Odyssey Notes
Tales, Wisdom & Misadventures of Leading an Outrageously Courageous Life
From our Family to Yours... Have a Magnificent New Year!
Thank you for your prayers and support in 2013. We are more passionate than ever to see the flicker of of God's work in Iraqi-Kurdistan fanned into a mighty flame! We look forward to all that 2014 has in store with much joy and great expectations... from the birth of our third child in March to our move to Iraq a couple months later!
There has never been a better time to give everything for the cause of the Gospel. Here at flickerflame.org we want to keep you posted with all that's happening with the Buxton Family adventures in Iraq. We also want to keep you informed about mission work all around the world, especially where the Gospel is needed the most - so stay tuned to flickerflame in 2014!
From the Buxton Family to Yours... Have a Magnificent New Year!
Charlie on the Move in the Kurdistan Prayer Room
During our family visit to Iraq earlier this year Charlie and I spent some quality time together in the prayer room of Billy and Dawn Ray's home. It truly is a wonderful place to come to prayer and dwell in God's presence. It is situated on the roof floor of their home and opens up to a stunning panoramic view of the city of Soran. It's simply the perfect place to seek God in prayer for the people of Kurdistan. Visiting teams will often spend hours in this room, storming heaven and with intercession, worship and thanksgiving! God is moving in Northern Iraq... if you have some time, why not take a few moments and pray for Iraq. Pray for strength and provision for the workers there. Pray for the ministry of World Orphans in Soran. And pray for the Gospel to be firmly established in this distant land. Download a Prayer Guide for the Kurds here.
The view from the rooftop of the Ray family home
The First Snow of Winter has Fallen in Kurdistan
Just as I began a FaceTime chat with Billy Ray in Kurdistan, I hear screams of joy in the background, alerting me to the fact that the first snow of winter was falling. As Billy pointed his computer to the window I could see his 3 boys doing cartwheels on the front lawn while jubilantly yelling "It's snowing, it's snowing"!! Ahh, the bliss of winter in the northern hemisphere.
All this was happening while I was sitting shirtless at the kitchen table, dripping with sweat - even with the fan on high! Another reminder of how different life is in Australia, especially when it comes to the Christmas season. But I have to admit, I do enjoy the Aussie Christmas, despite it feeling a little awkward singing about it being a "Winter Wonderland" or buying cards with Santa Claus (Father Christmas, for the commonwealth folk) in his red snow suit!
As Sarah and I celebrate Advent here Down Under, there is a great expectation in our hearts for what the future holds. ironically, with Sarah 6+ months pregnant and staying my sisters home we can very much identify with the Biblical narrative or returning to the homeland of Joseph (Australia is my home). But with the challenges of constant travel and adjustment to life in a new place, there are rich experiences to be enjoyed.
The great time we are having with family, the frequent consumption of meat pies, and how could I forget - days and days of quality Test Cricket (at least on behalf of the Australian team). I am reminded, once again to relish the moment and enjoy each day that God has given us regardless of where we are and the circumstances we might find ourselves in. We thank God for this prolonged Australian stop-over. It truly is a remarkable country with amazing people.
And so as another year comes to a close and a new chapter is about to begin, join me in thanking God for all He has done, is doing, and is going to do. If life is throwing its challenges your way or you find yourself in the fight of your life, take courage that you are not alone. Call out to God - He is as close as a whisper.
I pray the snow in kurdistan reminds you of the fresh, clean start you can experience in Jesus each and every day!
Nelson Mandela - Honoring a Bastion of Freedom & Reconciliation
In remembering the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela, one is struck by the incredible courage, endurance and conviction that he showed in his struggle for freedom. At 95, Mandela showed that world that forgiveness and reconciliation must conquer bitterness and hatred for true peace to be won. And, after spending 27 years in prison for his relentless efforts to end apartheid in South Africa, he penned these words... "No one is born hating another person for the color of his skin or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, because love comes more naturally to the human heart than it's opposite".
While many South Africans mourn the loss of a national son and hero, the world has lost a true example of that very love, whose determination to establish justice for the poor and marginalized goes unmatched by most any other man of his generation. In many ways, he lived out the very words of the prophet in Isaiah 58, in his quest for freedom and justice.
However, as much as we may honor and learn from Nelson Mandela, and resolve to live in the light of Isaiah 58, so must we also live in the light of Isaiah 60, and its sobering but hopeful revelation that in the end, all will be well, although not ultimately because of the work of human hands, but because of the outworking of the reign of God in Christ and through the Spirit—toward which the work of a Nelson Mandela is indeed a signpost.
Follow the i61Team Missions Trip Blog Posts in Iraq
Right now a missions team from Times Square Church is having an amazing time in Northern Iraq. Working with women at "The Refuge" community center, eating to their hearts content and getting our new house organized and ready for our arrival. We are so grateful for their hard work, love and prayers amongst the beautiful Kurdish people. We know that they have been a great encouragement to the local workers and their families! See the photos and follow the journey by visiting TSC Missions News Hub now!
The Buxton's Bags are Iraq Bound
The first round of bags are on the way to Iraq with an i61team from TSC. Pray for the team led by Leslie Quon... That they have a safe and miraculous trip and also that our stuff makes it in one piece!! Thanks Steph Smith, Priscilla Uang, Aziz Hazza and all of TSC Missions for the hard work you put in preparing for this trip!! We are praying for you and your time with awesome Ray family. We are looking forward to posting your adventures up on the flickerflame blog & Facebook page!
Photographic Journey through Iraqi Kurdistan
In the late 1970s, Saddam Hussein's army carried out a genocidal campaign against Iraq's Kurds, killing hundreds of thousands and displacing millions.
Today, in the northern region of the country known as Iraqi Kurdistan, a federally-recognized parliamentary democracy has since taken hold. The violence has stopped, and the Kurdish people have been able to set roots down again in secure, stable lives.
In 2005, photojournalist Ed Kashi spent seven weeks in the region on assignment for National Geographic making thousands of photographs of daily life across many segments of the population. Edited together in a rapid, filmic succession, the images create a collage-like portrait of a peaceful region that is full of promise, even as it sits so near an ongoing war.
October/November eNewsletter
Check out the latest news and happenings with the Buxton family. Click on the image below!
What is flickerflame?
In the book of Isaiah, the prophet declared, "He will not break even a crushed reed. He will not put out even the weakest flame. He will bring true justice. He will not grow weak or give up until He has brought justice to the world. And people in faraway places will hope to receive His teachings." (Isaiah 42:3-4)
This Scripture passage really sums it up for us. God's heart to bring true justice to the weak, the forgotten and the oppressed has become the motivating passion that is behind our move to Iraq. We want to share in God's heart, and we believe that this is His message to the Kurdish people who by their own admission regard themselves as the "orphans of the universe" and those who "have no friends but the mountains". We have experienced the Good News of the Gospel and know that it has the power to heal and save. After all, the Apostle James simply describes pure and faultless religion as taking care of orphans and widows (James 1:27).
But it's not just about us and our journey. We believe that there are thousands of Christians out there that have a heart for serving where the Gospel is needed the most. You might call it an at-risk people group in your community, or maybe you know it as the 10/40 window. Whether the need is in your neighborhood or overseas, our desire is to see God's people engage in reaching out to those in greatest need. And so for now, flickerflame.org may simply document our journey, but our hope and prayer is that it becomes a journey embraced by so many more. I would love nothing more than to see flickerflame.org become a home and ministry tool that educates, equips and engages believers to seek out the weakest flame - a flicker, and with God's grace and power, fan that flicker into a flame.
One of the greatest ways that you and I can fan the flame is through prayer. Sarah & I know that we would not be able to go to Iraq without the prayers and encouragement of so many family members and friends. We also know that so many others out there in the trenches need our prayers too. And so, we hope to connect people together with the same heart to pray and learn more about what is happening around the world. If you want to be part of this movement then shoot me an email. We really don't know exactly how God intends to use flickerflame.org, or us for that matter. We also realize that we are not starting anything new, but what we do know is that together with God we can accomplish so much more - we can do the impossible!
New Video -- flickerflame | The Call
Tim & Sarah Buxton share about their call to serve in Northern Iraq with World Orphans.
Explosions Rock the Iraqi Kurdish Capital
It was another of those 'bad days' in Iraq on Sunday, only this time it hit the usually calm and benign city of Erbil - only 2 & 1/2 hours from Soran, where we will be living. Click on the image below to read a more inside view of what is going on. Please pray that violence like this and in the surrounding region stops. Please pray for the workers who live in Erbil & for the safety of teams that will be traveling to Iraq.
To Do Lists
With only days before we leave New York there seems to be a million loose ends to tie up. Thanks to this fun to do list app called "Clear", I am managing our way through the seemingly endless tasks. Here is a sneak peak into one of the lists I am working on...
When Obedience Requires You to Risk it All
If I had an Iraqi Dina for every person that asked me whether I was taking a big risk by moving my family to Kurdistan, I would probably be close to raising all our start-up costs. In all honesty, it's a very important question to ask and was something that Sarah & I had spent a lot of time considering and praying about before we decided to go.
No parent wants to put their children in harms way, and I'm all too aware of the great sacrifice my wife is making in leaving her family & friends and the many comforts of life in New York. But ultimately, as followers of Jesus, there was just no way around the personal cost that every one of us is required to make in order to be obedient to His teachings. One such passage that comes to mind is found in Luke 14:
“Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? ...So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple."
With Jesus, there was never a middle road, it was always all or nothing. To follow him while He was on the earth in some cases meant selling all your possessions and giving to the poor, to others it meant relinquishing loyalty to family when it conflicted with loyalty to Him. In today's creature comfort culture the challenge remains the same. Within every one of us is the innate desire to pursue safety, security and success. Our decisions seem guided by the risks involved to these self-preserving outcomes.
I'll never forget the words that my Pastor shared with me when discussing our decision to move to Iraq. After making sure that we had "counted the cost" and were convinced we were being obedient to the call of God, he leaned over and said, "the Kingdom of God will never advance as long as Christians live only to preserve themselves." With these words ringing in my ear, I thought of my family & friends that I love so dearly and honestly said to God, "they are yours, I am willing to do whatever it takes to see your Kingdom come on earth, just as it is in heaven."
Consider the discourse between Lucy & Susan and Mr & Mrs Beaver in the book by C.S. Lewis, "The Lion the Witch & the Wardrobe"...
"Is - is he a man?" asked Lucy
"Aslan a man!" said Mr. Beaver sternly. "Certainly not. I tell you he is the King of the wood and the son of the great Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea. Don't you know who is the King of Beasts? Aslan is a lion, the Lion, the great Lion."
"Ooh," said Susan, "I thought he was a man. Is he - quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion."
"That you will, dearie, and make no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver; "if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."
"Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy.
"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver; "don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the king I tell you."
What is it that you are holding on to so tightly that's stoping you from following Jesus? The journey may not be safe, He never said it would be, but the joy and the rewards are matchless. He is Good and the life He leads us on is never boring, but instead it's an abundant life, full of adventure. Will you answer His call? Just don't forget to count the cost, because it's all or nothing.
Tim & Sarah Buxton
September eNewsletter
Check out this months eNewsletter. Sign up today to have the flickerflame eNewsletter delivered directly to your inbox. All our email adresses are kept 100% private.
Snapshots from the Rockies
Here are a few images from the World Orphans Staff Retreat. We made it out of Estes Park safely, hours before a mandatory evacuation was ordered and the bridge out collapsed! More to come soon.
What does World Orphans do?
This weekend I leave for Colorado to attend a staff retreat with World Orphans. I'm really looking forward to meeting new friends and work colleagues and enjoying a time of rest and refocus for what lies ahead in Iraq. But one thing I am really looking forward to is grasping more clearly the heart and work that World Orphans is all about. I love the passion they have to partner with local churches in local communities and nothing illustrates this better than this short video that highlights the partnership between a High School in Chicago and Pastor in Haiti. Check it out
Bags & Bins
After a grueling and eventful weekend, we have finally packed most of the bags that we will be sending to Iraq with the i61 Team in November. Can't believe that we managed to downsize our lives to this pile of bags and bins. Grateful for all that we have been given and for the family and friends who helped us tirelessly over the last few weeks!
Zor Supas | Successful Moving Sale
THANK YOU! Or as they say in Kurdistan, ZOR SUPAS!
Our Moving Sale was a Great Success... thanks for all who came by & for all who prayed. Elliana was a little sad to see her beloved chair go (it was actually my recliner that she commandeered), but otherwise we were happy to see our things go to good homes. there is just one large item remaining... A Beautiful Country White & Dark Brown Dinning Set (with 6 chairs). It has an extendable insert to convert from a 4 to a 6 seater. We bought it less than a year ago & it is in perfect condition.
Let me know if you or a friend may be interested. We are asking $400 and the pictures are below. Pick up only..
Refugees Flooding Iraqi Kurdistan
Thousands of refugees from Syria are pouring over the border into Iraqi Kurdistan, the UN refugee agency says.
Up to 10,000 crossed at Peshkhabour on Saturday, bringing the total influx since Thursday to 20,000. The UN says the reasons are not fully clear.
The UN agencies, the Kurdish regional government and NGOs are struggling to cope, correspondents say.
Please pray for Syria and the continuing crisis as it threatens to engulf neighboring countries. Also, pray for NGO's and the Kurdish government that is bringing much needed assistance to the Kurdish refugees.
Moving Sale Is This Weekend!
We have been busy sorting & pricing things up in preparation for the weekend moving sale. Now it's your turn to satisfy that urge to find some quality second-hand treasure. As well as some larger furniture items, here is a sample of what's on offer... $2 designer handbags, top notch home decorations, kids books, cook books, lamps, camping gear, sports equipment, linens, dishes & kitchen items. Even if you come by just to say hi, Charlie & Elliana would love to see you!