Feels Like Home. Kinda.

Hello sweet friends!

We've been taken in by the kindest couple here in Yerevan. C (how I'll reference the wife) is all about essential oils, home remedies, and making us feel rested. THANK YOU LORD. N (the husband) is somewhat of the care pastor over the team here, so he's naturally such a life giving person to be around. C and N's apartment have been the best place to stay in midst of the go-go-go-ness of this trip. 

Unfortunately, Bethany has been sick the entire time in Yerevan. Our final days in Istanbul she was feeling groggy and slow, but throwing up late into the night was cherry on top. What we thought was just traveler's icky tummy (being mannered for all our online reader friends) was later realized to be a parasite. Thankfully, antibiotics are easy to get here with no prescription.

Pray for a speedy recovery and to feel back to normal for Bethany!

The team here is something to behold. The hunger for Jesus, the desperate love they have for these people, the kindness they've shown us, it's made Wes and I feel completely inspired. Wes lead worship for a team meeting and it was a night to remember. It's something I have trouble writing about because I know my words wont do justice. So, man, I'm just going to leave it at that. 

We leave for Nairobi, Kenya tomorrow at 3AM! We're sitting here in C & N's family room, editing photos and prayer cards. Really happy to be leaving for 80 degree weather and to escape the oh-so-familiar 10 degree chilly tundra!  

Merhaba, Istanbul!

SO FAR: Ate baklava, died, resurrected to eat more baklava, died again. Lots of breakfast/lunch/dinners with team members. Enjoyed the cold (... we're so Minnesotan. Like, what.) Learned a few Turkish phrases and squeezing every but out of them. Fallen more in love with each other. Had lots of black tea and Turskish coffee. Not gotten sick.

One Country Down, 5 To Go

Egypt, we love you.

The team has welcomed us in with cheek kisses and loud laughs. In the final two days in Cairo, Bethany cranked out 7 photo shoots and 3 video shoots. We pulled an all-nighter to finish the piles of edits and then raced to the airport to arrive at 6:30AM. 

Wes has had a lot of writing time in-betweens shoots and team meetings. I love watching him create fresh, vibrant, uplifting songs in the midst of all the darkness here. On our final night, Wes sat on the rooftop writing and singing while the Call To Prayer was ringing throughout the city. What a crazy contrast.

Wes started dribbling the soccer ball with some boys, which ended up being a full-fledged soccer match in the middle of the street. They all think Wes is David Beckham here, obviously so.

Cheers from Cairo!

 

We made it to Egypt! We got in late Tuesday night, only seeing the city through a dusty taxi windows and flashing lights of traffic. Yesterday, we were "wined & dined" by the city of Cairo. Wes and I were placed on a tour bus and spend the entire day soaking in all of the sights, smells and sounds of Egypt. It was a great day for Bethany to get content for LD and Wes got to fulfill a lifelong dream, riding a camel next to the Great Pyramids.  

We ate lunch on a Neil River riverboat, saw Christian cave churches carved into the mountain, marble Mosques filled with fellow tourists, and kept on looking at each other in disbelief. "Wow, here we are." We got dinner with some fellow workers who have been living abroad for 30 years plus and heard stories of faithfulness and miracles. We are so beyond grateful that we get to be on a trip like this so early into our marriage, letting it shape and mold our dreams together.  

Tonight, Wes is leading an extended worship night with around 40 "workers" here in Cairo. I'll be doing my first family shoot of the trip, walking around the streets with an adorable family of 4 (mom, dad and two little girls). We are greatful.  

"You're doing what?!"

Back in the spring of 2016, we got dinner with some dear missionary friends. They recently returned from a trip to Cairo, Egypt in partnership with Live Dead (an amazing missions organization that focuses on the Middle East. See more here)

We mentioned how we've always dreamed of leaving our normal behind, living out of a backpack, and using our talents in a missions setting. A day later, we got an email asking if we were really serious about serving because there was a possible opportunity.  

A month long trip visiting 6 different Middle Eastern countries. We will be visiting missionaries, shooting family photos and updated their prayers cards, leading worship and small teachings. Loving on people who gave given their entire life to reach the unreachable. We will be staying with local missionary families and seeing their new inhabited culture, capturing photos for Live Dead and the missionaries use. 

Wesley

• Leading worship for home churches and gatherings
• Special worship night
• Practical teaching on leading worship
• Spiritual input/training on worship

Bethany 

• Capturing video footage and photography images for Live Dead
•  Promotions, videos etc
• Take new pictures for missionary prayer cards 
• Design missionary prayer cards

Welcome, Friends.

After a year of praying and planning, Wes and I are taking a month long trip to the Middle East. We will be working with the amazing mission organization Live Dead traveling to 6 different countries. 

Some might read this and say we're crazy, and they're kinda right. It is crazy. Especially now in midst of bombings, protests and political unrest. But what I know is when God puts a tug on your heart, all you need to care about is obeying. So here we are, following the tug and obeying with so much joy and excitement for what's ahead. 

We leave January 16th!