So friends, we’ve failed. We had the best intentions of keeping up our blog, but we haven’t posted since April… and our last post was presented as “part 1 of 2.” Not the best on our part.
Quite a bit has happened since then, so we’ll give you a quick rundown of the highlights... and promise to post more often than every 9 months in the future. Can’t believe it has been over a year since we were in Kenya!
Quite a bit has happened since then, so we’ll give you a quick rundown of the highlights... and promise to post more often than every 9 months in the future. Can’t believe it has been over a year since we were in Kenya!
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After coming back from Kenya right before Christmas (2010), Colleen and I lived with her parents in Wooster, Ohio. I continued to work for World Gospel Mission remotely as the treasurer for a few months while we settled back into life in the (cold!) US. In March and April, we took some time to visit friends and family we hadn’t seen since before Kenya, and I started looking for jobs in central Kentucky and Savannah, Georgia. Kentucky was always somewhere we viewed as a long term destination because of Colleen’s extended family, and Savannah was a dream of mine that we hoped might work out for a few years.
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| We have lots of Kenyan decorations in our house |
I had interviews in both locations, and came close to getting some jobs in Lexington, but kept getting bypassed for people with more experience. It took quite a bit longer than I anticipated to find a job, and was scary/frustrating for a while.
In August, I finally received a job offer for a position that matched my skills and motivations, however, not in Lexington like we had hoped. On September 1st, we moved to Danville, Kentucky, about 35 miles south of Lexington, so I could start working as a financial analyst for Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center. It is/was such a blessing to find work, and have our own place again.
We have liked Danville more than we thought we would. We are renting a cute little house just outside downtown, so my commute is only 5 minutes or so. There is a prestigious liberal arts college in town, so it has great restaurants and places to go, along with many festivals and events.
We have liked Danville more than we thought we would. We are renting a cute little house just outside downtown, so my commute is only 5 minutes or so. There is a prestigious liberal arts college in town, so it has great restaurants and places to go, along with many festivals and events.
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| Colleen's tortoises |
Colleen started volunteering at the local humane society almost immediately, so we’ve fostered 11 kittens in our home in the short time we’ve been in Danville. She’s also been collecting a few animals in anticipation of starting a wildlife education business (similar to what she did in Indianapolis) sometime in the future... we we currently have 3 tortoises who live in our garage, 2 leopard geckos, and a bearded dragon to go along with the constant parade of foster kittens in the house. It’s a bit of a zoo, but we love (or sometimes tolerate...) it! I’ve also enjoyed playing indoor soccer in Lexington and I hope to find somewhere to play basketball soon... got to stay in shape as I head into my late twenties!
We have been looking for a church family, but recently decided that we are going to try to get involved at a local Presbyterian church. It seems to be a congregation that is very service and “others” focused, so we’re excited to be a part of that and find ways to serve the Lord in community.
We have been looking for a church family, but recently decided that we are going to try to get involved at a local Presbyterian church. It seems to be a congregation that is very service and “others” focused, so we’re excited to be a part of that and find ways to serve the Lord in community.
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| We love Kentucky in the fall! |
One great things about being in Danville is being close to family. Berea, where both sides of Colleen’s extended family are centered, is just 40 minutes east of us. It has been so much fun to be around for Thanksgiving and other family get-togethers! We had both Wittig and Ramsay family Christmases at our house on back to back weekends, and we also were able to participate in Ramsay/Ambrose family events during the holidays as well.
So that was pretty easy! A year of our life in a few short paragraphs!
So that was pretty easy! A year of our life in a few short paragraphs!
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Those who have kept up with us or followed our blog while we were in Kenya know that we tried to adopt triplets from the Baby Centre last August/September (2010), but the adoption fell through when it was discovered that the triplets had family members who wanted them.
This past August (2011), we got news that the triplets had finally gone home with their family from the Baby Centre. We were concerned about the situation they would be going into, but the family members seemed genuinely happy about having the kids. It was incredibly hard to know we couldn’t get regular updates on them, but we were hopeful their situation would be better than what we had originally anticipated. We have continued to think about them often and lift them up in prayer.
Recently, we received an update from another missionary family who went to visit the triplets’ family, and the report on their situation was rather discouraging.
My natural response was to get angry at God and the whole situation... to start asking “why” again. But the one thing I’ve learned the last 12+ months is that while getting upset and demanding answers may feel empowering temporarily, but it doesn’t really accomplish anything. Same with expecting things to be rational or fair - all it does is lead to bitterness. Our experience with the triplets hasn’t damaged our faith in the Lord, but it has caused us to consider how He interacts in our lives - and how we interpret it. We were so sure about His leading before - that we were supposed to adopt them and stay in Kenya - that it has been difficult to be confident in our understanding of His will since. All we can do is pray for those beautiful children and trust our Heavenly Father to take care of them. If you think about it, we’d really appreciate your prayers for the triplets, and for us.
This past August (2011), we got news that the triplets had finally gone home with their family from the Baby Centre. We were concerned about the situation they would be going into, but the family members seemed genuinely happy about having the kids. It was incredibly hard to know we couldn’t get regular updates on them, but we were hopeful their situation would be better than what we had originally anticipated. We have continued to think about them often and lift them up in prayer.
Recently, we received an update from another missionary family who went to visit the triplets’ family, and the report on their situation was rather discouraging.
My natural response was to get angry at God and the whole situation... to start asking “why” again. But the one thing I’ve learned the last 12+ months is that while getting upset and demanding answers may feel empowering temporarily, but it doesn’t really accomplish anything. Same with expecting things to be rational or fair - all it does is lead to bitterness. Our experience with the triplets hasn’t damaged our faith in the Lord, but it has caused us to consider how He interacts in our lives - and how we interpret it. We were so sure about His leading before - that we were supposed to adopt them and stay in Kenya - that it has been difficult to be confident in our understanding of His will since. All we can do is pray for those beautiful children and trust our Heavenly Father to take care of them. If you think about it, we’d really appreciate your prayers for the triplets, and for us.
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| Still love these kids! |
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We’ve obviously been ready to have children for quite while, but for various reasons, we haven’t been able to have a family yet. We are so happy for our friends and family who have been able to have children, but is has been bittersweet to see others grow their families in the time that we’ve been trying to adopt/get pregnant. Again, it’s hard not to keep questioning and asking “why.”
Though we don’t understand, and may never, we are trying to trust God’s perfect plan and timing. Knowing He has a plan for us is the ultimate comfort in the tumultuous busyness and uncertainty of life. We appreciate your prayers as we continue to journey with the Lord and try to keep on the path laid out for us.
This year has taught me that things don’t have to make sense for me to put my faith in God... that’s what faith is, I guess. I think both of us were excited to be moving on with our lives, but the news about the triplets brought back all those feelings of frustration and doubt. But it also reminded us to be praying for them more, and that our joy should come from the Lord, no matter the circumstances.
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Before we went to Kenya, we knew that going to the mission field was the right path for us; it was so clear in our spirits. Even though going to Kenya was a sacrifice - possibly in terms of having a family, saving money, buying a house, and advancing our careers - we know in our hearts that serving there is what we were supposed to do. We made many great friends, had incredible experiences, and deepened our relationship with God and with each other. We think about Kenya often, and would love if the Lord would lead us back there at some point on our journey.
However, since we came back from Kenya, nothing has seemed quite as clear, but we continue to trust that the Lord has a plan for us. We feel a bit like the Israelites, wandering in the desert before they finally got to enter the promised land. God is more than providing for us, just like He did for His chosen people, but He made them wait for years while He molded their hearts to be ready to enter the land of their destiny. Faith and trust in His timing were key for the Israelites, just as they are for us now.
Though it is a temptation, the fact that we feel a bit like we’re in “the desert” of our journey isn’t an excuse for being complacent. We are excited about seeking opportunities to minister at our new church, and seeing what God has for us as we learn to walk with Him everyday.
However, since we came back from Kenya, nothing has seemed quite as clear, but we continue to trust that the Lord has a plan for us. We feel a bit like the Israelites, wandering in the desert before they finally got to enter the promised land. God is more than providing for us, just like He did for His chosen people, but He made them wait for years while He molded their hearts to be ready to enter the land of their destiny. Faith and trust in His timing were key for the Israelites, just as they are for us now.
Though it is a temptation, the fact that we feel a bit like we’re in “the desert” of our journey isn’t an excuse for being complacent. We are excited about seeking opportunities to minister at our new church, and seeing what God has for us as we learn to walk with Him everyday.
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Thanks so much for taking the time to read our blog. If you’re ever in Central Kentucky, please look us up!
- Cason
- Cason
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| The Ramsay family from this past summer |
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| Mom and Dad Wittig goofing off at Christmas at our house |
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| Cason's sister, Corinn, and her boyfriend, Caleb, at Christmas |
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| Colleen with our beautiful niece, Rose |
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| Kentucky summer evening |
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| Another one of Rose... we love her! |
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| We had to get our belongings from 3 different states before moving to Kentucky |
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| In September, my incredible 92 year old Nana went to be with the Lord. We miss her, but we're glad she's home! |
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