Posted in Ohio by Margie Termeer on 12/16/2010
I'm in Ohio. Have been for almost 4 weeks. This is the point
where we would be moving to our next country. So it's still a little weird to
sleep alone in a full sized bed and actually have a closet and accessible warm
shower. But home is good. It's very snowy in Ohio, uncommon for this time of
year, but it's been nice getting ready for the holidays. And although it's
cold, snow definitely puts me in the Christmas mood.
Some of my family came to visit last week. My World Race
family. Ever since Tyler figured out that my house was a mere two hours away
from the "A Christmas Story" house, he's been talking about a road trip.
So he and Brook, both from Alabama, made it happen. And a
very enthusiastic Bek decided to fly in from California and join the fun.
We went to the Christmas Story house in Cleveland. It was
perfect. There were several inches of snow on the ground and it was snowing
exactly like it did in the last scene of the movie on Christmas night. Tyler
was in heaven.
Bek, Brook and I had worked with a couple in Thailand who
were in Ohio for the holidays. So we packed up and headed over to see them and
their two adorable kids.
I wondered if this visit would be weird. All of a sudden
integrating my pre-race life with the people that watched me change over the
past year.
There wasn't a moment where it was awkward. I talked to an
old friend on the phone and she asked if it was strange or hard to have these
people at my home.
No. It was easy, like the Staples "that was easy" button.
They know me so well, that it doesn't matter where we are, or what we're doing.
We experienced so much together that we became family. And with family,
situations don't matter. I can be anywhere with them and it will feel like
home.
So Thank you, Bek, Brook and Tyler. Thank you for being my family.
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Posted in Romania Debrief by Margie Termeer on 11/19/2010
"Another summer day
has come and gone away
in Paris and Rome
but I wanna go home..."
We're coming home.
It seems crazy that after 11 months of being outside of the United States, we will be landing tomorrow night in New York City. And soon after that, I will be driving back to Ohio.
Back to home.
I wish I could explain everything in a blog.
I wish I could explain everything in a conversation.
The thing is, this year changed my life.
The people I lived with changed my life.
The people I saw and met changed my life.
God changed my life.
And that is not something that can be portrayed in a blog or a conversation.
It would take a book and millions of conversations to even scratch the surface.
I lived in 11 countries this year. I have stamps in my passport from 20 countries.
Talk about a crazy year.
Or a crazy life.
The best I can do in a blog is share several moments from the year. These are a small picture of who N squad is and what God let us do.
NEW ZEALAND
We started our race in an unconventional way by spending our days with the "inner city" kids of NZ, taking them on fun trips to the beach and various site-seeing places around Auckland.
AUSTRALIA
There was a night of worship with 30 racers. It concluded with my teammate Emily yelling at Satan to quit lying to her and that was the night she found insane amounts of freedom in Christ.
PHILIPPINES
God let my hold a woman for 20 minutes one night. She had been kicked out of her home that day and wasn't even allowed to step foot in the community.
MALAYSIA
Jake and I spent an afternoon attempting to read the Malay Bible to a group of women. While I'm sure they didn't understand everything we said, another message of God's love was very clear.
THAILAND
I found myself standing in a hospital room with 50 children and their parents, singing "Amazing Grace" to a little boy.
KENYA
My team walked away from Mildred's home longing to build her a new one. God let us raise the money over the next few months and Mildred is currently building her home in Kitale.
TANZANIA
The women of the church in Tanzania thanked us for spending our Tuesday afternoons with them. They honored us by giving us African fabric and throwing us a party before we left.
UGANDA
God rocked our worlds by allowing us to see village after village of people who would sit and listen to the Gospel story. And because of Him, several of the people we met came to Christ.
UKRAINE
We were able to honor our contacts by throwing them a huge Christmas bash. We brought home to an incredible family that has lived in the Ukraine for 5 years. And we got to have crazy fun in the process.
MACEDONIA
We watched "The Book of Eli" with a Muslim family in their home. 9 people were living out God's love in a very real and practical way and he opened numerous doors for us.
MOLDOVA
We were able to do something practical, in giving away food and helping a woman chop wood for firewood. Sometimes something simple is all it takes.
It's been a crazy year.
And the only thing I really have left to say is thank you.
Thank you for your support, your encouragement and your prayers.
It is because of all of you that this year and all of these things plus more even happened.
I'm coming home.
I'll see you soon.
Thank you.
"Another aeroplane
another sunny place
I'm lucky, I know
But I wanna go home
I wanna go home."
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Posted in Moldova by Margie Termeer on 11/16/2010
We have done home visits a lot this year. In every country they look different. Sometimes we would do two a day and stay for an hour or so talking with people. Sometimes we fit in 6 in a morning and spent 5 minutes talking. It all depended on the country, the contact and the culture.
In Moldova we trekked all over Cornesti with really heavy bags of food. We loaded up our purses or backpacks and went for a walk until everyone had given away what they carried.
One day, we walked and dropped off food, praying for the people only if they were home. At the very last house, there was an adorable babushka sitting outside and it almost felt like she was waiting for us.
We gave her a bag of food. Michelle prayed for her. And then we noticed the pile of wood sitting next to her. Our lovely translator, Veronica, asked if we could break up the wood so she could have some for the fire. And with 7 of us there, it took a grand total of 2.9 minutes to accomplish that seemingly small task.
We said our goodbyes and there were tears in the babushka's eyes as Michelle and Catherine kissed her before they left.
I walked down the street behind everyone else, thinking.
I've seen a lot this year. I've hugged a lot of kids. I've spoken to a lot of people. On rare occasions, I've gotten to be hospitable at times too. There have been moments where me or my team has literally made someone's day or month or year.
I thought back to this babushka we just helped.
It was so simple, so quick, and yet I could tell that we had made her day.
And if it cost me $14,300 to travel all over the world for a year to make one person's day. it was totally worth it.
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Posted in Moldova by Margie Termeer on 11/16/2010
I really did chop down some grape trees with an ax. It was the first time we'd really done physical labor on this trip and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would.
If you stick around to the end of the video, there's proof of my ax usage. The video also includes footage of the boys digging a well, some of us girls doing home visits and the afternoons that we spent with the kids in Moldova.
Enjoy!
moldova video from Margie Termeer on Vimeo.
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Posted in Moldova by Margie Termeer on 11/8/2010
Welcome to Moldova.
We've officially stepped back in time, especially when it comes to where we go to the bathroom. We are currently in Cornesti, Moldova with Team SWAT, serving with a local church and living somewhat like we did in Africa.
We visit homes and take food to some amazing babushkas.
We play with the kids from the church.
And the boys are working hard digging wells, chopping wood and building a home for some beavers.
My teammate Christine has some interesting thoughts on the town we are currently in... She is allowing me to share them with all of you.
" 
We are in Moldova - one of the poorest countries in Eastern Europe.
We've been doing farm work including pulling carrots, weeding, and
chopping down grape vines and trees. We've also been putting together
care packages for the poor in the community, bringing potatoes,
rice,...etc along with praying for them. The men in our group has built
two buildings for the breeding of beavers (a source of income here) and
have dug a well. We've also been running a children program consisting
of songs, games, and stories.
This town we are in reminds me of the song "Boulevard of Broken
Dreams" and looks like a ghost town. There are only a few small
buildings- used clothing store and small grocery stores yet it is one
of the larger towns in the community. The streets are completely empty
and people live far apart from each other.
Social norms are very strong here (and maintained through saving
face, shame, false responsibility, fear, gender roles...etc) so there
isn't much freedom to express yourself and your desires. For instance,
there is the expectation to get married by the age of 19 and no later
than the age of 23 otherwise there's no chance of ever getting married
here. It's been difficult for me to adjust here because maintaining
traditions and culture as means of control seems to be more important
than liberty in this community. Of course, we've experienced this in
other countries we've been in, but in those places- there were legal,
economic, or physical penalties for doing certain things whereas most
of the punishment here is social ostracism. I'm not saying that this
doesn't happen in the states as well, but our value for individualism
and pursuing our dreams is so freeing relative to Moldova. Some
communities here are trying to move away from legalism, but there is
still a long way to go."
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Posted in Macedonia by Margie Termeer on 11/6/2010
We came into Macedonia to build relationships. And while I love friendships and talking with people and going deep, it doesn't happen very quickly for me. Some great friendships I have have taken months or even years. I didn't have that kind of time in Macedonia.
Alright, I'm not good at this. But fortunately, my teammate Brook is. She can start conversations with the best of them, and continue to carry them on. I sit there and wonder what in the world to talk about.
So I let her talk. I let her meet our friends at the coffee shop. I let her talk while I sat and listened. I can be her support as we play darts and pool. All the while, I sit there thinking that I'm not very good at this initial building relationships thing. What can I offer this month? Is there something more than simple presence that I can give?
The answer came later in the month. As we prepared to leave, we wanted to give some of our newfound friends a small gift for them and their families. This is where I stepped in. Hello homemade chocolate chip cookies. Perfect.
I felt like I played my part. It's okay to not be good at everything. That's one reason why we have each other. Brook starts the conversations, I support and I can make something for them as we leave. I did leave a part of me there in Macedonia, in those cookies.
A part of me always wanted to be completely independent. In a sense, I wanted to be good at everything. But in realizing that I can't be good at everything, I have freedom to be really good at what God has gifted me in.
Archbishop Romero once said that we can't do everything. And with that knowledge comes a sense of liberation. This enables us to do something and do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.
I can make cookies and let his grace enter and do the rest.
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Posted in Macedonia by Margie Termeer on 10/29/2010
Back track to February 25, 1996.
I remember exactly where I was on my 9th birthday. It was a Sunday and I was standing in the baptismal at my church. My dad talked about how on the day I was born, there were 5 people in the room. And on this day, when I was being born again, there were 200. He baptized me that day, and almost 15 years later, I still remember it as one of the best days of my life.
Fast forward to February 26, 2010.
Fast forward a little more to October 23, 2010.
My teammate Jordan expresses his interest to be baptized on his birthday. And once again, John will be baptizing him. We search in Macedonia for the perfect place. It was a beautiful day in the mountains, but the water was a little cold. Two other teams from Skopje come up to celebrate with us and him. And so on his 25th birthday, Jordan joins the club.
Jordan's Baptism from Margie Termeer on Vimeo.
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Posted in Macedonia by Margie Termeer on 10/29/2010
I learned a lot about hospitality this past month.
We lived in a city outside of Skopje, surrounded by beautiful mountains. We stayed in a home with an awesome third story porch and walked almost everywhere we went. Our contacts were incredible servants, taking us places, cooking us wonderful meals, even taking us on a hike up to a very old castle.
And while we learned a great lesson in hospitality from our contacts, I learned even more from the people we were supposed to be "ministering to."
One of the first days, Brook and Jordan met a young man who ran the coffee shop at the private university we visited. He took them out for coffee, talked about his life, what being a Muslim was like and opened up an invitation to come hang out in the coffee shop at any time.
So we did. We played darts with some of his friends. After he got off work, we would walk down to the pool hall and have small tournaments where more often than not, Brook beat all the guys. Pool Shark.
One of the young men we met invited us over to his house to meet his parents. They provided transportation to get there, which was awesome because his house was halfway up the mountain, and from the moment we arrived, the entire family could not stop being hospitable. They served us coffee, tea, snacks and since we stayed, they went out and got us burgers for lunch. We stayed all afternoon, talking with them, enjoying the view out their front yard of the city, and watching a movie. It felt like I was at a friend's home in the states. It was that comfortable, they were that hospitable.
This same young man met us for coffee or burgers all month long. And he paid every time. Even when we tried to give him money, he refused. The hospitality kept going and going and going.
Even to the point where we were offered cigarettes more times than I could even count. We politely declined, but continued to hang out with our friends, ceasing to care and learning to live with the fact that everyone smokes.
I'm not outgoing. I don't make friends very easily. But God opened my eyes this month. I watched some of my teammates literally jump into relationships with these young men from the university. I firsthand experienced some of the best hospitality I've ever seen. I loved people that I normally wouldn't have given a second glance to back at home.
We tried to serve. We portrayed a view of God and the freedom in Christ he offers so that they could get a different taste from what they had previously been told. Hopefully something stuck. All of those coffees, pool games and hours spent together, I pray that these young men were impacted as much by God and our team as they impacted us through their hospitality.
At the end of the month, I wondered why we hadn't built deep relationships with some of the girls we had met. Plans kept falling through to follow up with them and it honestly left me questioning. I asked Brook about it one day and she made an excellent point. When we leave, our two guy contacts can follow up with these young men we befriended. Any girl would have almost been left in the lurch. I truly believe we met the exact people God had in mind for us to meet. And just because we've left Macedonia doesn't mean He has.
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Posted in Philippines by Margie Termeer on 10/11/2010
My heart broke in the Philippines. Within a 24 hour period, I held a woman whose home had been ripped down and I then held a little 3 month old boy with a cleft lip and palate named Jayson.
(to read about that experience click here:
We left the Philippines praying that Jayson would be able to have surgery thanks to Operation Smile. But we knew that he would need to grow for about three months before the surgery could take place. So since July, Team Malachi has been anxiously awaiting news of little Jayson, continuing to pray for him and his family.
Our spirits were greatly lifted again when a new batch of World Racers launched in the Philippines in September. We heard from our contact there, Emily Myles, that a team and several World Race staff were helping her to get Jayson to and from appointments. The surgery was scheduled, and it was a great day for our team.
There is a huge part of me that wished I could have been there. After seeing Jayson at that first medical clinic in his village, after crying with his mom, after holding him that last day in the Philippines, I wish I could have celebrated with them in person. But I am blessed by the fact that other World Racers got to be there. And here is their story, thanks to current Racer Alecia Dockery...
Jayson with his new smile!
Rise and shine early Saturday morning, it's time to take Jason to his
screening for Operation Smile! The car ride was a quiet one. We were
all so excited, each of us in a prayerful state of what was to come.
I think we all had a much smaller idea of Operation Smile
than we knew. By the time we arrived at 9:30 in the morning
(screenings were from 8-5 only on Oct. 2) there were already 105 people
ahead of us. We were enveloped by families each there with their own
children that had the same severities as Jason. Some much more
developed than others, either way, all sat with smiles on faces and
hope in their eyes.
I'm
not sure what the total number of families seen that day was, but a
mere 2 hours of playing with Jason, talking to volunteers and an
intense game of Phase 10 later Jason was back for his screening.
During his screening he had his own little photo shoot, checked out by
a general doctor, an anesthesiologist, a dentist, a speech therapist
and even looked at briefly by Robert Manzano. [Roberto Manzano is the
President of Operation Smile and he was ecstatic that Jason had a fan
club and even more excited that we were able to partner with OS. He
was quick to tell us, "you keep bringing us your children and we'll
keep fixing them." He was a genuine, sincere and kindhearted man with
a life driven by change.]
After
about half an hour Jason had made it through the rotation of all of the
doctors and we were told that they had a hotline for us to call and
find out if he would be one of the six chosen for surgery Monday. We
found out about three hours after dropping Jason and his mom Jocelyn
off that he was approved and would have surgery Monday, October 4th at
8am.
Monday
mid-morning rolled around and we received a text that said Jason had a
successful surgery and was in post-op shortly to be moved to recovery.
Rise
and shine early Tuesday morning, we were headed to hang out with Jason
and his parents for a bit at the Makati Hospital. As we drove up
looking for a parking spot we see Jocelyn, Gilbert and Jason waiting
outside. They had been released and were about to get a taxi. God's
perfect timing allowed us to give Jocelyn and Jason a ride home and
Gilbert, his Dad, the chance to go to work today. So instead of them
having to pay for a taxi ride home, they were able to go with us. We
took them to lunch and then proceeded to take them home to rest.
I
am beyond joyful to report that Jason looks amazing. His perfect
little lips are going to be even more beautiful and flawless once they
are healed. He has a 3 week recovery period that will probably be
painful for him, but it will mean a lifetime of freedoms he would have
never had before.
The Liberators feel so privileged to carry out what Team Malachi
started and are beyond grateful for the Lord's sovereignty in this
circumstance. We know God has amazing things in store for this family
as they are well loved by their community and Jason's story will be a
driving force of change in their love for God and his deliverance. I
can feel it in my bones."
Thank you all for praying and continuing to follow Jayson's story.
God is so good.
Love wins.
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Posted in Ukraine by Margie Termeer on 10/5/2010
We wanted to do something special for the MacDonald Family before we left the Ukraine, so...
It was the night before Christmas and all through the house, I'm amazed the kids slept so well with all of us banging things around...
There was present wrapping...
Christmas tree making...
Cookie dough specialists...
stockings to be stuffed...
creative minds running...
an outfit for Santa...
and maybe a few fun and games too...
The Christmas Elves even got a sneak peak of Santa before they went to bed.
Christmas morning came bright and early for everyone...
but the MacDonald children were ready...
complete with alter egos as Santa's reindeer...
in fact, everyone took on a character...
whether it made sense or not...
we had reindeer...
a wise man...
in fact, through the whole experience, our team got really close...
After the reading of the Christmas story...
and some sweet white elephant gifts...
Christmas in October was officially concluded...
but we still had fun all day...
don't you worry.
So from Team Malachi and the MacDonald Family...
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
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