Sunday, October 26, 2008

We have a car...well almost

We wanted to give you a new update on the car, or Trooper in this case. If you remember we wrote to you several months ago about the opportunity to purchase an Isuzu Trooper from another missionary and we asked for your help and prayers in order to purchase it. We have been here in the D.R. for 3 and a half years without our own car. (Read over past blog post for more info) We are praising the Lord and thanking you because we are only $879.00 away from having it paid in full.
To top it all off the gas prices here have gone down over 30% in the last month! Yeah!!!! We have never seen gas under $5.10 per gallon for regular here in the 3 and a half years and it is now down to $3.90 per gallon. Wow!! It had been hoovering around the $6.00 mark for almost a year. I know that we heard a lot of complaints from people in the States about gas prices going up to $4.00 and while we could sympathize it is all a matter of perspective as you can see we are celebrating about having the same prices you were complaining about so remember to give thanks to God above in everything that you have. When you think your price is high try living here. That doesn't just apply to gas it applies to the cost of food, electricity, housing, clothing, etc. It is all much higher here in a third world country. Many of you who have visited know what I am talking about and the rest of you just need to trust me and again be thankful that God is providing for you and for us!
We ask that you continue to pray with us that the final amount would come in very soon. We know that many of you are facing economic stresses and plaese know that we are praying for you. We understand what you are going through...more than you know. What affects you affects us as so many of you are our supporters and without you we cannot be here doing the work that we are. We pray earnestly that God is providing for your every need and that you will see Him and His faithfulness in the midst of these econmic troubles. Reamin in Him and He will remain in you and He WILL be faithful to you and bless you no matter what the economy is. Trust in, rely on, and believe in Him continuously!
We love you and our prayers are with you!
The Burge family

Friday, October 24, 2008

Lots of quick updates...

This month has a busy one once again...
I, Melynda, celebrated my 37th birthday on the 18th of this month. I don't feel a day older until I think of my daughter going to college next fall. =0

We are getting ready for a team that is coming in from Maryland for an 8 day mission trip. Pray that they will be able to accomplish all that God has planned for them and that we will have safety and protection during all of the traveling.

Remember my story about Mandie and Edwin Speegle? Keep praying for them to get a Tourist Visa to travel to the US. They now have finalized the adoption process here and have Edwin's birth certificate but are waiting on his Dominican Passport and then they can file papers (yeah, more paperwork) to apply for the Visa.

**We urge you to take some time each day to pray over the upcoming elections. There are a lot of churches doing "a prayer a day" or the "prayer for a moment". If you would like more info please contact us or ask your local pastor. It is time that we stand up for our faith and the best way to do so is to get on our knees before God and ask for His guidance, mercy, and direction. All with a repentant heart.

Things are progressing at Restoration Ranch. We will be updating in detail soon. In the meantime be praying for the finances to continue to come in as we approach the end of building walls and soon we will begin the process of pouring the roof! Yeah, 4 homes (building #1) is closer than ever to completion!

An awesome book to read...One Month to Live by Kerry & Chris Shook.
Well....what are you waiting for? Get off the computer and go get that book. *Grin*

Monday, October 20, 2008

Praise Reports...

I got the news and wanted to share it with all of you...

Just a few days ago I wrote about my Aunt Meg and how the doctors said that she had cancer in her uterus...guess what...she is HEALED!!!! Yeah that's right...no cancer. The doctors are astounded and cannot believe that the tumor that they found is not tumorous. Go God! Go God! We are all doing the happy dance around here and praising God for His healing touch!

Guess what else...my brother does not have to go to Iraq for a second tour. I am so beside myself with joy that I don't know what to do except dance and sing.

Whatever you are believing for...don't give up! Keep believing God and trust that He has the best plan for you, your loved one, and your friends. Keep standing in faith even in the midst of the hardest trials you may face...keep standing firm on God's Word and believe that He is who He says He is and that He can do the impossible!

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

A short trip and a long prayer...

I, Melynda, made a short trip to S.C. (sorry I could not visit with you all while I was there) to visit with my brother before he follows through with orders to be deployed once again to Iraq. I am praying that he won't have to go but I wanted to see him in case he does otherwise it will have been a 3 year time span between visits. That is just too long for me.

What I thought was going to be a trip to spend time with him turned into so much more. God has a way of taking our plans and turning the upside-down and bringing more out of them than we ever thought possible. Here is what I experienced on the short (13 day) trip to the States...

I arrived at the airport in Atlanta after a very long day of layovers to be greeted by my Mom and my sister, Angela, and my cute niece, Eliza. We loaded up my suitcase and headed out to meet my stepsister, Katie, and her son, Caden to eat dinner. The next day we left out from Atlanta and made the trip back to Greenville/Simsonville, SC. Of course we made a few shopping stops along the way. haha


I spent 2 hours helping my sister pack boxes as she was prepping to move to Texas two days later. We spent several hours the next day packing then met up with family for dinner. On Saturday we loaded her whole house into a moving truck. There were only 3 of us loading for a while then my brother's friend joined us for some heavy lifting. We retired early and rose early (4:30am) to get on the road so we could make it to Louisiana the first day. So my sister, my mom, Eliza, and I rode together in the car and my brother and his friend rode in the truck.



The trip out was long but good, for the most part, as I was able to spend some time in deep conversation with my brother and with my Mom and sister. It was our first journey out West that was not because of a custody battle. (I will save that story for another day). Even though it was not the way most people would choose to spend time with family I think that it was a very memorable and ground-breaking way for us. You have to understand our history together to fully appreciate the significance of it all so you will have to trust me when I say that it was a journey of the heart for each of us. Yes, as with most long road trips, tensions did get a little high at times but we worked through it...Thanks Mama! =) and we did arrive safely in Texas Monday evening. We unloaded the truck. Actually, we started unloading the truck when I had a sudden and pretty serious asthma attack that came out of no where. Luckily Brad, my brother, and Semore, his friend, are both Paramedics so I was in good hands. After a good scare and several shots of inhalation meds I was back to breathing regular. I was done for the night and was put on strict rest by both paramedics. Not so bad when I think about not having to unload the truck. lol Just kidding Sis! =D

We spent a day together before heading out again at 4:30am on Wednesday to get back to SC. What is it with the early morning stuff anyway!? After arriving back in SC and dropping off my brother and Semore so they could get some rest my Mom and I headed for her home. Yes, crazy as we are and as tired as we were we shopped on the way. At least my Christmas presents are all purchased and they all fit into a suitcase. We have learned that we don't "need" much but when your kids are too tall for their clothes it is time to get some that fit. *giggles*

I was able to spend some time with Greg's dad and step mom and Greg's mom over the next 4 days before heading back to the good 'ole DR and my loving husband and children. I also got to spend some quality time with my Aunt Meg. She shared with me that she had not been feeling well and so she made an appointment to go to see a gynecologist. The news she received was not good...not good at all. The gynecologist took three tissue samples and said that she is afraid that my aunt has uterine cancer though she could not say if it had progressed any farther.

Needless to say, my Aunt was down and in need of prayer and encouragement. Once again I saw that God's timing was perfect for me to be there to do just that...encourage her and pray for her. While I prayed for her that very day I also told her that I wanted to spend some time with God and ask Him how He would direct my prayers for her, for her future, etc. She understood.

A little background on my Aunt Meg ~ she has been the prayer warrior over my life for as long as I can remember and I am sure even further back than that. She and my Nanny (my Mom's mom) have served as my "safe place" and my refuge before I knew that God could and wants to be that for me. She has been so much more than an "aunt" she has been like a mom to me. I love her deeply and we have shared a lot of pain, sorrow and joy together. I was the one who was there when her 4 year old son drowned and went home to be with the Lord. That is just a snippet of the strength of our relationship. I just knew God was not finished with her yet!

I spent a long time alone praying for her but was awakened later in the night with a sudden desire to pray for several of my family members. I feel like I was fighting a spiritual battle for each of them and it ended when I felt God's peace come over me and then I went back to sleep for a short time. When I saw my Aunt on Sunday before leaving to came back to the D.R. I was ready to pray for her once again. I cannot tell you what all the Holy Spirit gave me to pray because I cannot remember it all but I could feel the power and presence of God there with us and when I finished praying we were all in tears and I believe with all of my heart that the cancer is gone! She will receive the results in a few days but I already know the diagnosis. I serve a very real, powerful, loving God. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Creator of you and me and He CAN do all things! I can't wait to give you the doctor's results and rejoice because my God is faithful and He is Jehovah Raffa (my Healer) He is the great "I am"!

All of this to say that what I thought would be a trip home to spend time with my brother was that and so much more for me. I had 28 hours to reflect on my life, to learn more about myself and my family, to be a blessing to them as well as being blessed by them, to see how strong my Mom's faith has grown, to hear the wisdom that God has imparted in my brother and the change that has taken place in him, and to see my sister start her journey of a new level of faith and trust in God, and last but not at all least to have little reminders of why I am so blessed to serve God, and why I need to have complete dependence upon, complete trust in, and total reliance on HIM who loves me most!!! I love you Daddy (God)! I love you Jesus! I love you Holy Spirit!
~Your daughter, Melynda