Getting Excited

Last Sunday, my family and I had an encouraging and refreshing visit at Sister Lakes Community Church, Dowagiac, MI. It's where I grew up. I sang several songs and shared my testimony about God's call on our lives toward missions.

We weren't just received warmly, but celebratorily. I don't know if that makes sense to you or not, but I just sensed that people for us. I sense a similar excitement at our home church, and growing confirmation that we are following along a course of action that is pleasing to the Lord.

That's the core of everything that's worth doing: finding what pleases God, and enjoying doing it. When we find that, we find a sense of freedom and balance that we can experience no where else. I wonder if that is why the Apostle Paul who suffered through so many hardships and such deprivation started all his letters with exultation's of joy.

I've never felt this small but growing sense of inner, peaceful freedom before. If I had it before, it was when I was a child, but even then there was much that troubled me.

I'm so thankful to God that He is kindly and generously providing for my and my family's emotional, physical, and spiritual needs.

Later,

Adam

Be Careful, You'll Need To Be Stronger Soon

I've been saying that to myself lately.

I've been trying to model things I might expect from the mission field.

I've discovered some things:

• My prayer life is pathetic
• When I get tired, my thought life and attitude really stink
• Sometimes I let my schedule overrun my daily quiet time

In the past I would just say, I need to get a handle on this. I had a realisation yesterday. My employer gives us 2 days of paid community "volunteering". I know, how is it that I get paid for volunteering, but it's something cool that my employer does. So a coworker and I put in about 9 hours straight at the Gospel Rescue Mission in town. I was exhausted this morning. My thought life has been in the pits. I thought to myself, "Wow, when I'm in the mission field, I better make sure that I always get plenty of sleep."

I bet on the field, I'll be busy a lot, and may often be faced with not enough sleep. I need to deal with that issue now, before I get to the field. So, then I started thinking about other attributes of my walk with Christ that are really not where they should be. I need to become much stronger in my faith and prayer life. I've made moves in that direction, but so easily get set backs.

For example, I had begun to have a much more "real" prayer life. I was approaching prayer differently. It was exciting. Then the spring time change threw me off, and was barely getting out of bed in time to go to work.

I'm writing about this to ask for prayer, and to think through that I bet I'm not the only Christian in this position. How many of us are making due with relationship to Christ that is just O.K. I have missionary service approaching and so I feel compelled to very seriously take stock of my faith and practice. Perhaps we should all be taking a serious look at our lives and taking steps to live a more vibrant, life changing walk with Christ.

Adam

Parmenter Missions March Update

This is a reprint of the Monthly Parmenter Family Missions e-Mail Update

PROGRESS UPDATE

Marge and I have two requirements before we are cleared to attend Candidate Seminar. One is to complete a doctrinal oral exam. The second is to go on a survey trip. The more we learn the more we feel a draw to Eastern Europe, and the Czech Republic in particular.

So, I'm committing time each day to beef up my understanding of the core teachings of our Christian faith. The idea being that Marge and I will be able to articulate what we believe and point to where that belief is supported in the Bible. It's a little daunting to think of such an exam, but the study has invigorated my mind and heart, and brought into a deeper sense of awe and wonder at who God is.

I'm also taking a leadership training course with the deacons at our home church Bethel Baptist.
Marge is studying for the doctrinal exam as well, but is also kept very busy learning how to cook for the kids and me with our new diet restrictions. No gluten and no mild proteins (and a few other restrictions). The diet change has improved my health and mental function measurably. It's had a big impact on the children as well. My wife is an encouragement to us.

JOURNEY TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC

My weekend with Pastor Barnes from the Czech Republic went well (see previous update). It was sobering to realize that Marge and I are feeling more and more drawn to this place. I spoke some more with Don Trott the Missions Mobilizer from ABWE and with Pastor Barnes, and we agreed that now is the time to schedule a survey trip. I also found out that applicants for service in Eastern Europe are required to take a survey trip and ABWE wants us to do so prior to attending Candidate Seminar.

We've set a date for 2-June-2007 through 12-June-2007. I don't have many more details about it yet, but those will develop as the time draws near. The survey trip will differ from a typical missions trip in that the purpose is to get as big of a dose of the culture and ministry as possible. So, I'm hoping that we use mass transit, do things like shop in the grocery store and make our way around town. That gives us a feel for the first year on the field. I also hope that we can meet as many of the families from the church there as possible.

The trip presents challenges of financing and locating a competent Christian adult to stay with the children while we travel. It will be exciting and affirming to see how God provides.

PLEASE PRAY

• Pray that we as a family each will develop and continue a daily time of quiet with God. Pray that we would grow to enjoy these times, and guard those times.
• Pray that we would continue to learn how to both step out in faith, and exercises prudent wisdom.
• Pray that we would trust in God to provide our finances. Pray that we would have a trusting child-like faith.

DONATIONS ACCEPTED

My family and I are grateful for those who have chosen to send money. I haven't seen a list of who has donated yet, so I can't thank you personally. However, enough generous donations have come into Bethel to cover the cost of my trip to Newark last weekend, and to cover the cost of purchasing passports in preparation for the trip to the Czech Republic.

I don't have the exact costs yet, but it could cost us as much as $3,000. We are thrilled over how God has provided so far, and know that he will equip us to do all that He has planned.
As always, please don't feel any pressure to give money. Your prayers and friendship are most important. However, if you feel God leading you to help monetarily, send donations to:
ATTN: Donation for Parmenter Missions
Bethel Baptist Church
402 South Westnedge
Kalamazoo, MI 49007

FINAL THOUGHTS

I'm not afraid any more. I just realised that today. For quite a while I was having missions panic attacks. When I decided to travel to Newark to meet with Pastor Barnes, I was very worried. Now I'm getting this feeling of calm. I'm realising that I'm safer taking risks with God than living in my own will.

This experience has made me a better man and drawn me closer to God.

In Christ,
Adam Parmenter On behalf of Marge and the kids

What Language is Spoken in the Czech Republic

O.K., some people think I'm kidding, but they speak Czech.

Just like in America there is are more proper forms of the language and then there is the common every day speech. Czech is one of the West Slavonic languages along with Slavic (Slovakia) and Polish.

Marge and I realise the challenge that language learning will pose. If God confirms a call to serve in the Czech Republic, we would focus the bulk of our first year on the field in language learning. There is an important distinction in that we won't just be learning the language, but also the culture. Language and culture are inexorably woven together. Also, the way we understand the world, and essentially do everything that we do is through language. Even math which is "just numbers" is communicated using words. It will be critical for us to develop a thorough ability in the language and culture of the Czech so that we can teach & mentor from within their unique cultural milieu. I

f you would like to hear what the Czech language sounds like try this link. It is streaming demo from www.travellinguist.com that demonstrates 10 commonly used Czech words.

Adam

Where is the Czech Republic?

Is it near Czechoslovakia?

Czechoslovakia came together as a country in 1918 after World War II. During World War II, Hitler annexed part of Czechoslovakia, and after that war, the country reformed essentially as it had been. In 1948 the communist rose to power, and remained there for 41 years.

It wasn't until 1989 that the communists were driven from power in a bloodless overthrow called the Velvet Revolution. In 1993 (the year Marge and I got married) the Czech and Slovakia peacefully split into two separate countries. This split is referred to as the Velvet Divorce.

The Czech Republic is centrally located between Eastern and Western Europe. It has population of 11 million people and is slightly smaller than South Carolina. The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and prosperous of the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe.

It's also one of the least reached countries of Eastern Europe. Regardless of what the spiritual state of the country was at one time, today upwards of 60% of the people identify themselves as atheists. In the city of Prague roughly three of four people do not believe in the existence of God. Many villages throughout the country have no evangelical witness.

The Baptist Union of the Czech Republic has a burden and vision to reach their own people for Christ, and they have called upon ABWE to come and help them in the work. I believe that God may be directing us to answer their call in the affirmative, and we are working to seek out and affirm if this would be a good place for us to serve.

Over the next weeks, I'll keep posting information about the Czech so that you can learn about it along with me.

Adam

Busy, Busy, Busy

I had every intention to put up some posts about the Czech Republic, but it's been a busy week both at work and home.

Last night I met with our home church (Bethel Baptist) missions committee, and talked to them about our planned survey trip. They are excited for us and eager to be our partners as we work out that to which God is drawing us.

This morning, I'm going in late to work so that we can go apply for passports. One person told me that it took four months for his. Another said that it takes two weeks. Expiditing them costs extra. I'm not sure what we will do. Our trip is planned for 1-June. That's a little over two months. I'm not sure if that's enough or not.

Adam