and I was surprised how simple it really was. 

Several weeks passed and we were at a meeting on a Sunday morning in early March. The pastor always stood out on the porch and welcomed everyone as they arrived. My husband decided he would join the pastor. It was a cool, breezy morning.

A few minutes later, he came in and told me that he was feeling a little drafty in his seat. I thought that was strange because we had just fixed his pants not too long ago. He turned around so I could take a look, and I could definitely see why he was feeling breezy! There was a giant hole in the seat of his brown suit pants!!! The stitching was so old (remember, this was that mysterious hand-me-down suit) that it shriveled away into dust and left a gaping seam (the new stitching my friend had put in was fine - the problem was a little further south of the waistband) Yikes!

We panicked! I thought, "Surely in a church filled with sweet elderly ladies, someone must have a safety pin!" I thought wrong. Tick tock. Tick tock. Time for the service to start!

My hubby was so nervous about his risque situation that he took baby steps all morning...you know, the kind where you don't really bend your knees. But he still did a great job preaching!

The lesson I learned from all this was to keep a sewing kit in the suitcase at all times! And now, we do. And one more in my purse!

Maria: That is hilarious! I wonder if anyone thought your husband walked funny! On a more serious note, what is the most important lesson God has taught you on deputation?

 

Heather: Complete, daily, unrelenting faith. It’s funny how we trust God for our eternity, but we have a hard time trusting Him for the immediate. Also, being ready to share Him at any moment, not just during a church service. I don’t feel like either of these “lessons” are specific for those on deputation. They are just God drawing me to Himself, and me learning to follow.

Maria: Definitely lessons we all need to learn! What words of wisdom would you like to share with our readers?

 

Heather: Don’t fear the path that lies ahead. Trust in Him with all your heart and He will direct your path.  Stay in His Word. It is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. Above all, pursue Jesus. Actively, aggressively, constantly run with all that’s in you toward Him. Seek Him first and all the other things will be added.

Maria: Thanks for sharing those fantastic words of truth, Heather! It's been such a pleasure hosting you on Life Lessons! May God continue to bless you and your family as you raise your support and get to the field of Japan!

Take a few moments to leave a comment of encouragement for Heather and be sure to connect with her via Facebook, website, or her blogs:

Facebook page: Project Japan

Website:  www.projectjapan.info

Deputation blog:  heatheronthehighway.blogspot.com

Devotional blog: lessofme-heather.blogspot.com

*If you're interested in receiving email updates from the Marks, scheduling them to speak at your church or would like to make a financial contribution to their ministry, please visit their website, www.projectjapan.info

GOOD NEWS:
A BIG congratulations to Talynn Lynn, blogger at Ink in the Book - winner of Katie Ganshert's debut novel Wildflowers from Winter! 

An Interview with Missionary Wife, Corli Hall

Sweet-spirited, soft-spoken, and beautiful - all words I would use to describe today's guest. I had the pleasure of meeting Corli Hall and her family earlier this year, when my husband and I went on a mission trip to the country of South Africa. I learned a lot from Corli in the brief time we were in Port Elizabeth, and it's my privilege to introduce her to you!  

Maria: Welcome, Corli! Tell us a bit about yourself:

Corli: I am a native to the country of South Africa. I was born in the big city of Johannesburg and grew up in a smaller town called Bloemfontein. My mother-tongue is Afrikaans but after marrying my American husband I gained the opportunity to get better acquainted with English. After moving back to South Africa to start our ministry with the Xhosa people, I also had the privilege of learning the Xhosa language. I am passionate about my Lord and Savior and I am passionate about my family, especially my role as a wife and mother.

I love to bake, and I love to eat all things baked, especially the sugary kind! Apart from my delight in all things sweet, I am very interested in healthy living. I strive to be an encouragement to others!

Maria: Wonderful! Did you always dream of being a missionary's wife?

Corli: As a matter of fact, no. I used to enjoy the idea of following my family's footsteps into the world of education, but when I was 17 years old I fell in love, and as a result, my life took another direction. Who did I fall in love with? I fell in love with Jesus!!! From then on, the only thing I wanted to do was serve Him. In submission to Him and according to His plan for my life, He proceeded to put those dreams and desires, such as serving on the mission field, in my heart. Then as an answer to prayer, He brought my prince in shining armor from across the seas and today I have the privilege of serving the Lord alongside my husband here in South Africa.

Maria: What a beautiful love story! Describe the mission field in South Africa:

Corli: South Africa is a unique country. It consists of four main people groups. The apartheid regime left visible scars as even today, the majority of these people groups are still segregated within their own areas. Typical to the apartheid era there is still a lot of animosity and division between particularly the white and African people. We work in areas locally known as 'townships' with a mostly African population. These areas surround the cities and towns. The townships are for the most part poverty stricken, high crime areas.

We work amongst a people group called "Amaxhosa". The Xhosa people are warm and friendly. They are traditionally ancestor worshippers, devoted to their culture and traditions. South Africa is a country where religion is abundant - a personal relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ is not. There are church buildings on every corner of the townships where we work, but sadly many of these 'churches' incorporate their ancestor worship into whatever form of Christianity it mimics. In many instances there isn't a clear presentation of the gospel, or it is entirely absent. Our church members attest to this. The first six to eight months of our first church plant was a period of rejection. In spite of all the effort made, we met with literally a handful of believers - the young men we started Bible studies with while in language school. The political implications became clear.

So with that as a backdrop , we rejoice in the miracle and grace of God as He continues to build a loving church family here, adding to His family, Xhosa brothers and sisters, some of whom are the most devoted Christians we know! We also praise Him for the excellent young preachers He has raised up here! The ladies in our church are some of the kindest, selfless, most hardworking women I know. It is an honor to work with them!

Maria: Sounds like a challenging mission field - yet it's so encouraging to hear how the Lord is working there! What language do the people speak and how long did it take you to learn the language?

Corli: South Africa actually has eleven official languages! Each of the nine provinces has a language that, apart from English and Afrikaans, is predominantly spoken there. We work in the Eastern Cape province where Xhosa is the language spoken most often.

In regards to how long it took me to learn Xhosa - I am still learning and I will remain a student of the language for as long as I am here. However, it did take about 2 years before I felt like I was actually conversing and not merely digging in my mind for the things I wanted to say.

For those interested, I will share that Xhosa is a clicking language and apart from the clicks the whole language is based on 13 different noun classes, so any given sentence can be said 13 different ways depending on the nouns present. You basically do math with letters when there's more than one noun in a sentence as the prefixes and suffixes to the words following these nouns all have to change accordingly!

Maria: Wow! My hat is off to you for persevering while learning such a difficult language. What is the biggest challenge to raising your children on the mission field?

Corli: My situation is somewhat unique in that I am from South Africa and my mother and sister live close by! They have proven to be an enormous blessing not only in the physical aspect of helping with our little ones (especially in the busy times when hosting big groups etc.), but my mother is also a great source of wisdom and encouragement.

However, that being said, we still face some challenges:

*Finding a proper balance between family and ministry!

*Consistently being the right examples to our children

*Keeping the right attitude (as our attitudes affect those of our children)

*Instilling right motives  (i.e. pleasing God, not man)

*Being willing to work in areas where crime is common

Maria: Those are definitely challenges. It's so good to know that you have family close by to support you and your ministry. Do you have mission teams come to help with the work there in Port Elizabeth? If so, how can a person get involved?

Corli: We have had the privilege of hosting several teams and individuals here in Port Elizabeth. There are many areas for people to get involved: preaching; teaching (children, women, men, youth etc) ; music; social aids (such as nursing); construction etc. Prayer is always welcomed too!

Maria: Sounds like a lot of opportunities! On a lighter note, what is the funniest thing that's happened on the mission field?

Corli: Anytime we get together as ladies, we have a time of fun and laughing! One thing that sticks out in my mind though is when, back in the beginning, I got the word for napkin in English confused with the word for diaper in Xhosa and would repeatedly and ever so kindly ask if I could, "Please have a diaper to wipe my mouth!!"

By the way, the word for diaper in Xhosa is 'inapukeni!'

Maria: That's hilarious - I can see how it would be easy to confuse the words! What is the most important lesson God has taught you, while on the field?

Corli: Humility and dependance upon God. I am constantly reminded of Corrie ten Boom's words: "When I try, I fail. When I trust, He succeeds." In short: it is all about, all for, and all through Him!

Maria: Fantastic words of wisdom, Corli. What goals do you have for the future?

Corli: A goal that is always before me is that of growing in the Word and becoming more like my Savior! Following closely behind that, is growing in my role as wife and mother. Also, becoming a better teacher. There is always a need to get more materials for Sunday School, ladies meeting etc., translated, edited and filed, and I will spend much of the next few months working on this.

Something else that I would like to tackle in the near future is that of learning more about blogging and also cake decorating.

Maria: I believe you'll stay busy! What words of wisdom would you like to leave with our readers?

Corli: I am truly thankful for the valuable lessons the Lord has been teaching me over the last several years. Most of these lessons, are not learned in the warmth and security of one's comfort zone, but I am learning to embrace the challenges set before us, trusting that it will conceive and bring forth that fruit which is pleasing and acceptable to our Heavenly Father. I could write paragraphs about these lessons but in all honesty, I can say that I have learned to sit at the Master's feet fixing my eyes upon Him. If I don't, I am tempted to fret, doubt, complain and even serve with selfish motives. How thankful I am that He is carving these things away, teaching that it is all about Him and that He is able!!

I have also learned to choose gratitude. With a grateful heart even the smallest blessings are immense. The smallest victories in battle, won! Even the hardships, appreciated!

Last but not least, and of great importance: treasure and nurture your family! No doubt, the home is under attack. Remember, you are the only wife and mother your family has. Honor your husband as the hero of your home. Determine to love, respect and support him. Give your hubby some freedom from his heavy load as you learn to lean on the Lord and not expect him to take care of every need in your life (especially during those needy times on the mission field)! Remember: "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want," (Psalm 23:1; KJV).

Put your children ahead of yourself. Be actively involved in discipling your children and strive to be a walking example of what you are teaching them (may the Lord help us!). If you are also one to host many guests, strive to be a proper hostess, but when circumstances do not allow, don't neglect your children in order to receive applause for your clean home and perfectly planned, delicious cooking.

Maria: Thank you so much for that valuable insight! It's been such a joy to have you visit with us today. My prayers are with you and the ministry in South Africa. God bless you and your family!

Connect with Corli and learn more about she and her husband's ministry:

http://corlihall.wordpress.com