Barnes family 2007 year-end report

It’s the last day of the year. It’s so important in the hurly-burly of modern life that we take time to look back and reflect on what has happened to us and what it means. Our family just went thru that exercise. Here’s our report:

As a family, our most exciting news is that Leah (18) (with a wig on here) had a breakthrough in being admitted to a school that focuses on her needs.

The school is located only three miles from our house. It has four teachers and fifteen students. She has made tons of friends, wakes up smiling, sings around the house and keeps us laughing. For all of you who have been praying for this breakthrough, please know how thankful we are for your prayers. She says: “For me I’m in school, making friends and I love it!”

Emily (19) is currently working two jobs – as a dance teacher, and as a waitress. She has acted in a film for the Art Institute of Atlanta as well as a commercial and some modeling. She excels in her acting classes – her professors say that her talent accompanied with her ambition give her a real chance at a career in acting. While pursuing acting, she says:

“Life is in transition for me, I am discovering who I am and how to pursue my dreams. I am learning to work hard and hear the Lord’s voice better. This part of life is hard but good and building lots of character.”

Estie (21) is in her second year at nursing school at Indiana Wesleyan University. She says:

“I am learning the dedication nursing school requires. After my first semester courses I feel a bit overwhelmed with the amount of studying that I know these next two years will demand. However, I enjoy clinicals (practicing in the hospitals) and am looking forward to next semester’s clinicals in maternal health and pediatrics. Please pray for growth in my relationship with the Lord and my friends.”

Seth Jr. (23) graduated from college in May and soon after joined his sister on the World Race.

He is currently going into his fourth out of eleven month journey around the world.

He enjoys hearing from loved ones so if you’d like to write him a personal note please feel free to email him at barnes.seth@gmail.com or visit his blog at sethbarnesjr.theworldrace.org.

He says:

“My life couldn’t be better. I am traveling the world, eating exotic foods, caring for the orphan and the widow, praying healing over the sick, loving the unloved, and discovering myself in the process.”

Talia (24) returned from the World Race in time for Thanksgiving and is slowly adjusting to a new season of life.

“All in all, the year was wonderful. I learned to live in community, worked hard at relationships and went to a new level of intimacy in my relationship with the Lord. As for now, I’m continuing to recover. I just started working as a waitress (I like the hospitality industry) while simultaneously helping start an import business benefiting orphans with a fellow Racer. Thanks everyone for your prayers and love this last year.”

Here are some highlights of her past year:

Top World Race moments:

1. Roasting marshmallows atop of an active volcano
2. Learning to love the unlovable
3. Laughing with teammates
4. Climbing Machu Picchu for a second time
5. Deep sea fishing off the coast of Mozambique
6. Safari in South Africa
7. Angkor Wat in Cambodia
8. Cu-Chi tunnels in Vietnam
9. Hiking 3 km on the Great Wall of China
10. Cape of Good Hope in Africa

Karen (age unknown) says:

“What a great year this has been! I’ve had the privilege of traveling to the World Racers and debriefing many of the ladies. Hearing what God is teaching them and helping them to discern His hand and movement in their lives is something that I hope to be able to do long term. I’ve learned and grown alongside of them. Sometimes it’s hard to see all the yucky stuff I still have inside me, but it’s good too to be growing in new ways again.

“And, as usual, I’m hoping this is the year I’ll get ORGANIZED. (Don’t any of you hold your breath on that one!) I still love reading, backpacking and cooking. I’m hoping this year I’ll get back on the trail and enjoy God’s beautiful creation and cook some new tasty treats!”

Seth Barnes Sr.
(49) says:

We transitioned to an almost-empty nest at the same time the revolving front door spun at a high rate. Emily came home, Seth came home and left, Talia is back home and leaving in a few weeks, Molly (Leah’s teacher) came and left, Estie returned on school breaks, and we entertained a seemingly endless parade of visitors.

The good news is that Karen and I have found something we both like to do and we get to do it together – coach young people as they go thru AIM’s discipling programs. In 2007 this took us to Mexico, Nicaragua, Swaziland, Thailand, and Hong Kong. The first week in January I will help launch a World Race team in the earthquake-ravaged village of Chincha, Peru. The challenge for me in all of this is to stay centered in the midst of what often seems like chaos.

AIM continues to grow. Relational discipling is our focus. Raising up a generation of radically committed disciples of Jesus has been our vision for a while and we’re actually starting to see signs that it could happen. The fruit of a year of intensive discipleship is the best we’ve seen in 19 years. We’re blessed to work with a wonderful group of staff whom we call covenantal friends and an extended family of friends around the globe who have joined with us in serving Christ wherever the need seems greatest. If you’re one of these people – thanks for being in our lives – we love you!