2010 Year in Review from the Cravens
The past year brought a lot of transition (typical for a missionary family). At the end of 2009, after much prayer, we resigned from Wycliffe Bible Translators, not knowing yet if we would be invited to be a part of the church planting mission, Mission to the World (MTW). It was a huge leap of faith, but one that we had great peace about, although mixed with great sadness concerning not returning to PNG.
In February we received an invitation to be part of the church planting team in Nagoya, Japan! In March we attended MTW’s Interview and Orientation where we met two other couples (one couple from Asheboro, where Kim grew up, talk about a small world!) who are also raising support to minister in Nagoya. On March 30th Mackenzie turned 10 and in April Kim turned 40 and made her parents feel very old! We also received the very sad news that our pastor and his family would be leaving. They have been very instrumental in our growth in the Lord and we were very sad to hear that the Lord was calling them to another place of ministry, but we totally understood their need to be obedient to the Lord’s calling.
July 6th – 16th Triston and Kim attended church planting training in New York City. We had many wonderful friends and family members who helped out with our kids while we were away (the longest time Kim has ever been away from the kids, almost two weeks total!). When we returned we started packing because our church offered to let us live in the manse (the house our pastor’s family had been living in for the past 13 years). So we moved about 5 miles down the road, just in time for Corrie to have a sleepover for her 7th birthday on August 1st!
In August, Katie (9th grade) started running Cross-Country and did wonderful. She is homeschooled along with Kristi (8th grade) and Mackenzie (5th grade). Corrie attends 1st grade at our church’s Christian school. Kristi loves playing her guitar and is very gifted (if I do say so myself!) and Mackenzie & Corrie love to play with their friends whenever they can and also love playing with their kitty cats (Jack, Indy, Bobo and Little Bobo).
We also made a trip up to Indiana in August to see family and friends, which we always love to do because we don’t get to see them as often as our North Carolina family and friends. It was, however, a bittersweet time because Kim’s uncle had just passed away a few weeks prior to our trip, but it was great to be able to spend some time with Kim’s aunt and cousins and another aunt who was visiting from Texas.
In September Katie turned 15 and in October Kristi turned 14. Katie would love to take Driver’s Ed, but we haven’t ventured down that road yet. Boy does that make us feel old! In mid-October we attended our last MTW training event, Living In Grace. A wonderful week in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina focusing on God’s immeasurable grace in our lives and how to extend that grace to others. It was amazing! Once again, friends and family helped out with the kids because they had school. We have such wonderful friends and family members!
The first weekend in November was MTW’s biannual Global Mission’s Conference in Chattanooga, TN. We are so thankful that we were able to attend this event because we were able to attend our first official team meeting! Our team leaders in Nagoya, the Newsome’s, were able to fly in from Japan to be a part of the conference. The three other couples who are also currently raising support were also attending, along with the couple who started the work in Nagoya, the Young’s, 20+ years ago. It was a very encouraging time to be together as a team, getting to know each other a little bit and just seeing this group the Lord has brought together, with all our different backgrounds, all for His glory!
Our main ministry at our home church has been as Community Group leaders. We love getting together with our small group whenever we can, but it can be challenging with so many busy schedules. Triston has had many opportunities to teach Sunday School, Wednesday night classes and Chapel at the Christian School along with speaking at some Mission’s Conferences and Mission’s Committee meetings at other churches. He is still working on his Bible degree through Moody’s Distance Education program and is close to completing the Bible Certificate! Triston has also been able to work some with a friend who has an electrical contracting business, which has been a huge blessing. Kim stays pretty busy with the family and homeschooling, but also subs at the church Preschool occasionally and helps with Mackenzie’s 5th grade Wednesday night class at church. We are also currently raising support for our assignment to Japan.
We would love to be in Japan by this coming summer, but we must have 100% of our support quota pledged before we will be OK’d to leave. Therefore we are always looking for new financial and prayer partners. Many of you are already partnering with us or have in the past, and we are very thankful! Would you consider advocating for us? Would you ask your church/small group/Sunday School Class/business/etc. if they might be interested in hearing more about reaching the lost millions of Japan for Christ? We would be happy to send you some more information about MTW’s ministry in Nagoya and/or about our family to share, just let us know! If you’re not currently partnering with us, would you prayerfully consider becoming a part of our team?
We are so blessed! Thanks for walking down memory lane with us. It is so good to recall God’s blessings in our lives and to share those blessings with dear friends. You are one of those blessings. Happy New Year!!
Love in Christ,
Triston, Kim, Katie, Kristi, Mackenzie & Corrie
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
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