Chapter 46 - Home on the Range
Adjustment to life back in the States proves difficult. It’s like moving from nitty-gritty life to Storybook Land. There are manicured lawns, beautiful houses, and elegant malls in Colorado Springs. Cleanliness, order, wide streets, clean air. We know we are living in the right city but are not clear why. In Malaysia our purpose was well-defined…here in Colorado we only know to find a good church, support ourselves, and eventually send Nick off to college. It’s an in-between time before returning to full time missions. And I feel a little guilty enjoying the good life. Since I grew up overseas as a missionary kid, it somehow seems more spiritual to live with less luxury.
We have spent our nest egg of $3,000 back in Penang…I had slowly relinquished that money, praying, “Lord, this was set aside toward a down payment on another home. But we need to spend it toward rent and food and air tickets home. Give me your faith now, to move forward.”
When we arrive in Minneapolis, Larry’s brother Cy co-signs so we can buy a car. After visiting family we drive southwest to Larry’s sister’s comfortable home in Colorado Springs--Bill and Dorie welcome us warmly. The late 1980’s is a time of recession, building is slow…Larry does not readily find work.
One afternoon I have coffee alone after shopping for a needed light jacket at the Citadel Mall. I sip my coffee slowly, observing well-dressed shoppers. “Lord, what shall we do? We have about $20 left, and Larry needs to find construction work. I need a good nursing job, and the boys need solid schools.”
“I am with you,” the Lord reminds me.
“Yes, Lord. Thank you. But I feel poor right now. Please help me.”
“I will,” He says.
Soon after, puzzle pieces begin fitting into place. Bill and Dorie want to drive round the country in their RV and visit family. “Would you guys like to rent our home for a year?” Bill inquires.
“The rent will be reasonable.”
“Sure,” Larry replies. “We love your home, and this area is beautiful.”
Larry begins to find construction jobs, and after applying to St. Francis Hospital I am hired as a fulltime night nurse in NICU with tiny newborns. In the fall Nick begins eleventh grade at Doherty High School and Jared fourth grade at a nearby Christian school. The Lord is answering prayer!
Finding the right church takes a little more time. For months we drive twenty miles north to Larkspur where Tim and Diane Ralph, old friends from Souls Harbor have pioneered New Covenant Church. We love their friendship and the church, but the drive is long. Eventually we begin attending New Life on the west side of town, that has about 1,200-1,500 meeting in a strip mall. Ted Haggard is the young preacher, and Chris Hodges the worship leader/youth pastor who has just arrived in town. “We’re going to have Bible clubs in the high schools,” he tells us. “Nick can help me begin one at Doherty.”
The boys attend New Life’s youth groups, connect with new friends. One named Christopher Beard becomes Nick’s good friend, and they begin attending Tuesday night prayer at Chris Hodges home.
We settle into a routine of work, school, and church in Storybook Land America. “I still wonder why we’re here,” I murmur to Larry one night before we fall asleep. “This doesn’t seem as spiritually needy a place as Malaysia. I can see it’s great for our sons. They’re flourishing in youth group, praying, witnessing. And I’m being used in the NICU with staff and babies, though I’m not proficient yet. But you’ve had to fly twice to California for short building jobs. And we don’t seem to have a real ministry.”
“That’s true,” Larry sighs. “I don’t understand it either. But we do have peace that we’re in the right place. We need to keep praying."
“Well, if this is our home base for returning to missions, we should try to save and buy a home.”
“Sure. It’d be nice to live out in the country, like we were in Elk River. We could rent out the place when we live overseas again.”
One day I find a newspaper ad that reads: BANK OWNED HOME, split entry on 50 acres, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, unfinished basement, with barn. Needs work. $75,000.
I am excited. But walking around the property later with the realtor, we are sobered. The barn looks ramshackle, with junk strewn about. And the home needs lots of work, though it’s only about 10 years old. It seems dark inside. Has there been occult activity in this house?
After walking the property several times and praying, we finally feel peace to offer the $75,000. Our mortgage company makes the bank do several improvements on the home, and during this process we keep saving for the down payment.
The day we close on the property we are exuberant. We drive out to walk the land. Our own home—on 50 whole acres! There are amazing views of the distant Front Range, and windblown meadows studded with prairie flowers. We even like our own Scott Road that blows dust when a car drives by. “Could I have a horse, Dad?” Jared queries, looking around. “We could all ride it.”
“Well, there’s plenty of grazing land,” Larry answers. “We’ll have to look around for one.”
We clear truckloads of junk from the farmyard, and haul debris from the house. A wood ceiling for the kitchen, new counters, wallpaper, rich carpet, and a cleaning to the moss rock fireplace. When we move at the end of the summer we have poured so much toil and sweat into the place it’s truly ours. Each son likes his bedroom, and we have the basement to finish.
In the fall Nick is a senior at Doherty, eventually drives his own car. He runs for class president, and though another better-known classmate wins, we are impressed with his outgoing confidence. Jared enters 5th grade at Peyton School, riding the bus with a mix of rancher and small town-kids. We slowly absorb the Midwest plains culture, even adapting to owning Foxy, the chestnut horse who will not be caught to ride. She is so exasperating Jared eventually agrees we should give her away to someone more persistent. (I later regret we didn’t buy an amiable horse!)
Sunday morning and evening, and Wednesday night we drive the long miles to New Life on the west side of Colorado Springs. The worship is dynamic, the preaching from Pastor Ted clear and powerful. The Lord sometimes uses me in giving prophetic messages—the Holy Spirit is given freedom to move in the gifts.
And as we drive, we review our scriptures. We had begun with II Cor. 2:14 after Chris Hodges preached a sermon from that section of the Word.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ, and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him…
Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
II Cor. 2:14, 3:4-6 NIV
We continue through chapters three, four, and on into chapter seven. The more we memorize the longer the recitation takes, but we find as a family they become our verses, a part of our family DNA.We are living and breathing these truths.
Our passion for missions is also translated into a Friday night prayer meeting at our home. Christopher’s father Bob Beard and other prayer warriors join us to intercede for our church and the nations. As friendships deepen, we feel more at home on the plains. And worship music fills our house as Jared faithfully practices the used piano we bought.
When Nick graduates, we celebrate with a large open house. My parents arrive on furlough from Irian Jaya just in time. Older and worn looking, they still radiate joy. Nick’s other dad attends, quiet and genial. “You’ve done a good job raising Nick, he tells me, smiling. “He’s a fine man. It’s great to be at his graduation.”
“Thanks,” I respond. “We’re glad you could come. I know Nick is so happy to see you. We’re planning on returning to Malaysia when he’s in college.
That summer we begin to send newsletters to raise support for our return to Penang. We lease our home to a nice family. After settling Nick into the dorm at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, we drive to Minnesota to visit relatives and for Larry to do some construction work.
In December we celebrate an early Christmas with Nick, hug him goodbye with tears. He will spend Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa Smith in Arizona. I am beginning to feel feverish as we fly west from Los Angeles to Penang and am anxious about finances. We have only raised $350 a month in support. Leaning back in my airline seat I try not to worry.
“Lord, Jared’s Dalat tuition alone will be $250 a month. I thought you would provide enough support in the last days like you did last time. We don’t have enough to live on, even if we stay at the Penang base. Please take care of us.”
Peace slowly fills my heart. But my fever and nausea worsen as we approach Kuala Lumpur.
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