Packing & Travel

Sorry that it has been so long since we have given an update.  The last couple of months have been very busy times of wrapping things up, saying goodbye, and preparing for the new journey ahead of us.  

The first real goodbye came as Tina stepped down from her position as director at PMI Pregnancy Resource Center’s Greencastle Center on April 16.  After seven and a half years of serving alongside this incredible group of women, it was a very difficult first step, but one that we knew had to be taken in order to move ahead in this journey that God has called us.  

A few days later, Josiah and Tina left on a charter bus with his 4-H Robotics Team, Biohazard 4050, for their FIRST Robotics Championship in St. Louis, MO.  The team finished 30th of 76 teams in their division, since the team is only four years old, we felt like this was a great accomplishment.  It was a great way to finish out Josiah’s last season with the team, here in PA.  

In the weeks following the competition, we finished up the boys’ schoolwork and did a lot of packing, sorting, and cleaning to prepare for the packing of our container.  In addition, we were finishing up the last few weeks of ministering alongside Calvary Bible Church in Greencastle.  On May 17, we shared our last official Sunday with this congregation that we have been privileged to serve with for two years.  When we stepped into this position, we never expected to be with them that long.  We have been incredibly blessed to be able to grow with them through some very difficult and challenging times, but have been encouraged to see God do an incredible work in individuals and the congregation, as a whole.  We look forward to seeing what God has in store for them in the coming years.  

On May 20, we woke up to a 25 foot Penske truck waiting to be filled with all of the items that we are taking to Haiti with us, parked in our driveway.  This task seemed extremely daunting on that morning, but we had some incredible friends and family who came alongside of us and worked tirelessly to put this massive puzzle together with room to spare.  Talk about a huge sigh of relief:) 

The next morning, we woke up and started on the journey to Cape Coral, FL with Tina’s parents, in preparation for the packing of our shipping container.  A caravan of the Penske truck, Tina’s parent’s pickup and trailer, and our minivan made its way with few delays to our destination in Cape Coral on Friday evening, where Tina’s cousin allowed us to stay in their comfy vacation house.   Over the Memorial Day weekend, we took some time out to rest and relax and do some last minute shopping before the container packing on Tuesday, at the RMI office in Lehigh Acres, FL.  Tuesday was a HOT day in Lehigh Acres, Florida!!!  Which meant for a very hot day for those packing inside the 40 foot container!!!  We started the morning by unpacking the Penske truck and starting to move those items onto the container.  When we finished the container packing on Wednesday afternoon, we had successfully loaded three four-wheelers, two motorcycles, miscellaneous furniture and household needs of the other missionaries that we will be working with, the five skids of food to be distributed for those in need, 28 tires, freezer, fridge, washer, dryer, stove, all of our belongings, a van load of paper towels and toilet paper, and miscellaneous other items that are needed for the ministry in Haiti. 

We finished out this trip to Florida with an enjoyable evening with the RMI staff, enjoying some delicious Mexican food at the home of RMI president, Dan Shoemaker, as they prayed for us and encouraged us in this next step on the journey to Haiti.  

Spring 2015 Newsletter

Check out the latest news.  Excitement is mounting in the Nunemaker house!!

Excitement is in the air!

We now have a date!!  We are planning on leaving for Haiti the second week of July!  This means a ton of things have to come together in a very few short months. . . sell our house, purchase supplies, pack our container and so much more.  But GOD has this and we are excited to see how He brings it all together. 

Stay tuned for more details to come!

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Excitement!

There is an excitement in the air!  And not just because of the holidays.  This past Saturday we went to pick up two of the motorcycles we need for Haiti.  What an adventure!  With prayer, ingenuity, and the help of our good friend, Jake, the journey began.  It is surprising how many looks you get from people when you have a motorcycle strapped halfway in your minivan as you’re driving down the highway, in the rain.  And surprisingly, you really don’t get that cold and wet. . . unless your sitting in the backseat like Daniel ;)

A Time. . .

Not too long ago I (Lee) led the funeral services for my Aunt Joan and I spoke from Ecclesiastes Chapter Three.   Verse one states that, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Oh how I am learning that. 

Back in September we had the opportunity to travel to RMI headquarters, in Florida,  for a week of training.  This was a time of enlightenment and brain overload.  It was one of those trips where you try to mix a little “business” with some “pleasure”.  We had to leave early to make sure we took in LegoLand  (with four boys, it wasn’t even an option) and visit I-Tec (a Christian group founded by Steve Saint which aims to provide tools and technologies to God-followers in frontier areas to meet their needs.) This was very cool!  How often do you get to see a flying car first hand?  Yep, that’s right. . . I said a flying car!

We also had a wonderful time, although way too short, visiting with long time friends along the way. We even had the opportunity to participate in an outreach to children in the projects of Jacksonville. 

It’s always amazing to see how God works if we are looking for His hand in our daily life . . . God sightings is what we used to call it when I worked with youth on missions trips.  During the last leg of our journey, while eating breakfast, we met two wonderful ladies from Georgia.  Little did we know that before we would leave, they would give us a donation towards our Haiti support.  But the most exciting part of our time together was when we spent time praying together and giving each other teary-eyed farewell hugs. To us, they were angels, sent by God, to give us the encouragement we needed for the transitions ahead.    

Now here’s the great news! . . . and not so great news. . . While we were at RMI, we had a chance to discuss our future plans and finances, as well as, a timeline for getting us to Haiti.  The great news is that we have had a wonderful group of individuals, families, and churches  who have given faithfully so we have met our one time goal!!  Therefore, we have the money we need to go to training, pack our container, and head for Haiti.  The not-so-good news is that we don’t have enough monthly support to keep us there. So RMI suggested that if we raise 25% more (75% of our goal) they would allow us to go, with the hope and prayer that the remaining 25% would follow.  We would like to take the missionary training course we need in the spring, so we can be on the field by this summer.  In order for that to happen, WE NEED YOU!!  If you have not partnered with us, NOW IS THE TIME!  Or, maybe, like some others have graciously done,  you would prayerfully consider increasing your monthly pledge.  

We are close enough to see a new leg of this journey, just before us, and we look forward to seeing how God will enable us to begin this new time of transition. 

Reflection

I (Tina) just realized this afternoon that this week marks four years since I first stepped on Haitian soil. That thought caused me to go back to all the things that were going on in my heart and mind at that time. My first thought was the silent discussion that I had with God as our team stood before the Otterbein church congregation during our commissioning prayer on the Sunday before we left for that first Haiti trip. I left God know that I was not happy about leaving my four boys at home to go on this missions trip and whatever He did, I did not want him to call our family to Haiti . . . . I didn’t even want to go to Haiti for this week long trip. It didn’t take too long for God to start changing my heart and mind, as you can see from my journal articles just a week or so later.

 

July 15, 2010

Alright, we just spent our last full day in Haiti, or have we? God has really changed my heart about this country. Rob talked to Lee today about the possibility of our moving down here when RMI expands their staff. As hard as it is to think of leaving our family at home, I could really see the boys enjoying living here. It’s definitely something to take to the Lord in prayer, daily.

July 17, 2010

Almost 24 hours home from Haiti. Lots of mixed emotions!! What’s on the horizon? Is God doing something new in us? Can’t wait to see!!

Following this July 17, 2010 entry, we got readjusted to our life here in Greencastle and put the idea of returning to Haiti in the back of our minds as we jumped back into the ministry that we had here. It was about a year later before we would even begin to think much more about the possibility of moving back to Haiti . . . . but God continued to work in our lives.

Wow, my head continues to spin with the thought of all that needs to happen in order for us to make it back again. We said from the beginning, that if God wanted us there, He would work out all the details. Sometimes the wait seems unbearable . . . . but we are continually reminded that it is all about God’s timing, not ours.