I’ll fly out of Wichita the evening of August 22 for Basel, Switzerland. I’ll spend a few days in Basel getting used to the time zone and then continue on to Besancon, France. I’ll stay in Besancon until late October with a host family. During this time I’ll be immersed in language learning as well as enroll in a 4-week intensive French language course with the local university. At the end of October I’ll attend a conference in Portugal hosted by our organization. From there I’ll travel to Bujumbura, Burundi to secure housing and get settled, likely in early November.
Of course things can change, but there’s the plan for now.
Commissioning Prayer
This Sunday, August 5, our church family will offer a prayer as I go out. It would be awesome to have you there if you can make it. Services are 8:30AM, 9:45AM, and 11:00AM.
First MB Church
8000 W 21st N
Wichita, KS 67212
Thanks again (and again, and again) for your encouragement and prayers,
Details, details, details…I am swimming in details right now.
To God’s great glory I am 100% funded!! A big ‘thank you’ to all of you for your tireless support and encouragement. For the last several months partnership development has been my main focus. Bang the drum! Now that God has provided me with my goal I can move on to logistics and details regarding a launch date, language learning, living abroad, and navigating a different culture. And that’s where I have to surrender. It is tough to juggle the thoughts of each one of those items and I have to step back and let God deliver each item in His timing. I’ve been talking about it to you all for so long and I knew it would ultimately get here, but “oh my goodness…goodness gracious” now that it’s here there is so much more to think about (I love this audio, too dramatic????). God is in the details. God is in the big picture. God loves to see His kingdom at work in bringing the impossible to reality.
Speaking of…about 2 years ago I was asked the question, “what seems impossible to you?” My response…”living on mission full-time…without a job.” It seemed like the most absurd, distant, wacky idea for this guy to live such a life. With God’s provision and your help I’m standing on the launch pad of His reality (Isaiah 26:11).
What can’t HE do???????
Sheesh…I shake my head.
NEXT STEP
Next steps for me are to arrange for language school in eastern France. I’ll do French language emersion for approximately 8 weeks before moving on to Burundi. I’m looking at one-way flights (now there’s a wild experience) and zeroing in on a launch date (sometime in August) and I’ll keep you updated when I know more.
Travis Jost
Project# 0780
My Prayers:
1) I lift up to You, Almighty God, the details of Your plan. I will fill my part but You will guide and prompt me.
2) King of Kings, I ask to be fully present in the moments You gift me and to be Your vessel in those moments.
Bang the drum!!
Roger Clemens “dramatic” return to the Yankees (click on the audio link above)
Hey, remember me. It’s been some time since I’ve updated you.
This past week I was able to close on my house which meant I had to get all my stuff out and into some new space. The problem was, I didn’t have a ‘new space.’ It’s a funny thing to pull up anchor and not know where you’ll next establish roots. Thinking back, there were a few aimless months after college where I didn’t quite know where I would settle. There was also that time the lease on my remodeled rental suddenly came calling. I’ve been here before, in transition with no landing place, and it always worked out (not without some generous friends and family). God is good, right (and you all aren’t so bad yourself)?
This transition makes me evaluate the definition of ‘home.’ The sale of my property required a few repairs (and headaches) before closing. I had to fix my home so someone else could make it their home. As I sorted through my belongings and decided what to keep and what to let go of, I was reminded of specific memories from my many decades. Is ‘home’ a physical place or is it a feeling (comfort, security, peacefulness)? The Israelites were made to wander the desert for 40 years, at ANY point did it feel like home? Most likely ‘no’ but I wonder, is ‘home’ physical, emotional, or some combination of the two?
My “domicile” at 1106 N Gordon was 14 years (almost) in the making. It was my home. It was my retreat. It was a space where I could recharge. Even though it was only brick, wood, shingles, drywall, carpet, and paint it was still incredibly meaningful to me. It was modest by North American standards (some might even say barren) but it was fulfilling for my comfort and security. The pattern of the streets into the neighborhood, the sounds and rhythems of the people, the comfort of knowing God revealed things to me within those four walls, and many other attributes contributed to my comfy space. It makes me sad to leave such a familiar space. Ecclesiastics 5:19 reads, “Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.”
What a gift it was! God gifted me a home. It was what I needed, when I needed it.
It is always good to hear from you. I’ll pose the question to you, how do you define ‘home?’
Travis Jost
Project# 0780
Prayer Requests:
1) Sovereign Lord, you know the timing to complete my funding pledges. You control the ‘when.’ I am obedient to your plans.
2) Lord, guide my heart through this time of transition.
3) Jesus, I pray your glory and authority on the Burundi people. When the world talks of a poor and unhappy nation I know you are present there. You bring joy and righteousness!!
Niece Ella helped me proclaim God’s goodness for 1106 N Gordon
My next few weeks are filled with several gatherings where I’ll share pictures and stories from both my journey and my recent trip to Burundi. I invite you to join me if it fits your schedule; come, participate, ask questions, and eat dessert. If these dates don’t work for you I would be happy to gather with you and/or a group of friends at a different time.
April 17, Tuesday
April 24, Tuesday
April 30, Monday
May 1, Tuesday
All gatherings will be at First MB Church (8000 W 21st St in Wichita) at 7PM. Dessert will be provided. Please RSVP if you intend on coming; that will help me prepare. Thanks!
Prayers
1) Jesus, guide us as we show Your love to the world. There is no fear in love. You command us to love one another, fill our hearts with love for those created in your image. 1 John 4:18, 21
2) Lord, teach us to think differently in how we engage the world. You are active here and in all corners of the globe and You invite us to be a part of it. Help us to be obedient to Your nudge. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Hope to see you soon!
Travis Jost
Project# 0780
I enjoyed this sign from a Bujumbura coffee shop (by-the-by, you’ll notice the sign is in English).
Really important content in this email update…it’s MARCH and that means college basketball in the States. While I’m still here, I’ll enjoy it. I’ll have to research the cultural relevance of ‘March Madness’ in Burundi (should be a short search).
To test my listening skills below are my Final Four picks for the 2018 NCAA bracket. Keep in mind I’ve watched approximately 48 game-minutes of college basketball this season. IF my past history is any indication these teams are doomed in the tourney. But…what the hey:
Virginia vs Houston
Kansas vs West Virginia
Kansas over Virginia
Enjoy the games. Enjoy our culture. Enjoy one another.
Below you will see a picture of me after 5 steps on Burundi soil. I’ll let you write the caption:)
The phrase I use to describe the trip is ‘eye-opening.’ It has been some time since I’ve been to a developing country and there were many adjustments for me. Things we take for granted here in North America (air conditioning, infastructure, technology) are not ‘givin’ there. It’s one thing to visit a location and experience the culture and it is entirely different to visit a location knowing you will be living there in the near future. I was convicted, on several occasions, of my entitlement to luxury and comfort that God has afforded me by being born into North America. To live in any space outside of that requires a change in attitude. There are attitudes and postures that I must surrender. Jesus tells us ‘anything is possible’ in Mark chapter 9. It is not impossible for me to live in Burundi; it is just different and that is part of God’s journey for me. To live cross-culturally presents so many challenges. The Lord will guide me in this adjustment (Psalm 86:11, ‘teach me your ways, O Lord…).
I did notice the differences, but I was also encouraged by the people. The families were so welcoming to me. From hosting, to feeding, to showing me around, they knew what I needed to see. The local people were ecstatic (and surprised) when they heard I would be moving to their country this year. What exactly I will DO when I get there is still open. To start I’ll focus primarily on how to BE there.
After a few days back stateside when asked how I viewed the trip I reflected to a friend the analogy of a pineapple. On the outside it is prickly, and wild, and rough. But when you cut it open and get to the middle you find a soft, and fresh, and sweet core. He will reveal to me what I need to learn about Burundi, about myself, and about Him.
Your prayer support was fierce! Thank you!
Caption this…Capital city of BujumburaPastor’s conferenceRequired Africa photo (they absolutely loved having their picture taken)
Tomorrow I leave for a 17-day trip to Burundi. I will join a team of folks in Toronto and we will fly to Paris/Nairobi/Bujumbura. The trip was established with the purpose of building relationships among Christian leaders. It is a chance for all involved to listen and learn how God is moving in the world. And I get to tag along. This will be my first impression and a chance for me to see, hear, taste, and smell what life is like in Burundi. I am excited to be a part of it!
I will return in early February. I hope to have access to email (or WhatsApp/Viber) while I’m gone.
Many thanks for your support and encouragement. I look forward to telling you more once I return.
As I traveled this continent on my way back to Kansas I passed through Twin Falls, Idaho. I arrived from the north of town and crossed a 1,500ft bridge which connects the walls of the Snake River Canyon (picture attached). If you have enough years on your driver’s license this landmark may jog your memory. In 1974 the American stuntman Evel Knievel attempted to launch himself across this impressive divide using a “rocket cycle.” If you have not seen it in person the Snake River Canyon is a massive gap! Birds probably have to fly to the bottom to rest before continuing to the other side. Did he honestly think he would be successful??? At any rate, he went for it, he was determined and committed. You can search YouTube for footage of this stunt (I may have spent waaaaay too much time researching this).
As I watched some videos I thought:
What was he thinking as he walked to the “rocket cycle?”
What was he thinking as he climbed INTO the “rocket cycle?”
Did he say a prayer?
Wait.A.Minute…
What am I thinking as I prepare to “jump the canyon?” What prayers am I saying as I prepare to live and breathe on a different continent with an entirely different culture? Do I honestly think I will be successful?
Prayer support is crucial to my journey. Some of you have already been praying for this journey (I thank Him for your devotion). I don’t know what you’ve been praying but I can tell you it was on target. I have felt God’s peace at each point of the journey. Before I can get to Africa I need to secure commitments to pray. I’m looking for 40 committed prayer partners. If this is something you can be involved with there is a form attached to this email for you to complete and return to me.
A Google search revealed that Mr. Knievel did not know Christ during his days as a stuntman. Years later he shared his testimony to thousands of people. He said, “Jesus Christ is everything! I know that now. If I had known that years and years ago, I would have been three times the man I thought I was.”
I am so blessed to include you in these updates. Thank you, thank you for your financial support and dedicated prayer during my time in Canada!! Your responses and interest were encouraging to me.
I am back in Wichita! It is good to be back in a place that means so much to me. It is also a different feeling as I process all the things that I have experienced these past 15 weeks. While in Canada (I only had 1 Wizard of Oz reference) it dawned on me that this is the longest I’ve ever lived outside the borders of Kansas. I’ve had a lot of “windshield time” to make sense of all this and I’m still chewing on it. As I try to find a new routine and schedule for my time in Kansas, I do hope to connect with you in a more meaningful way than just email.
GIVING
That being said, I do recognize we are approaching the end of the year. A part of our culture places importance on the tangible financial benefits of end-of-year giving. There’s no shame or guilt in it, that’s just a part of living in North America. I get it. I’ve done it. If you are still looking for a gift to be included in 2017 attached are a few links for my project with MB Mission. These are the cold, hard, transactional facts, but I would love to catch up with you in person in 2018.
I pray you have peace this Christmas and can enjoy one another (Ephesians 4:2),
