Dear friends and family, December 9, 2008

I pray this finds you all well. I continue to be deeply grateful for all of you! I apologize for the delay in getting this letter to you; I’ve spent quite a while praying and thinking about how to communicate the following to you all. It’s a bit lengthy but I believe will be worth your time if you’re wanting to know what in the world is happening with me ;)

“Trust in the LORD and do good, dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him . . . The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.” Psalm 37 exerts

I have been studying this passage and it has ministered to my soul. So many deep truths and promises in the passage above show the steadfast love of the LORD and remind me to continually commit my ways to Him.

The past year has been much like a roller coaster . . . To recap and catch you all up; in October 2007 I arrived in Sub-Saharan Africa, spent the first month or so in orientation, getting used to pre-historic size bugs and bats, sleeping under a mosquito net, allowing spiders to stay in my room as long as they kept up their duties of eating bugs, followed by language study, building friendships with some of the local women and strategy meetings with teammates. I met Oliver Haumann shortly after I arrived in Africa. Oliver is from Germany and has been a missionary in Cameroon for five years. He became a friend, in April we began a relationship and by July we were engaged. We spent much time in prayer and believed God had led us together. We did however recognize the importance of being in one another’s home cultures and had been advised to do so. Hence I returned to the States in September to debrief, reconnect with you (still working on that ;) and prepare for Oliver’s arrival here. I also continued to be in full time language study in September and October. Oliver arrived October 30th and we began meeting with one of my pastors right away. After discussions with my pastor, with one another, our seeking the Lord and insights from friends around us Oliver and I ended our engagement and relationship. We indeed did believe that the LORD led us together but now has led us apart. While I still don’t understand why, I as the pot will not question the potter (Romans 9), I will yet trust Him for I know that “All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful” Psalm 25:10. That was a difficult week for us but we were honest, honored one another in all we did and we believe we honored the LORD as well. Our heart was to listen to Him, hear His voice and obey Him in all things. Oliver returned to Germany shortly thereafter and is seeking the LORD’s direction for ministry. I remain here in Jacksonville, Fl for the time being. My heart is aching, healing and resting in the sovereign LORD yet a deep desire within me remains; to be married. I will continue to trust this area of my life to the LORD and covet your prayers.

Serving as a single woman in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) among a m_s1@m people group proved more challenging than I had anticipated. I believe God did indeed lead me there and used me there for His purposes for 11 months. My time in SSA was spent mostly in a transitional city but my goal was to move further north to a more remote area called Kousseri. I traveled to Kousseri often via bush taxi to visit my teammates and learn more about where I would be living. Although on the same compound as my teammates, I would have been living alone in a house in Kousseri. Due to the culture and safety issues I found that this was not a good option or fit for me.

Currently I am meeting with my church missions director and dialoging with World Team leaders about future ministry. My heart for Africa, for the unreached, for God’s great glory and for His Name to be made known among the nations has not changed but grows with my every heartbeat! As days go by here I become more aware of how much of my heart I left in Africa. The LORD loves the people of Africa deeply and has given me a great love for them as well. The Scripture that challenged me years ago; “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? Romans 10:13-14, still fuels my passion to reach those who are yet to hear. A great hope comes with a great challenge to those of us who hold that hope.

I am praying about when and where the LORD will use this passion He’s cultivated in me next. Currently I believe it’s in Jacksonville, Fl but I do desire to extend His hope over seas eventually.

In the midst of many questions fears, concerns and doubts over the past year this remains; “His steadfast love endures forever”. I trust that He used the past year for His great glory, for my good, for those I lived among to have experienced a glimpse of hope and joy and love for a time . . . even if through broken language, smiles and time spent.




As I continue to pray and dialog with my church and World Team leaders about future ministry. Please join with us in prayer for:

• How I may serve the LORD stateside
• Clarity to know where I may serve in the future over seas
• “To the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” Matthew 9:38
• Healing for Oliver and I

Once again I am deeply grateful to you all for your investment in me and in the kingdom work! It was with great joy that I was an extension of the body of Christ in Africa. It is so refreshing to be in your presence again.
I close the way the apostle Paul closed his letter to the Ephesian believers “Peace be to you brothers (and sisters), and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.” Ephesians 6:23

In the deep, deep love of Jesus,
Stacey Anne Robert
(904) 562-9074
Stacey.robert@globalcomz.net
878 Waterman Road North
Jacksonville, Fl 32207