"Before they call... I will answer"

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posted on

February 2, 2018

Happy New Year? Absolutely! 2018 is all set to be a wonderful new year!

Thanks everyone for your enthusiastic endorsement of our 'Rescue Farm' project. It means an awful lot to feel personal excitement through your kind words of affirmation. It's clear that many of you were moved by the message of the "Amen Acres" plaque that we found on the old barn wall.

Isn't God so amazing?!

And you know what? I think God must really love surprises too because the day after I sent the 'Rescue Farm' email, He surprised us again.

Here's what happened

Dec 20th, the day we made settlement on the 'New Farm', Dawn and I, with Rodrick and Jeanette went in to the realtor's office to sign our names on the line (quite a few lines actually) to make the farm officially ours. We were all finished and home by lunch time.

I'd be in denial if I were to say that signing our names on the line for a purchase that size was without its trepidations. Even though we had prayed about it and thought about it and even though we had found the "Amen Acres" sign and felt that God was leading us in so many ways... Even so, when it came right down to it, I know both we and Rodrick and Jeanette keenly felt the weight of responsibility and commitment. Farm payments are not small and so much depends on things outside our control like the economy, weather, continued Family Cow Tribe support and all. We did feel pretty sure we were doing the right thing... but I guess quite naturally we still felt just a tiny niggling down deep inside. Just a tiny question of "are we really doing the right thing, Lord?"

I had my phone on silent during the signing so the first thing I did when we got home was check my messages. The first was from our neighbors, the owners of the house Rodrick and Jeanette have rented ever since they were married 3 years ago. As I listened I started to exclaim out loud, "Praise the Lord! I cannot believe this! This is amazing!" Poor Dawn had to wait until I was finished listening to find out what in the world was so exciting!

The amazing phone message

The message from our neighbor was this: Their daughter had just gotten engaged and is planning on a wedding in a few months. So that means that Rodrick and Jeanette need to find another place to live since our neighbors' daughter and her husband want to live in their farm house after their wedding.

A few weeks ago, news like this would have caused a flurry of anxious questions. Where will Rodrick and Jeanette live? It should be close to our farm. What is available? Should they continue to rent? If not, is there a suitable place nearby to purchase? Can we get this all done in time to be out of the neighbors' place in time? ... In time also for Jeanette's baby which is due in March?

But now, as you can imagine, this news is no problem at all. In fact we all immediately, instinctively sensed it as nothing less than a powerful confirmation of the marvelous, astounding timing and care of our loving God! Just an hour before, Rodrick and Jeanette had bought a farm and a house even though, at the moment, they didn't have the slightest hint that a deadline to find another place to live was looming.

Yes! God is amazing!

I think He's got a sense of humor, too. Amen Acres indeed! Yes, yes, Lord... we get it! :)

"And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." ~Isaiah 65:24

Wishing you all a blessed 2018!
Your family farmers ~ Edwin & Dawn Shank & Family

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Rodrick & Jeanette are moving to Colombia, South America

Good morning Family Cow friends, Today I have some news that's a bit personal, but it only seems right that you should know. Our oldest son, Rodrick, with his wife, Jeanette, and family are planning to move to Colombia, South America next month. Yes, you heard right. Colombia South America. Just above the equator. We still can hardly believe it either :) Our church conference is starting a new congregation there at the request of local Colombians asking for a Biblical church and faith community. But it's also located on the border with Venezuela, so a big part of their work will be to help relieve the ongoing Venezuelan refugees crisis. This new congregation, "Amigos del Prójimo" (Friends of the Neighbor), is located near the border town of Cúcuta, Colombia. Jeanette grew up in Guatemala, and Rodrick has spent time there so both of them are fluent in Spanish and understand the Latin American culture. For this reason, Dawn and I were really not totally surprised that the mission board thought of them when looking for families to establish the new church plant. Their combination of skills and cross cultural experiences made them seem a natural fit. But that did not exactly make giving them up any easier! We are still working on that process! Here are a few pictures from the area near Cúcuta. Distributing meals to the homeless... Música, anyone? 😉 I'm not sure what the point of this car was, but Rodrick said they heard it coming from several blocks away... Checking out the countryside... Sofia with a new little friend Exploring a mountain road (part of the Andes mountain range) After months of prayer and consideration and several visits to Colombia, Rodrick and Jeanette made the tough decision to answer the call to move there for an indefinite length of time. Though it is hard for us to let them go, we do give them our blessing.One comfort is that Rodrick is not abandoning The Family Cow. With today's technology, he'll still be able to do much of the management work and accounting work that he has done before... so this change shouldn't necessarily impact you, but it will represent some definite changes for our family and team.Rodrick plans to work remotely, doing many of the same business administration duties, but he will turn over the General Manager role to his younger brother Wesley. Rodrick also plans to continue giving management support to the Olde Tyme Meats butcher shop team.The other four brothers tell Dawn and I not to worry about the farm and business management, but I know there will be changes. We'll just need to find our way one step at a time.Dawn and I are not sure who's making the greatest sacrifice—the ones staying or the ones moving. :) I guess it is all of us. And that's ok.As far as Rodrick and Jeanette's Amen Acres farm, if all goes as planned, we'll have one of the other brothers live on that farm to manage the care of the grass-fed beef and pastured pork.There is no doubt about it... we will greatly miss having Rodrick and Jeanette, Andre, Clara, Sofia and Leo nearby. But they remind us that airplanes fly both ways, that they will return a few times a year for visits, and that we of course can come down to visit them too.Who knows—maybe someday Rodrick and Jeanette can grow cacao beans and make single origin organic specialty chocolate for our Family Cow tribe. How neat would that be? Don't think it's impossible. Just last week we introduced single origin organic coffee straight from Jeanette's family in Guatemala. :)In spite of unknowns, some things never change. We do know that "all things work together for good to those who love God." (Romans 8:28) So... we'll just focus on loving God and we'll trust Him to work out the good that only He knows! Faith, Hope and Love,Your farmer - Edwin for Dawn too

"Before they call... I will answer"

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