First day at a new school

The kids started school at African Bible College Christian Academy (ABCCA) on Monday. After two weeks of running all over town with mom and dad trying to set up a new house in a new country the kids were definitely ready to get into a routine and have something of meaning to call their own. All four kids have great teachers. Jack's teacher is the mother of Charlie's teacher. Jessie's teacher worked in Dzaleka last year setting up the special needs program in the camp. Casey's teacher is in her second year at ABCCA.

All four kids start their school day at 7:15. So the kids are up and out of bed by 6 am. We leave for school around 7 am. Jessie gets out of school at 12:00. Charlie gets out at 12:30. Casey gets out at 1:00. Jack gets out at 1:30. So we need to figure out a system for pick up. A lot of the ABC families have after school activities and their children just stay and play and run around. Monday Steve and I arrived early to get Jessie. Today we decided that waiting around at the school for 1 1/2 hours was not the best use of our time. So we gathered Jessie and Charlie and went home. Steve helped them with lunch and homework while I went back for Casey and Jack. Casey and I worked on our homework. (I am trying to learn Chichewa). This seems to be an alright system, other than it wastes some gas. We'll have to decide what is more valuable...our time or fuel.

Charlie's classroom

Jessie's playground

Lower elementary corridor

We have a language helper that comes to the house at 2:00 every week day to help us learn Chichewa. Her name is Jacinta. She is Malawian, of Portuguese decent. She can speak English perfectly, as well as Chichewa and Portuguese. She also attends Capital City Baptist Church in Lilongwe, the same church we have been worshiping at. We are thankful for the time Jacinta takes with us, especially while the kids are milling about after school.

We have slowly started integrating ourselves into work. Steve is busy building shelves and planning for an "office remodel" as There is Hope is adding 3 new staff people and potentially more. I have been helping with Kibebe projects. This Saturday I plan to bring the Kibebe books, shopping bags, picnic blankets, Christmas stockings, Christmas cards, and Christmas oraments to a Farmers Market in town. This will be our first go at this type of venue. I may even have a chance to teach Sunday School next Sunday at a refugee church here in town.

Shopping for school supplies with our friend and neighbor Diya

Hanging out with Uncle Inno at the church picnic

Church picnic

The other exciting bit of information is Thanksgiving. Many of you are planning a big spread, and so are we. We will celebrate Thanksgiving with the Torngas and Magambis on Saturday. Our menu is as close to traditional as we can be: Chicken and ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, rolls, green beans, veggie tray, pumpkin pie, apple crisp, and ice cream. It will be a feast for sure. We'll miss our family and friends in Michigan! But not the snow, cold, and black Friday mayhem.

Dzaleka Camp Tumaini Festival

 

 

We had the opportunity to go to the first annual Dzaleka Camp Tumaini Festival today. What a fantastic event full of many talented artists. Our favorite was the Burundian Drummers. Enjoy the pictures.

Wonderful Send-off and Safe Travels

After selling the house, giving away and selling most all of our worldly goods, we move into my parents house for our final week in Hudsonville. They were very gracious and let the shoes pile up the door, the toys scatter from one end of the house to the other, and our luggage stacked up to the ceiling.

On November 5 we finished our packing: 14 suitcase/totes, 6 carry-on bags, and 6 backpacks. (Yes, 26 bags in all, it took 3 vehicles to get us to the airport.)

It was great to have so many of our family and friends come to the airport to see us off. It was great to eat one last meal together and share some laughter and some tears. 

We arrived in Malawi on Friday November 7. All of our bags made it with us Praise God! The travel was flawless...except 2 of the 4 kids loss their lunch due to turbulence.

Rocking the Boat

We are just 3 weeks away from moving to Malawi.  Hard to believe. 

Just this week I met with a friend who shared a bit of a sermon he had just heard and it resonated with me.

Thinking about how Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water.  When he got out of the boat the boat was rocked.  What did the other disciples do? think? how were they changed?

When Jesus called Peter and Andrew, James and John they were in a boat.  They left their family fishing boats for follow Jesus.  They left one boat for a new one. But have you ever thought about the boat they left. They rocked a their father's boat. How did leaving the family business effect their fathers, mothers, bothers?

I've been struggling with knowing how to leave our life in Hudsonville (our boat) for our new life in Malawi without causing too much pain. We are leaving very dear family and close friends here as we step out of the boat and walk by faith to our new boat.

A little rocking of the boat is good.  It wakes people up, makes us take inventory of what is important. I just don't want to capsize anyone.

Steve and I were chatting during a run and he asked how I was doing watching other people fill the positions I've left. I am so happy to see Mindy Jeltema doing a fabulous job with the Children and Worship Program at church. I am blessed to have my dear friend Brandi VanHouten lead the Mom's in Prayer group for Park Elementary. My getting out of these boats has made room for two terrific women to step in and breath new life into these areas.

It is my prayer that we will rock your boat just a little bit when we leave. Look around, evaluate what God is doing around you.  Is he asking you to change positions in the boat?  Or does he want you to take the step and leave the boat you're in?

Please join us Sunday Novemember 2nd at Fellowship Reformed Church in Hudsonville.  Worship begins at 6:00 pm, and we will have a time of fellowship together following the service at 7:00pm. This will be a chance to say "see you later" because we don't want to say good bye.

Benefit Concert - Beyond All Expectations

Months of planning and preparations went in to the Benefit Concert held on August 8.  It all started when Holly Placzek offered to host a barn sale for us at their Allendale home.  About a week later Holly approached us to say she was still willing to host the sale, but she had an even better idea.  A concert.

Holly and her husband Drew are both very talented musicians.  Drew is the worship leader at our home church, Fellowship Reformed, and he was recruited to help Holly with the planning and organizing. 

Together Drew and Holly put together an amazing event. None of us had any idea what to expect from a benefit concert on a Friday night in the middle of the summer.  Holly was hoping for a standing room only crowd, I was hoping she wouldn't be disappointed.  I have no idea how many people actually showed up for the concert, it was a great turnout, but not standing room only. It didn't matter.  The variety of music was perfect.  The performers were talented and generous with their time. 

 
 


To date more that $13,000 was raised by the concert for the work we will be doing in Malawi with There is Hope.  We don't know how to begin to thank everyone involved!

Thank you to Holly and Drew who faithfully followed the Holy Spirit's leading and took up the challenge to organize the Benefit Concert. 

Thank you to all the musicians who gave of their time and talents!

Thank you to Fellowship Reformed Church for hosting the concert.

Thank you to everyone who came out and gave so generously.





















Our greatest needs continue to be for prayer support, and monthly supporters.  We cannot do this without you.  You are as much a part of this ministry as we are.

Please pray for the kids as they will begin school here in just a couple of weeks.  Their lives continue to be uncertain, not knowing when we will be leaving for Malawi.
 
Please pray that God will continue to raise up financial partners who are able to give on a monthly or annual basis.  We are at 85% of our monthly funding goal.  We must have 100% pledge before we can purchase our plane tickets.
 
Please pray that housing would become available for us in Lilongwe near our There is Hope teammates. 
 
Please pray for the right family or individual to rent our house here in Hudsonville.
 
Please pray for Steve and I as we take an online language learning class September 15 - October 3.
 
Pray for the family and friends we will be leaving behind as this is a transition time for all of us.
 
 

                                                                                                                                                                                  

 

 

 



Join our partnership teams at: https://www.iteams.us/give

There is Hope Malawi - Palmbos Family Benefit Concert

There is Hope Malawi - Palmbos Family Benefit Concert

Friday August 8, 7 PM

 

Fellowship Reformed Church

6610 36th Ave

Hudsonville

 

No tickets necessary.  Free will offering will be taken.

 

Jordan Nederveld

Carolyn Biezunski and Carrie Holstege

Drew and Holly Placzek

A fantastic night of music and fellowship is planned for you to enjoy:

 Jazz, Rock, Southern Gospel, and Spirituals. 

 

Come out and enjoy the music.  Meet the Palmbos Family.

 

Hear what God is doing in the lives of refugees in Malawi. 

 

Partner with the Palmbos Family and International Teams USA.

 

To give online https://www.iteams.us/give

 

 



Training

We've just spent 3 weeks in Elgin Il. with the staff of International Teams USA and 11 other trainees.  It was an amazing 3 weeks.  The kids had the opportunity to meet other kids embarking on a similar journey.  They also had the opportunity to meet and interact with kids who have already lived out the "missionary kid" life. 

Last week Wednesday night we had a group dinner at the home of Brad and Sandi Miller.  Brad is the ITeams Discipleship Catalyst.  He and Sandi spent 13ish years serving in Quito Ecuador with their two daughters, Sarah and Hannah.  Sarah and Hannah were about the age of our kids when they moved to Ecuador. 

Before the kids were dismissed from dinner to watch a movie Brad gathered them all around and showed them a picture of his family in Ecuador when they had first arrived.  When they stopped giggling about the "young" Brad, the kids were all ears.  Brad spoke life and truth into them.  He encouraged them to embrace the call God has for our family.  The "call" isn't just for mom and dad.  We are a family "on mission".  THANK YOU BRAD!

Week 2 of our training was probably the best, and the hardest.  Soul care was the focus of the week.  We spent time creating life maps.  We laid our life out on post-it notes.  We wrote down the people, places, things, events, verses, and ah-ha moments that have shaped our lives.  We asked the tough questions about which of those things had negatively impacted us?  What bitterness, hurt, pain, or unforgiveness were still in our souls?  And what did we need to bring Jesus to be transformed?

ITeams is all about seeing lives and communities transformed by the power of Christ.  It was a powerful week, recognizing that Christ has also transformed my life.

Last Friday all of our efforts came together as we presented our life maps to the staff and training group.  Every life map was as different as the individual presenting it.  Here is a glimpse at ours.  I am guessing you can figure out whose is whose.