Teri

Referenced here is the IMB news and information article. Here is the direct link to the web-page:
http://www.imb.org/main/news/details.asp?StoryID=6967&LanguageID=1709

Colleagues remember missionary's love for family, music, children
7/29/2008
By Staff
RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--Co-workers remember International Mission Board missionary Teri Tarleton as a devoted mother and wife with a love for music and ministry among the children of missionaries in Russia.
Tarleton, 49, died July 28 from a pulmonary embolism in both lungs in her home in Moscow.
The IMB appointed Teri and her husband, Ed, to the mission field nearly 15 years ago. She sang in the church choir and was an accomplished bassoon player. Born in Phoenixville, Pa., she graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University with a music degree.
While her primary ministry involved her family and church, she also ministered to missionary kids (MKs) in Russia as an education consultant.
“Teri had an incredible love for missionary kids and repeatedly touched the [lives of MKs in Russia] in phenomenal ways,” said Robin Covington, a longtime friend and missionary colleague.
“Teri’s main desire for our Russian field was twofold,” said Buck Burch, another colleague. “[She had] a burning desire to see the lost come to Christ and an unwavering belief in the witness of a godly family.
“To Teri, we weren’t just missionaries; we were a missionary family.”
Besides her husband, she is survived by a son, Adam, 21; daughters, Anna, 19, and twins, Rachel and Rebecca, 17. She also is survived by her parents, Russell and Betty Halliger of Park Hill, Okla.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent in honor of Teri Tarleton to the International Mission Board for the ongoing task of missions work around the world. Send donations to International Mission Board, Teri Tarleton memorial donation, PO Box 6767, Richmond, VA 23230-0767.
Her funeral will be held Tuesday, Aug. 5 at 10 a.m. at Nicoma Park First Baptist Church, 1931 Nichols Dr., Nicoma Park, Okla. Arrangements are being handled by Barnes Friederich Funeral Home, 1820 S. Douglas Blvd., Midwest City, Okla. 73130.

be strong and courageous

Since my thoughts have been of home this month, I will share a short story in devotional form about something that happened in the States. This event took place a few years ago but still remains to be one of my most embarrassing moments.

Read Deuteronomy 31:1-8

Key Passage: Be strong and courageous, because you have to go with these people into the land that the Lord promised their ancestors… Deuteronomy 31: 7

We have been back for our second stateside assignment only a few weeks now. Having lived overseas for about 7 years, I am somewhat stressed about living in America again. I always wonder if I am going to "fit in" anywhere anymore. Missionaries seem to never fully belong in foreign countries. Also once we have lived in other countries for extended periods of time, we seem to lose a small portion of our native ways. I have been trying to encourage myself to be strong and of good courage. It hasn't been too bad lately, until an interesting thing happened last night.

We joined a fairly large church in our hometown, And this week we had a conference going on with some well known evangelists and preachers from the southeast. My children need to go to the bathroom in intervals during the sermon. Why they can't wait for a short hour service in America to be over with is beyond my understanding. In Russia they seem to be able to wait through the 2 1/2- 3 hour services when bathrooms are scarce. When we reentered the church service, we quietly slipped in the back, stood in the corner, and tried not to disturb the ending of the service. But I inadvertently leaned against the wall while looking for a seat near the back of a crowded sanctuary and suddenly felt something press on my back. As I silently moaned and rolled my eyes in disbelief, I noticed that the lights started to dim in the church. Then the entire sanctuary went dark during a crucial moment in the service. So much for not knowing about the new inconspicuous light switches that have appeared in America, and so much for trying not to disturb the service. Needless to say, I'll adapt, just as I did in Russia. We are missionaries, right?

In Deuteronomy 31:6, the passage reads, "Be strong and courageous… don’t be afraid of them, because the Lord your God is going with you; he will not fail you, nor forsake you." In the following verses Moses speaks the same words to Joshua as he passes his leadership over to him. He promises Joshua that the Lord has already gone ahead of him into the land promised, yet unknown to the children of Israel. He mentions that he should not be afraid and always remember that the Lord is continually with him.

Application: We can apply this to our lives as well. No matter what type of situation we are in at the moment, we are not alone. The great thing is God has already been there. He has scoped out the area. We are coming in to a territory that is familiar to Him, and we have nothing to fear. No matter what we experience, we can be strong and have courage.

A couple of questions to ponder:

1. What are you afraid of?
2. If you really believed that God is with you, no matter what, what would you try to accomplish for Him?

A Winter's Path, path 53, L.Burch

Visiting in the US

I have had a wonderful visit at home in the US with family and friends. My main intent for visiting was to spend quality time with my parents and Buck’s family one-on-one. That is just what I did! We sat around all hours of the day just talking, sharing and encouraging one another. I have been married now for 17 years and my oldest child is nearly 14 years old. My husband said that I deserved this time alone with my parents. Thanks go to Buck for making it happen, to Ashlyn for taking on many of my responsibilities around the house, to Amielle for performing many duties (i.e., wiping the dinner table) and to Luke, my youngest, for being the little man of the house. In the beginning I was hesitant to leave all of them in Russia. However, before I left Amielle gave me the blessing to go by saying, “Mama, just go home and spend time with your parents as if you were the only child again.” What a great family I have!

Are there any foreigners in your town to whom you could be a blessing today?

While home in the US, I spoke in a couple of churches. During one service, I became aware of a new associational missions program. It reminded me of a devotional that I wrote years ago that I will share below. Missionaries are not the only ones that miss home; foreigners that live in our American neighborhoods do, too. The question is: Are we sharing the Gospel with those around us? Our family travels overseas to a foreign land to minister. How many of us are ministering in the States right next door? Since I have been home, I have had the opportunity to witness to people from other cultures. The numbers of internationals are increasing even in small towns like mine (population 3000). Praise the Lord churches are working in the community to sponsor mission-oriented programs within the geographical boundaries of the city!

a city prepared for us

Path Light: Read Hebrews 11:9-15

Key Passage: By faith he traveled in the promised land, like foreign soil, living in tents… Because he looked for a city with foundations built and made by God… and confessed that they were foreigners on earth. For by saying this, they are plainly declaring that they’re looking for another land. -Hebrews 11:9-10, 13b

Some of my missionary friends and I struggle with the fact that we do not have homes of our own. Many of us have the desire to build a house, decorate it, and work in our yards planting flowers. “Normal” people do.

There have been times when I have tried to pinpoint my momentary restlessness and wondered if having a permanent place would satisfy my desires. Then I am forced to look at realty and focus on my heavenly home which is all that matters.

We know that God is preparing a place for us. Why do we sometimes long for a place to call home? Because within us is the desire to not feel as aliens and strangers. Within us is the desire to reside in the city that has been prepared for us-our heavenly home.

Path Application:
This week focus on the heavenly city. Let us not think of the country that we have left. Let us look for the better one.

Walk Farther:
1. How do you think the Israelites felt when they lived in tents for so long?
2. How do you handle feelings of homesickness or longing to be somewhere else?
3. Are there any foreigners in your town to whom you could be a blessing today?
A Winter‘s Path, path 23, L. Burch

Reflecting Back 10 years

Our tent is now pitched in Moscow. How can I begin to share with you about our move? I have been puzzled about this for days. The only place I know to start is 10 years ago. I know that the Lord has many things to teach us in the future. Taking a look back from time to time may help me to be prepared for what is ahead. By reviewing the lessons I learned, I could be more equipped for the task. Simply walking down memory lane is just plain fun, too.

Many of you probably know by now that I have started a new writing project. For years I have journaled a few events of our missionary experience. I have been encouraged by family and friends to organize these thoughts; however, I am not fully sure how to take on this new endeavor. I came to the conclusion that sometimes a person needs to listen to these little hints and just act upon them even though one might feel incompetent. Below is a short excerpt from that journal chapter entitled “where the path led us” (10 years ago):

“From Georgia, USA, we transferred planes in Germany. The plane ride from Frankfurt was rough, and the turbulence was difficult. The AC went out. I had to take deep breaths. Then I exited the largest plane I had ever flown in and planted my feet on Russian soil in Moscow about 1:30 PM on a Monday in August of 1998. Foreign soil. Interestingly it was about 85 degrees that day, very hot and humid. My four year old daughter, Ashlyn, asked, “But where is the snow?” We all had on about three to four layers of clothing expecting frigid weather. However, within a few days, the temperature had dropped to 52 degrees.

We were moved to the front of the line at passport control because of our small children. After we stepped out of customs, I looked around for the first time and all I saw was the color grey. That is somehow the way I felt. I did not know what to expect, what to think, or what to do. I was just there. Then the next thing I knew I was riding down a polluted street filled with old cars that looked as if they were made in the 1960s, and the only thing I could do was watch building after building pass. They all looked the same to me.

I will continue to describe my first impressions. With my two daughters and husband, we traveled to a small apartment that was to be our home for the next month. We pulled up on the north side of town to a run down building with graffiti all over the walls. We walked up a flight of stairs with all of our luggage and footlocker trunks and entered a coded door that slammed behind us. We proceeded up a flight of stairs and stepped into a soviet style lift. The bars closed on us, and we traveled upward to our destination on the third floor. The only city that I could possibly relate it to was New York City. I had heard about the Bronx but never lived there.

The apartment complex was next to a main street and housed thousands of people…Then I walked through to the kitchen and found that our missionary colleagues had left us a basket full of goodies. I took a deep breath, straightened my shoulders, and decided that I was going to make it.

Though I was exhausted from traveling nearly 24 hours, I began my duties as a mother to get the house ready for my family. After cleaning the apartment of plaster particles [recently remodeled bathroom], I distinctly remember finding a bag of freshly washed sheets on our bed. I opened the sack and covered my face with the smell of fresh fabric softener. Thanks missionary family! I once again thought I would survive. Here are some of my thoughts from the first few days in county.

I’m getting used to life here. We can only do about one major thing a day as it takes hours to get anywhere. Just a ride on the metro (underground subway) and bus and back takes three hours. And that’s the fastest way! We went to McDonald’s today. Unfortunately on the way home, we got on the wrong bus, and it carried us a wrong turn. We had to walk a little extra. On each street going in a certain direction, there is a specific number on the bus. You must get on the right one. We are definitely getting good exercise walking.

I bought some chicken for the first time today. It’s funny. You have to look for what you want, write it down how much it cost, what department it is in, go to another place to pay for it, show your receipt to the product-person, and finally get your items. No grocery sacks either. You have to bring your own bags. But most everything that we need is right here around us. Don’t know what it will be like in Bryansk.

Buck’s having difficulty adjusting to the dairy products; they’re shelved, not chilled. 1.8% milk tastes a lot like buttermilk. The cheese is the same way. Uncle Rufus was right about the shelf milk. However, Amielle (my two year old daughter) loves the milk because it tastes very sweet.

It took me four hours to fix supper last night. When I had opened and closed the oven door, the pilot light went out. I did not know. I wash all the vegetables in diluted Clorox water. Everything here takes time. However, I’m faster today. I think I’m getting used to it.
-Journal August 8-9, 1998

In many ways God showed us that we were welcome in Russia. The Russian people had been smiling at us and talking to the kids as we traveled on the streets of Moscow. A few days after our arrival, a Russian lady we did not know selling flowers handed Ashlyn a small bouquet and a little old lady chased us down the street to hand the kids some old coins from the former Soviet Union. The missionaries said that this never happened.

In our first few days in the country, we had attended a Russian church service that lasted for two hours. The services were held in a hallway of an apartment complex with a few rooms on the side. We could not understand anything in the language or the customs. The language is going to be hard.

Out of kindness a Russian babushka (grandmother) shared the hymn book with me. A missionary friend translated that I could not read Russian. I will never forget. The lady looked at me and said, “You will.” Then she kissed me on the cheek. My first Russian kiss.
-The Chosen Path, L. Burch, 2008

“run the race”

As I often jog for exercise, I recall this short devotion.

Read Hebrews 12
Key Passage: …let’s run the race ahead- Hebrew 12:1b

Everything that we do, we should do it well. Give it our best. Before getting to the halfway point in the 5k that I marked out for my regular run, I sometimes think that I just cannot go any further. Then I pass the mark, take a few deep breaths, control my breathing, slow the pace down a little, and focus on the last leg of the course. I continually have to remind myself that the race is not something for me to fret over but enjoy and live as I take each leap. Sometimes our course has difficult points that we really must focus on in order to maintain our pace and other times we have moments for enjoying the scenery when the adrenaline “kicks in”.

Our ministry “stretch” where we serve is often the same. After living on the field for a number of years, I have learned to enjoy each leap in the course set before me. When I realize that each situation, each day, and each moment is given by God, I can put in perspective the awesome race that I have been given the opportunity to endure.

Application:
Exercise to keep your stress level at a minimum, to physically feel great, to cognitively function sharper, to psychologically control emotions better, and to spiritually be disciplined. Run your race with joy, enthusiasm, and just LIVE as you endure the goal set before you!

Walk Farther:
1. Find time this week to walk, jog or run. As you are going, think about what it means to run the race in your spiritual life.
2. How is your spiritual journey like a race?
3. What is the prize for winning this race?

-A Winter’s Path, #21, L. Burch

My Little Prayer (video by Luke)

Many of you have used the stories and prayers from my "children's perspective" postings in your missions classes. You many now click on a very short video and share Luke's Little Prayer. We thank you for your continued support through prayer and for your encouraging e-mails. God Bless!