Return to Québec
Well, we’re back. God gave us a wonderful sense of peace as we returned…the best way to describe coming back is that we are “comfortable.” Being on the airplane with all French-speakers: comfortable; landing in an airport where the customs agents and security officers speak French: comfortable; driving through town and walking into our apartment after being gone for a month: comfortable. No big deal! This is much different than the feeling we had our first time arriving in Québec. What a difference knowing (even some) the language makes!
Back to the Books
Our time in Idaho was very busy, but now we are back to the “different busy” of studying French. Sparky is attending the other language school here in Québec, four days a week. He has a professor that specializes in International French, and is teaching him customs and speech differences we will find in Africa. He is very good about sharing this information with Myndii so we are both gaining from this experience. Myndii is working with Catherine Webster as a tutor at home. This has proved to be quite beneficial as she is practicing “practical” conversational French. We have been working on how to communicate with people in the market, fishermen, around the house, etc. as well as how to share the gospel and explain Bible verses/passages.
Martha and Titus returned to the French-speaking elementary school. They are both doing pretty well. We really like hearing them speak French when they don’t know mom and dad can hear them…they speak and understand more than they let on! Ruth has been watching some movies in French (we were pleased to find out that many of our children’s DVDs have a French soundtrack!) and is starting to repeat lines from her favorites. She also loves to say “comme ça”, which means “like that”, when she’s showing us things, or describing things.
Shipping Container
We are still waiting for an estimate on how much the shipping of a container will cost. However, we have been given about $1200 toward the purchase of a container (the 40-foot metal box). What a blessing! The total cost of the container should be about $5500. We are hoping to purchase the container soon, so it will be ready for loading.
Support Update
We are currently at 81% of our monthly support goal…just $900 a month more to be fully supported and ready for Congo!
Where is our support coming from? 12 individuals/families and 14 churches are faithfully giving monthly.
A few of our individual supporters were unable to continue regular support. However, we are excited to report that we are partnering with another church! This has kept our support level fairly even. The Lord is faithful, and we are prayerfully expecting His provision in His timing. Will you continue to pray with us for faithful financial supporters to partner with us in this ministry?
Where does the support go? If you are considering a one-time gift, or partnering with us long-term, you may send the support directly to IFM at their address (immediately to the right). On the memo line simply write “Clancy” and your commitment (one-time, monthly, quarterly, yearly, etc). You will receive a receipt from IFM for your records.
What is the support used for? Right now, our monthly support goes toward our training in French and our living expenses in Canada. At our current support level things are pretty tight; nevertheless, the Lord is faithful. Once we are in Congo, the support will be used for ministry (Bible Institute, evangelism, travel in the interior, etc.) and living expenses.
Most of the current one-time gifts go toward our “Outfit and Passage” needs. This is a fancy way of saying the cost and/or items needed to get our family to Congo, and set up to live there. This figure is just a guess at this point since so many things are still “unknowns.” However, we have estimated that we will still need approximately $50,000.
A French Funny
We finally got up enough nerve to go out to eat…all by ourselves. Someone from church came and watched the kids for us, and we went to a near-by café for supper. We ordered our food and had a basic conversation with the waitress, all in French of course. We were feeling quite proud of ourselves…until she came, toward the end of our meal, and asked if we wanted “something.” We didn’t understand what the “something” was, so we politely said no. She looked a little flustered and asked again, would we like ONE or TWO of “the something.” We figured whatever it was, the fewer the better, so we said one. When she brought us the bill we realized she was asking if we wanted our check together or separate! No wonder she didn’t accept our polite “no, thank you.”
And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. II Thess. 3:5
~The Clancy Clan
Sparky, Myndii, Martha, Titus, & Ruth
Time in Kinshasa