On Our Way

Well, we have said our goodbyes to our California friends and our missionary class.  We have rented out our home, and given away, sold, or discarded all of our possessions, except for what we put in a five-by-ten ft. storage unit and the two suitcases per person to take with us.  We had four months in the Mission House in Los Angeles, preparing for our mission.  It seemed at times that time stood still, and sometimes that it flew by!  Overall, it was a great time of transition for us.  Now we have several weeks to visit family in the Midwest and East Coast before we fly to Cameroon on July 23.

Ten Things We Liked About the Mission House:

·         Huge meals, living in community with great people, lots of fun and laughter

·         Daily prayer in community (including kids), daily Mass in the parish chapel

·         Quality formation classes to prepare us for mission

·         Our three kids and the Powers’ three kids playing so nicely together

·         Pizza and movie nights on Fridays, with big screen and projector

·         Being next to the parish, with basketball courts (Josh loved to play BB every day)

·         Emily learning to ride a bike, and losing a tooth during Good Friday liturgy

·         Walk-in toy closet with lots of games

·         Having a chapel in the house with Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament

·         Celebrating all three kids’ birthdays, Jessica’s first communion, and other events, including our commissioning as Lay Mission-Helpers

Celebrations

What a week.  The kids went to a roller skating birthday party on Friday for their friend Eddie.  As I watched my six year old Emily clomp around the rink with a huge grin on her face, I was very moved by her perseverance.  She would go about 20 feet before she would lose control, start flailing and then fall to the hard surface.  I would wait for the wailing.  But each time she hoisted herself up and kept on going-never losing that beautiful smile.  This quality will serve her well when we get to Cameroon.

Saturday was all about Jessica (almost 8).  Her first communion day.  I was worried that the “princess attitude” would appear and we might have a meltdown.  But once dressed, hair curled and high heels on feet, her focus moved quickly to receiving Jesus. I was so proud of her poise and focus.  She just radiated Christ’s love.  Almost the entire Mission House attended. Our House has been so supportive and loving to the entire family.

Sunday was our commissioning at St John’s next door.  It couldn’t have been lovelier. Each of us made a solemn promise to serve God’s people in the country to which we were assigned.  We received rings inscribed with the Lay Mission-Helpers’ motto “For we are God’s Helpers” (1 Cor. 3:9).  The children received medals of the patron saints of mission—St. Therese of Lisieux for the girls and St. Francis Xavier for the boys. Afterwards we celebrated back at the House with friends and family

So now we are packing, packing, packing and finishing up dr’s apt. We leave on June 6^th for our goodbyes around the country.  We will be visiting between 8-11 states before we head to Cameroon mid to late July.

-Joy

 

One More Month

We have less than a month left of formation.  Part of me wants to stay in the Mission House longer, soaking in all that I am learning.  Another part of me is getting the itch to leave, to experience what we are hearing about from others who have missioned already.  I am so humbled by how much I  thought I knew coming into the program, compared to how little I actually know.

We are also preparing for Jessica's first communion on May 13.  She is so excited.  She is asking so many good questions and is more attentive during the Mass.  All our kids seem to really get that they are not just going because their parents are going, but that they too have been called.  I have a feeling that I will be learning from them how to settle into our new life in Cameroon.

I have let go of so much, yet how can I condense my life into two suitcases for 3 years?  The process of surrender happens in all kinds of arenas.

God keeps revealing just the tiniest hints of what is around the bend.  I can't wait to experience it for Him and with Him.

-Joy

Kids at the Mission House

Greetings!  My name is Joshua Newburn and I’m going on a mission trip to Cameroon for three years in about three months.  Before my family and I came to The Mission House (the place that all of the people that are going on a mission stay and prepare to go), I learned that there would be a kid named Joshua Powers that would be staying with my family and all the other people staying here.  At first, I was a bit uneasy around him and his sisters, Madison and Caroline, but after a while, we became more comfortable with each other—I bet I could put a slug in Caroline’s shirt, but I’m not allowed to come into her room.

It’s a cool coincidence that the ages of the Newburn and Powers’ kids are so alike.  Josh (P)’s birthday is March 9, 2001, and mine is March 19, 2002.  Currently, Jessica is 7 and Madison is 8.  Emily and Caroline are both 5.

           

Most of my free time, I spend playing basketball, chess, and piano with Josh.  We’ve been writing this cool love song called My Girl, and I’m dreaming to sell it and have thousands of people silently singing verses of My Girl while listening to the song on their iPod device.  Ah… that would be the life.

You know, I want to write more, but look (↓), the page has almost run out, and right now I’m feeling a feeling to follow the feeling (say that 10 times fast) to go and play a computer game, so bye! 

-       Joshua Newburn

Formation Program

Hi from the Mission House.  We are about 2/3 of the way through our formation program.  We have had an impressive array of teachers as we learn in the areas of theological formation, personal formation and cultural sensitivity.

Learning to live in community has its challenges, but as we work through our differences, I can feel the Holy Spirit working in me.  The kids love having three kids to play with after school.

Both Pete and I have attended a small faith sharing group back in Rancho Cucamonga, which has been such a blessing.

I traveled home for a few days to visit my mother on Cape Cod after she fell and broke her leg, just a few weeks after she had a hip replacement.  It will be hard to be away from family while on Mission, but my call to go has not wavered.

-Joy