Christmas Letter - Jerozal's 2019 Journey

Greetings!  Our family hopes that in this Advent and Christmas season you experience peace, encouragement and gratitude - even in the midst of whatever is happening in your lives right now.

We are grateful for those of you who are our family, those dear friends with whom we are living life together and walking arm-in-arm through the challenges, the many prayers and talks and time together we share, for the prayer and support of those we don't get to interact with as often, and - in general - the way God has orchestrated our lives to intersect in whatever way they do with you.

Merry Christmas!  Rejoice! God has sent us a Redeemer, Jesus.  He is not distant, He is HERE - Immanuel, God With Us.

Standing on the precipice, getting ready to leap into a new year in a few weeks, we are happy to reflect on the comings and goings of this past year, the changes and blessings we've experienced, and the challenges we continue to pray and persevere through.   If you keep reading, thanks for coming along for the ride.   Here is the year in summary, including exciting news & pictures.

Jim:

Jim and Jason this summer dug and constructed a major fire pit area complete with retaining wall, and a new "dry storage" area under the new deck.  We used it a few times this year, and hope to make lots of memories with family and friends over the years.  As mentioned, we had someone replace the deck with Trex decking (amazing!!) and on the deck we assembled a metal gazebo  - which sounded much easier than it was to install.  :-)  Needless to say, the deck area was our new favorite place this past summer.
                                    
A highlight of the year was travelling to England.  Jason had his own reason for being there, which you'll read below.  Andrea, Ang and I got to explore London and Paris.  It was great.

 High Tea, London:

Paris:

Jim and Jas also took a high school kick-off trip  to Colorado.  Hiking, chatting, horseback riding, cabin camping, playing cards, etc.  A memorable time while also trying to celebrate Jason's early journey into manhood. 

Gardening this year was challenging as we had a wet spring and late planting season.  Jim grew some celery and gourds for the first time...turned out really good.  Inside -  although it doesn't compare at all to mom Jerozal's "forest of orchids" -  he has had success in cultivating new blooms on 4 or so  of our orchids this year, and looking forward to see some color through the winter.

Work for Jim at Nicor Gas has been very productive this year.  As usual, he had a number of speaking engagements at conferences, and won a few awards this year for the Energy Efficiency group,  capping off a great year.  2020 should be an exciting year as well.

Andrea:

A lot of this year looked the same as many past.  I'm mothering kids now grown into tween/teen years, plenty of driving them and their teammates/friends to activities, and keeping the admin and organization of the household in order.  I continue to meet with my Syrian friend to help her improve her English and begin to get ready for citizenship testing in 3 years.  I'm grateful for time with women from our church for weekly Bible study (Nehemiah this year), and our couple's small group, with whom we've been for years.  Four to six times a year, I  organize a community book chat group that we all look forward to.  I was also invited to coordinate and teach at a women's conference for our church's partner organization in Haiti in early November.  You can read about that in a previous post on this blog.   Never a dull moment!

Jim already highlighted our England trip.  Our family vacation was Pigeon Forge - got to go to Dollywood.  And just spend time playing games and relaxing.  

So, here is the exciting news!  I've re-discovered my love of drawing. Over the summer, with support from my family and good friends, I took initial steps to launch a business drawing for others.  It's been an exciting time - building up my portfolio, filing forms to become "official",   working with a wonderful website developer, and with a board of women helping strategize and guide this little one-woman show.  I am humbled and grateful for the encouragement and backing of those who know me best, and the enthusiasm of those who I've drawn for to keep on.  The name of my business is called SimplyHisStudio, and its official launch is targeted for mid to end of January.   I will announce this via email and social media.  I hope to have a good report of the first year "in biz" in next year's Christmas letter!

A few examples of my work:

Jason:
Jas began training for youth elite triathlons last winter.  Swimming, biking, running.  He trained through the winter, competing in 2 triathlons in mid and late spring.  He completed both and got into great shape. In the end, though the experience and physical benefits were good, he chose to tuck that away for future reference, while realizing he desired his primary focus to be on soccer.  One can't train for both sports with equal intensity - timing overlaps.  SO, he's chosen to stick with soccer.

One experience that factored into that decision was an opportunity to travel with club soccer teammates last March to ENGLAND.  So cool.  There, he really honed some skills and gained confidence.  That trip tipped the balance for him and Jas realized that he genuinely enjoys soccer and is easily motivated to work hard at it.  We are so proud of his perseverance and hard work.

2019 had a lot goin' on for Jason - he was promoted (that's what they call it around here) from middle school to high school.  Shortly thereafter, Jas was on a bus to Milwaukee for a trip with a couple dozen other 8th grade graduates for a domestic mission trip and poverty simulation.  This was an eye opening experience he's not likely to forget.  The rest of the summer was filled with a couple camps, a family vacation to TN and the beginning of regular training for the high school soccer team.  Transitioning to high school went fairly smoothly - just normal adjustments.  The soccer season was good on the freshmen team, and he was awarded Defensive MVP for the season.  A new experience was coaching the freshmen girls' powderpuff football team during homecoming week.  He partnered with a soccer teammate for this, and the girls beat the seniors!

                                                                At the powderpuff game
                             
Besides the changes from middle school to high school, dude has grown some 5 or more inches since last year at this time, now almost 5'10".  Just wow.  The little boy is definitely gone.  We now live with a young man.

Heading into the next year, Jas is looking forward to a spring soccer season with a club he's not yet played for, and has been accepted to a church missions team to Nicaragua during Spring Break.  We'll let you know in next year's letter how that all went.

Angelyn:
Ang continues to progress in her music talent, however, she's spent this year adding to her repertoire of skills.  She participated in the school's fall 6th grade play, so she auditioned in spring for a local community theater for a part in Anne of Green Gables.  She landed the part of Anne's best friend Diana.  She enjoyed it and was a VERY good little actress!  In addition, Ang began voice lessons and continues to strengthen her singing skills.  She was accepted into a school choral group called Viking Voices.  Their first public performance will be at Barnes and Noble this month. 

Meanwhile, she is once again participating in a local youth symphony, EYSO.  Each year she is involved, she meets new friends.  It's cool to hear the progression in skill and difficulty in the pieces she plays.  This year her orchestra has a new conductor, who has proved to be a kind and skilled leader.
                                           


This year of 7th grade is a good one for Ang.  She has seized the opportunity to try different things.  Stepping out of her comfort zone, she tried the 7th grade volleyball team.  She enjoyed her teammates and definitely improved over the season.  Right after that, she decided to explore cheerleading.  Again, it was a fun group of girls to be with, and it was a good fit for her.  She is considering how she might be able to pursue it further, even though the basketball season at this age ends this month, and so does cheer.  It will be good to have a break.  It's been a lot to leave the house at 8am in the morning and not get home til 5:30 or later most days of the week.
                                                  

The year ahead will include more of the same, plus an audition for a musical.  It's hard to believe that next year at this time Ang will be in the last year of middle school.  We'll let you know next year how the beginning of her 8th grade year goes.

Quick Hello from the Pets

                                                                       Violet

Max

                                                                               Rosie

Family out-takes

Couldn't resist.  In London...looked very Dr. Who-ish. 

Haiti trip reflections

Thank you all again for your interest, prayer and support for me and the team I was a part of travelling to Haiti last week.

Our goal to have members of our team conduct a conference for women leaders in 25 Open Door Haiti (ODH) churches, and for the guys on our team to build 30 benches (to be distributed among 3 churches) was executed very well.  However, any trip led by God's Spirit is always about WAY MORE than the tasks accomplished!

I had never been to Haiti before.  When you land in Haiti, a few things are obvious.  Visually, it looks poverty-stricken...anywhere you look.  Your tactile sense immediately reacts to the weather, which is HOT and sticky.  As in, sweat rolling down under any clothing not already sticking to you.  You also are unavoidably aware that if your skin is not the beautiful, Haitian deep-chocolate color, you stand out a bit.

Current events in Haiti reflect a deepening desperation and frustration among its natives. The government has run this small country into the ground. Well...maybe it's not so small. It's 12 million people. Corruption has increased gas prices, blacked out electricity in many areas, hiked the price of food, and made necessities difficult to access. With all that in mind, I was unsure what type of reception we would get being Americans. Protesters in a Haiti would like the U.S. government to stand up against the Haitian government oppression. Research to determine what the US response to Haiti has been thus far is a bit elusive. SO, how would we be received?

In the end...we were welcomed with relief.  ODH's leader, Pastor Wiljean, was doubtful we would even come.  Several teams have cancelled their trips due to news of unrest amidst Haiti's oppressive government.  The majority of seats on the plane from Miami to Cap Haitien were empty, a telling indicator of how few people are entering the country - especially since only one flight a day makes its way in and out.  Pastor Wiljean was more than happy that we followed through on coming.  It is clearly painful for him to not only watch his homeland become barely a shadow of itself, but to also experience a decline in team partnership activity that helps to build up the nation's churches at this time. 

Arriving to the grounds of ODH, we unloaded and settled in.  We attended church Sunday AM, and spent the rest of the day acclimating, prepping for the days ahead and getting a tour of the grounds.  During our week, we only ventured within walking distance of the main compound.  Inside the walls of the campus were the guesthouse where we all stayed, their church building, a kitchen house, goats and their babies, chickens, a school and a medical clinic.  A ten minute walk away is where we found the orphanage they run (about 50 kids), and a seminary building which is functional, but not quite finished yet.  ODH carefully trains its pastors, spread throughout Haiti, so that their faith is verified, and their integrity and knowledge of God's Word is sound.  I learned that many churches in this country exist simply because a man, declaring himself a "pastor", wanted to gain a measure of power and money in that area.  ODH makes sure that is not the case in their churches.

Anticipating the arrival of the women for the conference, Pastor told us that women from several of the churches would not have easy journeys.  The farther away they started, the more walking and road blocks and changes of transport they would encounter.  Despite this, women from 24 of the 25 expected churches arrived.  Total attendance was about 120.  They were housed in the seminary building.  On Tuesday morning, as the women walked over to the main campus and had a meal while waiting outside for the conference to start, their body language and eyes on us were guarded more than excited.  We saw that change over the next 2 1/2 days.

The outline for the conference content is detailed in my previous post.  Here's the summary:

Theme:  You are God's Masterpiece

Theme Verse:  Ephesians 2:10  - You are God's masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works that He has created in advance for you to do.

Session #1 - You are created with PURPOSE.

Session #2 - You have a STORY (before Jesus, meeting Jesus, after Jesus) - Mary Magdalene

Session #2 - You have SKILL(s) - Acts 18, Priscilla

Session #4 - Your purpose is propelled by PASSION (because of God's love for you).- Tabitha

The first two sessions took place on Tuesday, followed by an interactive breakout session.  Each session was powerful, as each speaker from our team that day had an impactful story of brokenness and pain to tell, including how God has loved, forgiven and transformed them.  The Haitian women in attendance were surprised (we learn later) to realize that the tragic, painful and even regrettable parts of their story brought God's forgiveness and transformation into an even brighter light.  Which means that each woman can stop hiding the shameful parts of their own stories and be open about them, because it gives them a chance to tell of God's great love and forgiveness through Jesus, and the resulting transformation that occurs when accepting this.  The afternoon breakout session gave women a chance to prepare their own personal story.  They practiced telling their story to two other women.  

The second day of the conference focused a little bit more on practicalities. I was grateful to teach about Priscilla and Aquila from Acts 18. Priscilla had a skill - tent-making. With that skill, she was able to have an income, and be exposed to many different types of people. That exposure provided opportunities to potentially share Jesus and his good news. Priscilla also practiced hospitality. That practice allowed her and her husband to partner in Paul's mission, even to the point of moving from Corinth to Ephesus with Paul. In Ephesus, they were able to help Apollos in his mission teaching the Word and spreading Jesus' good news. This then sheds light on another skill... knowing God's word and being able to teach and share it. Having a skill, practicing hospitality, and learning God's word to be able to share it are areas that every woman can participate in, in partnership with telling their story about Jesus in their own life. This connects back to Ephesians 2:10 and HOW God has intentionally prepared us to do good works.  The breakout session after this teaching went one step further by allowing each woman to complete a spiritual gifts assessment, to discover what they find themselves good at that allow them to minister effectively in their family, church and community.  The afternoon teaching brought it all together talking about being fueled by the passion of Jesus' love for us to serve others with our story, our skills and our gifts. Our speaker taught about Tabitha (Acts 9) being so compelled to use her skills and her story (we can assume) to serve others, that "she was always" found doing so.  The sum of all these parts adds up to the intentional purpose God has created each of His daughters with.

While a primary goal of this conference was to teach and encourage women, we also communicated that the teachings and materials we provided were meant to be a resource for them to teach to the women in their own families, churches and communities.  Pastor Wiljean took some speaking time to address and emphasize this goal.  

Our team knew that God had done some deep things among the ODH women during the conference when we asked the ladies for feedback.  While all together in the church, with a microphone available, the women had an opportunity to stand up and share what they got out of our time together.  It is my humble pleasure to share some of their conference testimonies here:

• I grew up in the church, but I never knew about having a purpose.  I have worked in the church but had problems that made me feel bad.  Through the testimonies and teaching, I know my purpose.  When I go home, I will do what I learned. 
• If you share your story and Jesus with one person, they can share with another. 
• No one can take away from you what you learn from God.
• Pastor asked me to come to this conference.  I told him it is hard to make this journey.  But I came.  I expected that the U.S. women had no problems, but I heard Sue's testimony.  I have considered suicide because of my problems.  When I heard Sue's testimony, I was comforted and encouraged. 
• It is a pleasure to be at the conference.  Sue's testimony touched me.  I had similar experiences when I was 22.  I learned that I can confess to Jesus and He forgives.  I am thankful He forgives so that I don't have to regret when I worship.  Would like this conference to be taught at our church.
• I came on a rough road to be here.  The testimonies got into my heart.  I thought before that problems were only in Haiti.  I learned problems are everywhere.
• I have joy today because you came to bless my life.  I thought only bad sin in Haiti,  but I know now sin everywhere.  We can repent.  Thanks.
• When I told my testimony about my life, I am happy to learn if you ask God to forgive, you go to heaven.  If you do not say your sin, you can't have God forgive.  Now I know I have a future.  Thank you.  Come back for one week!
• I am sad you are here only three days and leaving.  Come every year.
• This conference is a new experience.  I did the homework [from the breakout sessions].  Everyone must not throw their homework away.  I learned about gift of generosity - I know now to give some money to the church.  I had to answer "zero" of gift test to these, but now will give some money to help in church.  
• Before I could not admit my sin.  U.S. ladies came to teach and give their testimony.  They are serving God.  It is hard to come here at this time [due to Haiti difficulties].  
• I can share my testimony even with hard things now.
• I am surprised to learn how Priscilla & Aquila did so much working for Jesus.  Come every year because I love you so much.
• In past I became angry when others don't listen about Jesus, but now I am challenged to still talk about Jesus and be loving to others.  

And that is just a sampling.  

This is what YOU have also been a part of with your love, your prayers and support.  Thank you SO much!

Before closing and including some pictures you can scroll through, let me share a couple other experiences from this trip with you.  

First - prayer mountain.  In the mornings, anyone on the team had the opportunity to hike up to prayer mountain.  This is 20 minute, rocky little hike up to a 360-degree-view vista.  To begin one's day here, in the cool of the day with a light breeze and a lovely view, was a fun treat (when I was willing to get up at 5am, which wasn't every morning...).  Aside from this serene place to spend time praying and communing with God, it was a unique privilege to witness other Haitians also sprinkled about, standing and praying out loud and singing their prayers and praises.  I would do the experience a disservice by trying to use too many words to describe it.  Suffice it to say, it was inspiring, encouraging and utterly beautiful.  On our final day on prayer mountain, we had gathered together again before trekking back down.  A frail old Haitian man in a tattered shirt and decrepit shoes walked into our midst with a near toothless smile, and reached out his arm toward us.  He touched each woman on their should, uttering what we surmised to be prayer and blessing for us.  He put his arms around the belly of each man and continued praying for each in Creole.  Our minds could not understand a word he said, but God's Spirit in us let us understand a measure of the weight of his words in God's presence on our behalf.   One of our teammates photographed him that morning as he praised God during the sunrise, before he'd ever approached us.  It was a touching experience.  I know that since the greatest in God's kingdom are often considered the least on this earth, I can't wait to meet this little man in the place of honor God must be reserving for him.  

Second, - for Haitian people, prayer appears to be a full body experience.  When we asked the women to pray in pairs for each other with  someone they had not come to the conference with, they held hands, they prayed out loud ALL AT THE SAME TIME, and there with almost no just-standing-still.  Arms waved, voices were raised, faces lifted up.  When they sing worship, again there is movement.  Movement, loud songs, radiating joy.  We got to sing some songs that we all know - we sang in English, they sang in Creole.  Special memories.  To enhance our time together, during a delay on closing the final session, another of our team members shared her story of having an adult son who is struggling with addiction and depression.  A few Haitian women gathered around her to pray loudly.  Then, they asked the group of women if any of them had older or adult children in similar situations. 

Seriously, three quarters of women in the room came forward.  The whole one-room church them became a prayer war room...tears, hugs, prayers.  A solidarity of human experience, need for God, and Christian sisterhood.  An unforgettable privilege to be a part of.  

AND there is more.  But we'd all be here hours.  I hope and pray that you are encouraged as you've read through this and know that not one second of prayer or pennies donated was at all wasted.  

Thank you for being part of building up women in Haiti as they live out their faith in a hard place, and teach women in their families, churches and communities to do the same.   Please add them to your ongoing prayers if you have the margin to do so.  Thank you for being a valued partner in what God is doing here at home, in all our hearts, and across the globe.  Especially Haiti.  

Pictures below.

Team meetings on balcony of guesthouse.

Kiddos at ODH orphanage

Prayer Mountain sunrise

Pastor Wiljean

Kiddos' midday school break

Pastor Wiljean's wife Jeanine

Kicking the women's conference off

Teaching on Priscilla - Acts 18 

Praying ladies

Another day's hike up prayer mountain 

A young artist 

This picture, thanks to Donna on our team - the old man who prayed  for/blessed us. 

Some of the ladies heading home after the conference. 

May God bless you and keep you.

Gratefully, 

Andrea

Next Journey...Haiti

Greetings!

While our friends, family and faith community are accustomed to the Jerozals partnering in ministry in BD/India, or even Nicaragua, Andrea (me) has been asked to join a group of mostly women to visit Haiti to encourage Gods work through an indigenous Haitian organization called Open Door Haiti.   We will visit and love on orphans.   A significant portion of our trip, however,  will consist of a 2.5 day women's conference, put on by our group for the purpose of building up the Jesus-following women of Haiti.

To learn more about Open Door Haiti, here is the link:  https://opendoorhaiti.org/

We leave tomorrow AM - EARLY!!  The sun will barely be peeking over the horizon when our plane lifts off, heading south.  After a 3-hour layover in Miami, we will fly into Haiti. 

https://1drv.ms/b/s!AnlKrP3BD_m7iFQJD5A9ltf6GEDs?e=YBWiV7

Our daily schedule is in the link above.  This allows you to "follow along" and know where we will be each day so that you can pray for us accordingly.  

My role on this trip has been to coordinate the women's conference.  Essentially, this required time in prayer and God's Word as I considered our Haitian partner's request that we address women leaders of churches to encourage them and speak the truth of God's great love and purpose for each of them. The result is an outline of 4 teaching sessions, each followed by an interactive, small group breakout session, allowing the women to discuss and strategize how to apply what they will have learned.  

The outline of each session topic was given to 4 women on the team (myself included) and each of us has one session to teach.  Our other team members will be praying, leading worship, sitting among the women, participating in the breakout sessions, and they will be making themselves available to serve with whatever Open Door Haiti staff will be helping make this conference happen AND they've put in hours already (!) gathering and preparing supplies..  There are lots of logistics involved, some of which can't be dealt with until we are there, most of which we hope to get in order on the Monday we are there.  The conference itself begins Tuesday.  One exciting feature of our time with the women is when a few members of our team will be able to present Days For Girls feminine hygiene kits to the women.  These kits allow women some extra freedom during their menstrual cycle with long-lasting, washable items.  Here is a link to learn more about Days For Girls, an organization several women of Christ Community Church have partnered with and blessed our international impact partners with:  https://www.daysforgirls.org/

There are four men also joining us on our trip.  Their mission for the week is to build benches for a church.  During that time they may also be able to interact with other Haitians and demonstrate Jesus' love for them.

Conference Highlights:

The theme of the conference is:  YOU are God's Work of Art

Conference theme verse is:  Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's handiwork (masterpiece), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Session 1 - 

GOD’S LOVE in YOU -  (JENEE)

Eph 2:10 

You are God’s Masterpiece (easier to translate into Creole:  Work of Art).  

You have a PURPOSE BECAUSE OF GOD’s LOVE:                You have GOD’s LOVE EMPOWERED through you: 

You have a Story.                                         You influence your Family. 

You have a Skill.                                           You influence your Church. 

You have a Passion.                                     You influence your Community.     

                                                        Communities can influence nations.  

You being YOU can turn the world toward God. 

Eph 2:10  - In Love, you are created with a purpose.    

1.  God Himself created YOU. 

2.  You are IN Jesus Christ. 

3.  You have deeds to do. 

4.  God PLANNED You and your Purpose.  

Ministry out of love and identity in Christ.  NOT ministry to GET love or identity. 

Session 2 (SUE) - GOD’S LOVE in YOU and YOUR story 

1.   Look at the Bible – a woman with a story:  Mary Magdalene 

a.  She had been possessed by 7 demons (Luke 8:2; Mark 16:9).  Tradition suggests she had also been a prostitute. 

   b.  She served Jesus after being rescued/healed/set free by Him (Luke 8:3) 

she and other women accompanied the disciples who traveled with Jesus 

she helped support Jesus and the disciples with her own resources 

    c.  She watched with her friends as Jesus was crucified and died (John 19:25) 

    d.  Mary Magdalene was among the first of those who arrived at Jesus’ tomb  

         and saw her risen Lord.  She ran with this good news to tell the other disciples  

        (John 20:11-18)  Jesus spoke to her FIRST when He was resurrected.   

2.  The elements of her story – 

                  a.  Life before Jesus – her particular sins and their destructive ways. 

    b.  Life serving Jesus  - freed from sin to follow Him 

    c.  Life transformed by Jesus – her heart loved Him, she told others about Him

Session #3:  Love Empowered (Andrea)

 You were created with a skill.  

  Look at the Bible – a woman with a skill:  Priscilla – ACTS 18 

  Her skills:  Tentmaking, Hospitality, One-on-one teaching 

   Tentmaker:     Priscilla practiced a skill.  

Tentmaking is a highly skilled trade.  

Involved use of heavy fabrics, fine stitching skills needed to not only stitch neatly and strongly, but also accurately in order to produce a waterproof product, valuable for selling.   

Provided income, but for a follower of Jesus, it  

also meant exposure to many people – both within the tentmaking industry and buyers – and therefore, possible opportunities to speak of Jesus.   

Hospitality:        Priscilla welcomed God’s servants into her home.   

Hospitality involves not only serving others in your home with  

food, and drink and shelter when needed, hospitality involves an open heart to welcome people.  Friend or stranger.  Powerful results may come from opening our hearts and homes to people that God brings our way.  Our encounter with those people may even change the course of their life OR your life, if God leads that way. 

Learn God's Word: Using her skills, Priscilla was able to meet people, welcome

                             them into her home AND teach them what she learned from God’s

                             Word.   

Your Skill(s) will allow you to come into contact with certain people that God may be bringing into your path to share His love and good news with.  

Session #4 –  Love Empowered Part 2 - (LAURIE) 

               GOD’S LOVE EMPOWERED through you.  

               Through the passion in your heart. 

Look at the Bible – a woman with passion: Tabitha/Dorcas  (Acts 9) 

  

Her Passion – doing good, helping the poor   

          How do we know this was her passion? “…she was always” 

               Holy Spirit’s Role – NOTE ACTS 9:31  - right before story of Dorcas 

     Main theme verse is Eph 2:10, 

     Consider then the prayer in Ephesians 3:14-20 

     Interactively teach the women this prayer - with notecards that main points of the      prayer translated with room to draw their own symbol next to each line as a way          to help memorize the prayer. 

On the final morning of the conference, we will all worship God together in singing and in hearing the testimonies of women who volunteer what God has been teaching them through this conference.  

Thanks SOOO much for you love, care, prayer and support!

It is likely that I will not have access to the internet for the entire week.  I will update this blog with the highlights of our time in Haiti when I return.

May God bless you and your families.  

Andrea