Life in The Family International

Our van finally bit the dust. I can’t say though that I blame him, he’s been “ol’ faithful” and finally said “enough’s enough.” Well now there’s a great opportunity for the Lord to supply a new one. This breakdown did happen to fall though right on time for a trip Vas and I and our family needed to make to the States. It took a lot of prayer and decision making for us as to how we would get up. We kept having a peace that the Lord was going to show us exactly what to do and that everything was going to work out.

Well, it all did work out and we are here safely, a bus line in Mexico gave us free tickets for most of the way. It was definitely an experience though traveling with 5 children like that, but I have to say not as bad as I thought it would be. The kids were good, very good. There’s this short story that comes to mind every time it gets crazy with the kids and “easy Albert” is my new phrase. At least it makes Vas and I chuckle. Here it is:

“A young father was pushing a baby buggy down the street. He seemed to be unruffled by the bawling of the baby & softly said, “Easy, Albert! Control yourself! Keep calm!” The baby bawled more loudly. “Now, now, Albert, keep your temper!” the father went on. A mother, passing by, said, “I must congratulate you on your self-control. You surely know how to speak to a baby–calmly & gently!” She patted the crying baby on the head, & asked soothingly, “What’s wrong, Albert?” “No, no!” exclaimed the father, “the baby’s name is Johnny. I’m Albert!”

I’m just learning something new about my children every day I feel. I just know I have so much to learn about them, so many ways I can be a better parent, I just wish I could learn it all right now and be the perfect parent to them. Idealistic? Yeah. Unrealistic? Of course. But I know that with God’s help I can be much more than I am. How that has to do with our trip, I don’t know, but I always seem to get on the subject of my children. Here’s a picture of us at the bus terminal waiting for our next bus. It’s blurry but here it is anyway.

Vas and Joni are members of The Family International and are fulltime missionaries in Mexico. Vas helps to organize outreach, writes, records and produces music, plays in a band, performs and does shows, counsels young people and engages in evangelism. Joni teaches her four children, evangelises, performs and does shows, sings and records and assists The Family childcare board. More about Vas and Joni

This entry was posted on Friday, October 28th, 2005 at 5:02 pm and is filed under Family Life. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.