The Wurglers

This is a toy that our friends' kids have here. There may not necessarily be a Lost in Translation factor here, but the 3rd item, the white sticker above the #1, must say something about some kind of difference. Enjoy

The other night some friends of ours here in the city offered to watch all 3 of our kids so that Sara and I could have an overnight date night. We had told them how little sleep we had been getting lately and they took it upon themselves to add our 3 kiddos to their already well formed brood of 4 kids under 5. We have no idea how they pulled it off, but they did. We went out to dinner together at the place we had our very first date ever, saw some parts of the city we were in together 6 years ago and saw a part of the city that gets decked out in Christmas lights every year. We had an amazing time. But perhaps the most amazing part was when we read and shared thoughts on 2 Corinthians chapter 4. It was one of those times where we had read these specific verses before but that day the Lord seemed to pull back the curtain and open our eyes to understand it in a new way. The Lord used that passage to encourage us and affirm us. -A major question brought to mind was "Do I view this ...

The name of a store here

As you may have figured out by now, our transition here has been anything but easy. I don't say this for pity, but for prayer; not for sympathy but in order to be sincere. Unfortunately I have come to the point that when people on our team ask me how I or my family is doing, I have an inclination to shirk back and paint a picture that is not accurate. Its easier to say "Things are great" when they're not simply because I don't want to be the guy who pops an inquirer's good mood bubble; nobody likes to be a Debbie Downer. But we have so much to be thankful for as well. In the spirit of Thanksgiving this year, here are a few of the many joys in my life brought on by my wonderful family: 1)My wife - she serves, she sacrifices, she loves. She is so stinking good at everything she does! I love her more today (even after hundreds of arguments and seeing each other's sin) than the day I said "I do." 2)Our kids EMMA She loves playing horsie an...

Never been but anyone who is looking for that special someone might need to make a trip to see us...

"When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won't come up with a handful of mud either."

His and her t-shirts...

Last week our team hosted a Vision Trip consisting of about 12 businessmen and women from the States. It was a great, but tiring week which culminated in a 35 person banquet including children. Its a tradition to hear vision trippers thoughts on their experiences from that week and to encourage them to join with us in our mission here. Sara was asked to give her thoughts, from a mom's perspective, regarding what her transition has been like and how she views this crazy ministry God has called us to. I (Aaron) don't think I've ever been more proud of her. I wish I could've seen the looks on others' faces in the room, but like theirs, mine was fixated on her as she spoke. Here it is, straight from Sara's mouth. "When I was asked to share why it's worth it to move a family with three small children across the world to a crowded city in a foreign country I was hesitant. The truth is that in the midst of this difficult season of transition there have been ...

"Gangster Pig Liver" My aim in posting these pictures is not to humiliate or make fun of the culture or people here. This is simply a way to show how language can be so difficult and that it often results in humorous translations. I have made so many mistakes myself as I have been learning and implementing the language here. - AMW

I saw this in the convenience store in our apartment complex. I really have no idea what this is about and am scared to check them out...

An advertisement in a store window. Its a restaurant.

God's grace has been a HUGE theme in my (Aaron) life these days. I am enamored by His grace in a couple ways in particular: 1) His grace to me as I continually fall short of His glory yet His love for me never changes. 2) His grace to me as He calls me to be a part of the greatest work - sharing the most beautiful truths of Jesus to those He leads me to for His glory. 3) His grace to me in the every day - my family; I DO NOT deserve my precious kids and amazing wife who are the source of unbelievable joy. Friends, health etc. I mention this because the last few weeks here in Asia have been the HARDEST of my entire life save for about a 9 month period during college. The stress, adjustments to life, language, food, friends, home, city and culture have been overwhelming to say the least. Now throw in the mix that 4 other people I am responsible for are all standing pretty much horizontal as these hurricane winds of change thrash them in their own unique ways and you have the perfec...

This is our recently purchased microwave. Notice the right side, 2nd gray button down... love to hear guesses as to what would be for dinner if you use this setting.

Part apartment, part hotel, I give you the "Apartotel"

Just wanted to write and say we got our blog figured out... as for now. I had been posting on what I thought was our blog, but it turned out to be a pseudo-blog. So, I've copied and pasted the last 4 blog posts (which are the most recent) here. I hope you enjoy them. My goal is to have some humor to start your week off. Each Monday the hope is to have a blog segment called "Monday: Lost in Translation" which will feature some goofy English translations of various words and phrases. This isn't to demean the culture or people here, but to show that language is a difficult barrier to overcome and, as a language student, I am right in the middle of that every day. Today's version is to catch up on that which I've failed to post in the past. Emjoy!

"ARBITRARINESS" This is a video game in a children's play area at a restaurant we ate at...

Its so crazy to finally be in this country - its been a long time coming. There has been SO MUCH that has gone on the past 2.5 weeks that I struggle with what to share. I could go the route of how up and down, excited and down trodden we've been in such a short time. I could share about the innumerable ways God has blessed us and set us up so well to be here. I could talk about how our family is adjusting, or about how the kids' blond hair (at least brown hair and yellow hair as Emma describes herself) and blue eyes are the source of great attention. There's the sensory overload we experience each day we set foot outside our apartment and the occasional cockroach in the bathroom proves we don't even have to leave home to be reminded we're not in Kansas anymore. Air Quality Index numbers are a daily discussion much like the Vikings are back home. Will I put my kids' at risk by taking them outside today? This is a common thought that runs through our minds. How ...

The longer we go forward in this decision to go overseas, the more God seems to confirm His calling for us to go to Asia. It has felt darn near impossible some days to navigate all the hoops and red tape of getting visas and passports and the myriad of other paperwork in order to make this move happen. There have been moments of despair and even praying that God would call us out of this so that we wouldn't have to go through the hardship of simply being able to get into the country much less live and thrive there. Just when doubt seems to find a foothold, God has blessed us by providing housing for us. A friend of ours in country has been working his tail off to find us a place to call home. I have gotten phone calls and texts at 12 and 1am as he is looking at potential living arrangements for us and asking us to make a decision pretty much on the spot. If you find a good apartment there, you get about a 2-3 hour window to decide on it, or it will be snatched up by someone else....

Leaving Grand Forks was hard. It was a place that we came to love, mostly because of the people there and our wonderful church family at Faith Evangelical Free Church. Our staff team welcomed us so well right off the bat and loved on us throughout the 2 years we were there. The friends we had there before arriving and the ones we met while there will be sorely missed. Our church small groups, Sunday school classes and friends made life in Grand Forks worth struggling through unbearable winters. As we pulled out of Grand Forks last week, nostalgia set in as we recalled all our favorite memories. One of the fondest was seeing how God answered prayer for friends. Sara especially was feeling the loss of great friends in Sioux Falls and was feeling the strain of the time, effort and energy it would take to make new ones in ND. But she did, thanks be to God. We both met people who we could "do life with" and walk through joys and sorrows throughout the past 2 years. We are thankfu...