The Land Down Under

Sorry I haven't posted already. We've been in Australia for two days now. I plan to being daily posts about what we do as soon as we get back from camp. This whole week we will be at Teen Camp and I don't believe I will have internet access. I might, but I'm not sure. If I do, you will see a whole lot more posts about daily happenings, if I do not, you won't hear from us until Friday.

As far as our trip goes, we had the best trip you could ask for. Absolutely no problems. All of our bags arrived and all of our flights were early. We did not have to rush to make any connection. I thank you for your prayers on that matter. God is good and we know He helped make our trip as stress free as possible.

When we arrived, Steven Maldoff wasn't even there to pick us up yet because "the Mildura flight never arrives early!" he said. But wouldn't you know, there is always a first time for everything, we left and arrived five minutes earlier than scheduled. Luckily, he arrived before we collected all of our bags so we weren't waiting long.

It was great to see the Maldoffs, Steven and Christy haven't changed a bit, but all three of their girls grew at least a foot (I may be exaggerating. But their oldest daughter is now taller than Amy and she's 10 years younger!)

We had Australian sausages and chips (French Fries, but so much better than fries it is hard to explain, you just have to have some) for tea, which is their more common term for dinner. I remembered how much I missed Australian food. I hate American sausages. I can't stand them. Yet, there is something about the Aussie sausages that I love. It was a great first meal.

The next morning in church we had a great time seeing old friends and meeting A LOT of new ones. As a matter of fact, most of the people we knew were out of town on holiday and won't be back until next week! It felt like going to a brand new church. Since we have been here, the church has more than doubled in size and the ministry is going exceptionally well.

This morning we leave for Teen Camp. It's about 5-6 hours away from Mildura, so we'll be on the road for the most part of the morning and afternoon. Camp is always a great time for teens to pull themselves away from the influences of the world and focus on Jesus Christ. This week, will you pray with us for teens to make decisions either for salvation or dedication to Christ?

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Thousands of Miles

When last we left you, we were at BIMI, Baptist International Missions Inc. in Chattanooga, TN. We've been so busy, I haven't even had time to write about that experience first!

I will summarize it all by saying our first day there was like trial by fire. They ran us through the gauntlet. We started the day with a doctrines quiz. Following the quiz we had a class or two on different policies and procedures. That afternoon was our screening exam. We all waited patiently in a room for hours until it was our turn to go into a little room with two directors and a pastor. We were asked all sorts of questions, but 15 minutes later we were done and approved from them.

Then came the real test...or so we thought. That night, dinner, we went before the board of directors. It was about 24 pastors from all over the country. They made it sound like this was the most difficult part of the entire night. At the very least, it was certainly the most intimidating. However, Amy and I were only asked where specifically in Australia we are going and what degrees we were currently pursuing. That was it. After that, we were fully accepted as BIMI missionaries. The rest of the week was classes 8-5, learning how to be a missionary and how to keep track of our finances mostly.

We traveled back home to Pennsylvania for a week, stopping by the New River Gorge in West Virginia on the way back. We made an interesting contact while there, a pastor noted how Amy and I dressed and left a note on our car windshield. Lo and behold, it was a pastor I was planning on calling later that week anyway. Is it great how God works?

Back in PA, we spent a few days of work mixed with R&R. Every morning I called pastors and set up a few meetings while the rest of the day we spent relaxing. We needed it. Just a few days later, we were off again, and this time back to Pensacola. In total, we traveled about 3,800 miles on our first "vacation" of the summer. We traveled through places like Paris, Lima, Sydney (Sidney), London, and few other places (all conveniently located in Ohio and Tennessee).

Amy and I had (have) a two week class, in Pensacola, on the book of James. We are both in class together so it makes for nice studying times together. We are enjoying the class, though Amy isn't too excited about the 10 page paper. We have four more days left of class and then we immediately leave for our third and final trip to Australia before returning full-time.

Thursday is our final exam and last day of class. Class officially ends at 1 PM, though we may get out earlier being the last day. Our flight leaves Pensacola at 3:45 PM. We wasted no time and want to maximum our time in Australia. We can't wait, and eagerly await that departure date.

Just a few days away!

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Family, Fun, and More Traveling

The adventure continues. If you thought we were going to get to settle down and relax a little bit, you were wrong. We got home Saturday night, the 26th and left the 30th. Before we left Pennsylvania, we headed to 7 Springs for a little fun with my mom. 7 Springs is a ski resort, but in the summer they've got an alpine slide. My mom found some tickets from years ago that were still good and so we were going to have a great time riding the slide a couple times.


Notice I said were. It was an okay day until we got on the ski lift to get to the top of the mountain. We're stuck on the lift and it begins pouring! As soon as the lift reached the top we jumped off and ran into a shed for cover. Sadly, when the track is wet, they can't run it because of hydroplaning (not good when you're in a concrete tube going super fast down the mountain, trust me). They took us down in a shuttle and we never did get to ride it, oh well.

Yes, I photoshopped this one. I couldn't stop and get out here.

Wednesday, we were off to Sandusky, Ohio. Thursday we spent all day at Cedar Point, the roller coaster capital of the world, with my mom and my aunt. It, too, was scheduled to rain most of the afternoon and it didn't look good, but a lot of praying was answered with a perfect day by the time the park opened.


Perfect in that there was no rain and the sun poked out a bit, not so perfect in that it was 58 degrees. Especially when you consider that the coasters ran at 60+ mph, the wind made it substantially colder. But it was still a great day.


Friday, we headed to Hebron, Kentucky for Answers in Genesis's Creation Museum. You can read my other blog post at Media Missions to learn more about some of the amazing design in the museum. The museum was great. We spent two days there, and this was sort of our Anniversary trip. Our anniversary in Monday, June 4th, but we'll be taking a doctrines test, going through screening, and being presented before the BIMI board of trustees. They tell us it's the most stressful and pressured day of the week. Whoopee! Happy Anniversary!

The museum is definitely a must visit for any church group. We met up with a pastor friend of mine who had brought 28 people from his church. Now that's a big group! They've got information about dinosaurs, Creation, the fall of man, Noah's Flood, the Ark, and much more. It's a must see! Did I say that already?

Anyway, we're at BIMI, Baptist International Missions Inc., gearing up for an intense week of training. We'll see you when it's over!

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Traversing the East Coast

Amy and I began our journeys in Pensacola Christian College on Friday, May 25th. We both got out of work early and left Pensacola roughly around 2 PM. We had a 4-5 hour drive ahead of us. Our goal was reaching Newnan, Georgia (just south of Atlanta) to visit my sister.

We arrived around 7:30 PM (after an hour time change). It was really great to be able to get off of work almost three hours earlier than originally planned. This allowed us to spend an extra three hours with my sister. We spent the night in Georgia and got on our way around 8:30 AM. Now, we had a 12-hour drive ahead of us.

We had two choices. Take I-75 and go through Tennessee and West Virginia with beautiful mountain landscapes or take I-85 and go through the Carolinas and have a flat, boring drive. The Carolinas would get us in 30 minutes faster, but the other route would be more to look at. Either way, Amy had never been through ANY of those states. We opted for the more beautiful route, even though it took us a little longer.

Amy laughed at my claim of mountains. Being from Utah, she is used to mountains at almost 6,000 feet elevation. You know, the type that have snow on their caps almost all year round. The Appalachians could hardly stand up to that test, but there were a few she was willing to classify as mountains.

We arrived at my home in Pennsylvania a little after 9 PM. We were happy to arrive, and got settled in. The next couple of days featured visiting old friends and family that I haven't seen in almost 2 years. After being home for a bit, our exciting adventures are about to begin. We've got three fun and exciting places to visit before beginning BIMI Candidate School on Sunday. I'll update you on those after it's over.

Tune in next time for the latest adventures of the Jolly Gnome.

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The Adventures of the Jolly Gnome

Our summer is about to begin, and, boy, is it PACKED. Amy and I will constantly be traveling from now until August. Tomorrow, Friday the 25th, begins our summer vacation. Work is over, school is over, and it's time for a little R & R...yea right.

Our journey begins here, in Pensacola. Because of the variety of places, and countries, we'll be visiting, we bought a Travelocity Gnome to help document our travels. He'll be featured in all of our articles from now until the end of summer. We leave Pensacola tomorrow after work and head towards Pennsylvania (my home), but before we arrive we'll be taking a detour in Georgia to visit my sister.

I wouldn't want to spoil the excitement of where were going just yet, but suffice it to say that we'll be spending significant time in 5 states in 1 week's time. We'll keep you posted as we go. Our posting will become far more frequent now. Life will no longer be the boring same old, same old of every day life. The adventure is about to begin!

Please pray for our travels. We'll be covering at least 2,000 miles over the next week and half, with another 1,000+ in the weeks following. Pray for safety and speed (not breaking the law speed, but no traffic jams or accidents that delay our drive). For many of you reading this, we'll be seeing you in the next couple of days! We can't wait to see all of you who are home.

Also, the first half of Team Australia 2012, Daniel Kim, has arrived in Mildura, Australia. He left Monday and arrived Tuesday night (our time, Wednesday afternoon their time). I spoke with him last night and he arrived safely with no problems at all. Check it out his blog if you are interested in following his progress over the 5 weeks before we arrive.

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It's Over: What's Next?

A friend of mine recently posted on Facebook that he's been to 3 continents, 11 countries, 48 states, graduated from college, acquired a master's degree, started an online business, and is leading a missions trip and he's only 23. He asked: What's next?

That question is similar to what I'm thinking. Now Amy and I haven't graduated from my Master's program just yet, nor have we been to as many states and countries as he has been to, but we've accomplished a lot. We've finished another semester. Finals are done. Thank you all for praying. They went well. Our projects are complete and turned in. Another year is over, and the question that has been asked is: "What's Next?"

Recently, in an email, I told you that we have been invited to attend Candidate School with Baptist International Missions Inc. I wanted to share with you a little bit more about that. The reason that we have chosen BIMI as our mission board is because their doctrines and standards align with our own and because missionaries Steven and Christy Maldoff, whom we plan to assist, are also sent by BIMI. As part of their deputation process (which is a fancy term for raising support), we are required to attend Candidate School twice on two separate occasions. The first time we attend will be week one, and the second time will be week two which takes place a year later. I haven't been to one yet to tell you what it's all about, but from what I understand it's a training program intended to prepare you for the mission field as well as for deputation.

We will be attending our first week this summer. The very first day of the Candidate School is an interview with their board of pastors. They'll have opportunity to question us and then make a decision on whether or not to accept us as missionaries. Upon acceptance, we'll be able to stay the rest of the week and participate in the training program. Candidate School is June 3rd through June 8th.

Before that, though, Amy and I will be returning home to Pennsylvania to visit with my family and friends. A few days into our vacation, we'll head out to Candidate School, and at the conclusion of that we'll return home to PA again for about a week. On June 16th, Amy and I will be returning to Pensacola for a summer class that lasts two weeks. The final day of that session, Amy and I will be boarding a plane for LA, and ultimately, Australia two hours after class is dismissed.

We've got a busy summer ahead of us, and we ask that you continue to remember us in your prayers.

Don't forget, if you haven't check it out yet, I started a blog designed to help pastors and churches improve their media and design. It's called Media Missions.

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The Laborers Are Few

Missions Conference at Pine Forest Estates Baptist Church was a blast this past week. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to participate and we had a great time. This was my first official missions conference I was able to attend since the PCC ones don't really count. It was also the first missions conference I have ever participated in. After this experience, Amy and I look forward to being in many more and cannot wait for deputation to begin.

As I already wrote, we kicked off the missions conference Wednesday night with a video from BIMI called "Open Their Eyes Dear Lord," but the conference started weeks before as we started making preparations in Missions Committee meetings. We organized several dinners, arranged for decorations, and planned on special events throughout the week.

Thursday featured a video from the Troy Lewis family regarding their mission to Belize, they shared their testimony of how God had called them to the mission field in the middle of their life as a family. They had stable jobs, a home, and their kids are reaching their teenage years. When God called them, they left it all and have not looked back. It took an amazing step of faith to leave everything you know. It reminds me of Abraham whom God called and said, "Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:" (Gen. 12:1). Just as Abraham followed God by faith (Heb. 11:8), so the Lewis's will do the same. Following the Lewis's presentation, BIMI Caribbean Director Gary Sprunger gave a challenge from the Word of God.

Friday was time for Amy and I to share our presentation. We had already shown our video to the church about a month before when we asked them to pray and support us for our short term summer missions trip. This time, we showed slides and talked through them to give the church folk a better understanding of exactly what we will be doing this summer. We also had a special treat planned when we brought in Missionary Steven Maldoff live from Australia through Skype video technology. At the conclusion of my presentation, I gave a brief challenge to everyone, asking them to all be willing to go to the mission field. Not everyone is called to a foreign field, but certainly everyone ought be willing to go wherever God may lead them.

Following my presentation, Gary Sprunger spoke on Faith Promise giving. If more churches operated on faith promise, their missions budget and missionary numbers could increase. Through this system, members of the church place their faith in God to supply their needs and they promise to give a certain amount each month to missions that they hadn't been giving before. We were given two days to pray about what God would have us pledge to give before making a decision on Sunday during the morning service.

Saturday began with a church work day in preparation for our Homecoming service next Sunday, however, that didn't stop the missionaries from getting involved. Both the Lewis's and the Liedtke's were there helping us work hand in hand to accomplish the tasks we had planned. We pulled a fence out of the ground, filled in the holes, and raked up most of the leaves on about 2 acres of the property. There were enough leaves for about 4-5 truck beds full. Saturday evening was our International Dinner and Missionary Panel. There were over 100 in attendance and the food was amazing. Amy prepared an authentic Australian Meat Pie thanks to Andrew and Sarah Budimir who gave us the recipe! Everyone loved it, and I'm thinking we might start making that more often.

Sunday was the final day of our Conference and it was a very busy day. It began with me teaching Sunday School to our Life Action Class (I have to watch myself, but they are the grandparents). Amy and I shared little bit more about the Australia culture with them, and then I gave a lesson on Faith. We looked at Mark 11 and Matthew 14 as we examined why we should have faith and how to exercise that faith. I challenged them that the only way to please God is through faith (Heb. 11:6) and that by showing faith they could experience the almighty power of God in their lives (Mk. 11:23, Matt 14:29). I concluded with another challenge to be willing to go to the mission field if it was God's call on their lives. I used missionary John Allen to Papua New Guinea as an example of someone their age who was willing and accepted God's call to missions only a few years ago.

During the morning service we had a Children's International Parade where all the children dressed up into clothes from around the world. Afterwards, Gary Sprunger spoke again and we took up our Faith Promise offering where we turned in cards pledging, between ourselves and God, to give a certain amount a month toward missions. Following the morning service, we (the missionaries) had lunch at the church. We had also had dinner provided for us by the Sunday School classes on Wednesday through Friday.

Sunday Night was the final service. Our children's Sunday School gave their Faith Promise which was a penny offering we had taken all month. They raised over $100 for the missionaries. The Mark Liedtke family then showed their missions video and Mark preached afterwards. He used his talents as an artist during his message by giving a chalk talk. At the end of the night, Pastor presented each of the missionaries with gifts from the church for being there this week. After the service, we all packed up, said our goodbyes, and everyone headed home or to wherever they were going next.

We will miss Missions Conference. It was great getting to know the Lewis's and Liedtke's better and we will miss them. Hopefully, Lord willing, we will see the Lewis's again in June at Candidate School (we are eagerly awaiting a letter let us know if we are invited to Candidate School). Our lives have been busy these past few days, and now we can take some time to slow down a bit. But not for long! Finals are just around the corner (a little over 1 week away). Continue to pray for us as we finish out the semester.

I finished the last post with this verse, and I wanted to list it again. It's the title of this post, and it is so true. It's not an option, it's a command, and if more people prayed and obeyed it, we would have a lot more missionaries like the Lewis's and the Liedtke's. Luke 10:2 "Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest."

Traver Freeman

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