Sharing some pictures :)

This is where we live. We  are on the top floor . A very kind widow lives underneath us.

We got a puppy for the kids. She is a french poodle and they named her "Daisy".

Alayna got a cat of her own. Her name is "Ginger".

The view out our kitchen window!

Doing "Nature Study" in the backyard.

These are just a few pictures that we had posted on Facebook but I know not everyone is "on" Facebook so I thought we'd post them here too. More to come as we settle in! :) ~kim

Sipping Water From A Fire Hose

We live on the 2nd floor.

Our first week of language school is complete and after a weekend break where we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord and Savior we have started our second week of language study.  Realizing our child-like state in this endeavor we are mentally exhausted, but press forward.


A fellow student appropiately described the first few weeks of Spanish learning: "It's like trying to sip water from a fire hose."  What an excellent description of how Kim and I both felt this past week.  Eager to learn we began soaking in the language one drop at a time while simultaneously drowning in the vastness of the Spanish vocabulary, gramatical rules, and exceptions coming our way.

 We Praise the Lord for the time and opportunity to concentrate on learning the language, and trust the Lord will use it in us for years to come!  Thank you for your prayers and support during this time of learning.    

Carolyn & Gray in the backyard

      

Lost in Translation

Down the street from our new home in Ecuador is a local pizza shop.  One evening a day or two after moving into our home Alayna and I ventured out for a taste of the local flavor of pizza.  Upon arriving and deciding what we should order, a family size cheese pizza, I began to order entirely in my limited Spanish.

I said, "Uno queso pizza familar por favor."  Right away I knew something was wrong because the pizza man said "no" which I quickly translated into English to mean "no."  However, I did not understand what exactly was "no".  So I said, "Si, solo queso pizza."  The man responded, "no queso."  I then pointed toward the menu where it clearly stated they sold quesso pizza, at which point the man said something very fast and long.  I looked bewildered at Alayna hoping she might I have understood some of what he had said and asked her "What did he say?"  The man then responds, "Oh, you are American I thought you were from Europe or something."  

After a brief laugh over the incident we were able to order in English.  The pizza mans name is Ray.  He is from Ecuador, but lived in the U.S. for 20 years.   Not only did we find a good pizzeria just down the street, but also found a man we can communicate with as we are learning Spanish.  Pray for Ray as we hope to talk with him more in the future. Also, continue to pray for us as we begin full-time language learning on Monday.       

We Come To Go!

It is hard to believe we have only four days left in Memphis before we leave for Ecuador. Excitement fills our hearts as we follow God into this next chapter of our lives, but as we reflect on the past five years our hearts grow sad thinking about leaving so many good friends. Yet, we know everyone who has come to study at Mid-Ameica has indeed Come To Go!

We Come to study, learn, and earn a degree.  We Come learning To Go "to all the world for Jesus sake" that HE might be known and that HE might have preeminence...(Colossians 1:18b).  We cherish our time here at Mid-America, but know that our time has moved from the Coming to the Going, and taking the mighty name of Jesus with us as we Go!

We Came full of pride and reliant on our own abilities. We Go humbled, broken, and reliant on HIS grace!  We Go knowing His grace is sufficient as we learn Spanish, adjust to a new culture, and are given opportunities to share HIS love with many in Ecuador!

Often people have asked: what are you going to do in Ecuador? At which point I generally respond with something like; focus on discipleship, train pastors, and plant churches.  All these are worthy goals for our ministry, but as I reflect on all the Lord has taught us this past year I think now if asked the same question I would simply reply, "yield daily and depend on GOD's grace as we Go."  Pray we do!

Newsletter (February 2012)

• 
  

  A YEAR IN REVIEW

  
  
  February - marked our one-year anniversary with Global Outreach
  
• March: I (Brad) stopped working with the Memphis Police Department
  
• April: sent out 1st newsletter
  
• May: began traveling, speaking at churches and to individuals
  June - August: stayed busy speaking at churches and the Lord blessed our efforts
• September: Kim and I and Gray traveled to Ecuador
  
• October: Brad traveled to Ecuador with Reaching & Teaching for a week of training indigenous pastors
  
• November: Missions fairs at Global Outreach Int. and our home church (Kirby Woods Baptist Church)
  
• December - January: Still speaking some but making
  our final preparations to fly out
  
  

A lot has happened since our last newsletter. Some good and some bad, but in all things we rejoice in the Lord for HE is faithful! In December we found out Kim was expecting again, but sadly on January 26th, just 12 days before we were set to move to Ecuador, we found out our baby (Rose Mercy Savage) did not have a heartbeat and had gone to be with the Lord. We rejoice in the life God gave us even for a short time and know we will meet her in Glory.


A week later Kim began the process of the miscarriage; however, she had
complications and lost a lot of blood. She lost 4 pints of blood and her blood pressure was really low. She was taken to the ER in critical condition. Two pints of blood and
seven IV’s later she began the recovery process. Praise the Lord! She is home resting now, and getting a little stronger every day.


Regarding the financial support needed, the Lord has blessed us and we can leave once Kim regains her strength. Thank you for your continued prayers and support as we move to Ecuador.


Send Donations To:
Global Outreach International
P.O. Box 1
Tupelo, MS 38802
Account # 3377

Plans (Part # 5): What a Difference a Year Can Make!

It was February 6, 2011, Super Bowl Sunday, when Kim and I and Gray traveled an hour and a half southeast of Memphis to the headquarters of Global Outreach International in Tupelo, MS.  It was the beginning of a week of orientation and training prior to starting our support raising efforts.

At the time I (Brad) was employed with the Memphis Police Department, and my plans were to continue working full time while we were raising support.  However, about mid way through the week one of the trainers was speaking on fund raising, and stated that some of us would need to go home and resign from our jobs in order to raise support.  At that moment it was as if the Lord was speaking directly to me, but I was resistant and fought the idea.  

The thought of leaving my livelihood with no known source of income coming in brought me a great deal of fear and anxiety.  Yet, I knew the Lord was leading me to do just that, but I did not think it was reasonable.  After all I have a wife and children to take care of.  During one of these arguments with God He spoke to me telling me I did not love my wife and children as much as He did and that if He was leading us in that direction and He would provide.  With much encouragement, prayers, and support from Kim I resigned from the MPD in March not knowing how we would pay for rent or groceries.  

It has been almost a year since Kim and I went to the training at Global Outreach, ten (10) months since I resigned from the MPD, and eight (8) months since we began raising support.  In that time we have never gone hungry, never missed a bill payment, and been blessed both financially and in prayer by of dozens of people and churches.  The Lord has taught us to rely (trust) in Him for our every need, and to glorify Him in all things recognizing every good thing comes from Him!

Praise the Lord! 

We are excited to announce our departure date.  We are set to leave for Ecuador on February 7, 2012. Thank You all for your continued prayers and support of our family and God's calling on our lives. 

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord. 

- Psalm 40:3

Prayer Needs Pray as we make our final preparations to move to Ecuador. Pray the Visa process goes smoothly & on time. Pray our family van sells prior to us leaving. Pray our focus is continuously on the Lord & His Kingdom & His righteousness. Praises Praise the Lord as we celebrate our 16th anniversary on December 2nd! Brad & Kim December 2, 1995 Praise the Lord as we celebrate Kim’s __ birthday on December 7th!

Brad & Kim December 2, 1995
at Shirley Hills Baptist Church
in Warner Robins GA

Thanksgiving is the time of year people reflect back on the previous year and give thanks to God for all He has done.  What a difference a year makes!  This time last year I was still working for the Memphis Police Department even though I had graduated from Mid-America earlier in the year.  Our dreams to become missionaries with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention had just come to an end.  Yet, we still felt the LORD had called us to serve Him as foreign missionaries and had begun following HIS lead searching and praying about how we might obey HIM.

We were led to join a missionary organization in Tupelo, MS named Global Outreach International, and in February of 2011 became a part of their missions’ family.  Within a month of then I had left the police department and we began raising support full-time. 

In the months since the Lord has taught Kim and I more about who HE is and how to depend on HIM more than any other time in our lives.  We are humbled as we see the Lord working in and through us, and give HIM all the glory for everything that has happened over the past year and acknowledge our continuous need for HIM in the coming year.

Recently I was talking with a good brother in Christ and he was telling me about a sermon he had listened to that used the words to describe believers as “Honored Failures.”  Since then I have thought a lot about this term, and contemplated its significance as a follower of Christ, and have two observations concerning being an “Honored Failure.” 

One, we are honored by God despite of our sins and our failures by having the righteousness of Christ applied to us through HIS blood.  Two, even as HIS followers we are fallen and incapable of righteousness apart from HIM and we should always seek to HONOR the name of Jesus with our voices, our time, and our lives.  Recognizing it is only in HIM we have anything to boast about, and could complete nothing apart from HIS grace and strength working in and through our lives.  

New News

We are finishing all the necessary paper work for our visa’s to Ecuador & should have them in about 4 weeks.  Once we have our visa’s we can purchase our plane tickets. Our hope is to still leave sometime in January.

We are currently a little over 93% of our monthly budgeted goals pledged.  Numerically this means we are only $350.00 shy of our $5,000.00 a month budget goal. This budget reflects both salary & ministry expenses.

We want to THANK EVERYONE who has prayed and/or given to us these past months, and to those who support us monthly.

We only need 14 new $25.00 a month commitments to be fully funded.  We ask you to prayerfully consider supporting us monthly. Let us know of your commitment by sending back the card included in the envelope, or write a note telling us of your commitment and send it to: 

Global Outreach International

P.O. Box 1, Tupelo, MS 38802

Account # 3377 (Brad & Kim Savage

Thank you for all of your prayers & financial support!  Have a Merry Christmas!