WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

MARK FULTON

We had been spending some time speaking in different churches and it felt good to be back at our home church once again. Approaching our “usual” door, our friend who has greeted people so well at this door for years was at his post. He gave his typical warm embrace and then echoed the words that we continue to hear: “What are you doing here?” This is not the typical greeting we have at our church but very typical of the comments of so many with whom we come in contact since the announcement of our intentions to become full time missionaries. We are not sure exactly how long we will be “here” in the US prior to living in Haiti. It all depends.  It depends upon God’s timing. It depends upon our lessons we are to learn in this interim time. It depends upon finding housing and transportation in Haiti. It also depends upon how long it takes us to raise our financial support. The financial piece is a big one that continually hangs over our heads. We have been SO blessed by so many people who have sacrificed so much to support us in our missionary efforts. The prayerful support of our biological and Christian families has been so humbling and such a testimony to God’s goodness that we are in awe of what God has already accomplished.

The big “however” continues to follow us. However, the fact remains that until we reach our annual budget in pledges, we are to remain in the United States and remain patient for God’s provision for our ministry. We are open and ready to go when God says, with a personal goal of being in Haiti as of January 1, 2015. Is that when God says “go”? We have no idea. All we know is that the waiting is hard, since we are ready to attack the problems before us on the mission field. “When are you leaving?” When God’s timing is perfect, and we have our budgetary goals met. In the meantime, continue to pray for our journey and if you know of any group, individual or organization who might be willing to help us out, let us know. We are willing, now we look for help.

WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER

BY MARK FULTON

We are en route from our official commissioning as full time missionaries in Oklahoma City to the homestead in Anderson, Indiana. What a blessed week we had in OKC!!! We had people pray for us, encourage us, and support us as we saw God in action through His children. I (Mark) feel very humbled, unworthy and, yes, overwhelmed at the tasks God has placed before us. To be honest, I have moments of wanting to run away screaming  “What have I done!”, and times of such blessed assurance that I can see Christ’s face and feel His touch. Growing up in the church, I pictured missionaries as those who are SO in touch with Christ that they could never feel discouraged or overwhelmed or anything but in communion with God…always! So maybe I need to be more spiritual or maybe I need to read more scripture. These things are true. I also need to know that as I learn and grow I need to understand that:

 1) ALL Christians are missionaries. We just have different areas where God has called us. Foreign missionaries not more or less spiritual or special than anyone called to be a follower of Christ.

 2) I believe nearly everyone feels overwhelmed at times. I think it comes with the “human” tag.

3) Sometimes I need to take a step back and fall upon Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.” For me, it should probably be more than sometimes.

So as we are now missionaries by title, we join you and ask that you join us in the journey all of us have as Christians:  to be missionaries exactly where God has placed us.