Have you ever had a season in your life when time seems to
fly by but then when you look back on things the beginning seems so long ago?
If you have, then you can understand, at least a little bit, of how I am
feeling now. In some ways it seems as though my life has always been this way-
lived in a different place, speaking a different language, and drifting between
cultures. In other ways it feels as though everything has gone by so fast, as
if I had just stepped off the plane. It is tough to believe I have just over a
month left here and I know that if it’s anything like the last five- I’ll blink
and it will be over.
The last few weeks have been so busy it seems as if there
has hardly been anytime for sleeping or thinking. They have left us pretty tired and happy to be in our own beds. The first week our team along with a couple from America
hosted a retreat for our national partners. The eight of us along with forty or
so nationals headed to a nearby beach for some relaxation, rejuvenation, and
vision casting. We got to spend a lot of time digging into The Word, especially
the part of the Good Book where the Son commands all of us to go to the
nations. Our group was challenged to think about what they are doing already to
fulfill this command and what more than can do in the future. In addition to
studying the Word, we had lot of time to fellowship and sing together. Team
recreation and the beach offered a time for fun and friendly competition. All
together the trip was a huge success. Our team left happy and excited to see
what the Father will do through the people that were there.
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| The 2015 Serving the Servants Retreat Group |
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| Our beautiful location for studying the Word. |
Just three days after we got back from the retreat we
welcomed another team from the States. This time a group of ten Spanish
speaking adults joined us for a week of Christmas programs throughout the city.
We did seven programs in a five-day span. Let’s just say that no one ever
complained about not having enough to do. Throughout their time here we
traveled the length of the city doing programs in the far north, south, and
everywhere in between. During the programs we would sing songs, share many
stories from the Good Book, act out the Christmas story, and hand out gifts. It
was a wonderful time to share the reason why we celebrate this important
holiday. Over five hundred people heard the Truth for the first time! At our
last outreach we got to take part in the dunking of three new bothers and
sisters. This is an important and difficult step for many here. It was a
privilege to get to witness such an event. Please give thanks to the Father for
opening the doors for this team to come and for us to be able to share.
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| A few of the many that attended the Christmas programs this past week. |
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| Another location for one of our Christmas programs. |
In the coming weeks we will do several more Christmas
programs, continue teaching, reconnect with our neighbors and friends, and
prepare for more traveling and then leaving. Amidst all of this we will be
finishing papers and projects due for the semester and also be sorting things out
for our return to school in January. Please lift up this busy time. Ask the
Father to clearly show us how to finish well and to fill us with His
strength to do so.
Cultural Corner: Today’s topic is our country’s written
language. In contrast to most places the written language here is vastly different
from the spoken. The written language is much more formal than the spoken and
words can change entirely between the two. This makes learning to read much
more difficult. It doesn’t help that there are 33 letters in the alphabet with
12 vowels. These vowel shapes are added to the letters to change their sounds,
complicating things even more. Another rather confusing element is the spacing
and punctuation. There are few spaces between the words and the punctuation is
not written the way it is in English. We have specific marks that show the end
of the sentence but in this language the punctuation is technically another
word. The final kicker is that their alphabet to the foreign eye looks very
curly and the letters very similar to each other. The curved letters are a
result of the use of palm leaves as the main writing utensil during the
creation of the written language. Thus the script takes on a rather squiggly
curlicue look. It is beautiful, no doubt, but difficult to learn. All of that
said- Leah and I have not been learning to read while we are here, instead we
are focusing on speaking. However, upon returning to the States I hope to learn
the written language.
Special Requests:
Please continue to lift up Dee Dee, her husband and child.
They recently had an ultrasound so we will figure out the current health of her
child soon. We will be reconnecting with her these next couple weeks and
continuing our conversations with her and her husband. These conversations are
set around an area of belief and we have the opportunity, with Erin’s
translation help, to learn what they believe and to share our own beliefs as
well. The last one went extremely well. Please lift up the next two as we
explore other topics. Ask that they will be filled with a curious spirit and be
eager to hear the Truth we share.
Similar conversations will be happening with two other sets
of friends in our neighborhood. The local women who have been selling us the
traditional skirts we wear here and the family that owns the bike shop will
both be a part of these conversations. Lift up the time we are spending with
them.
Please also lift up our friend Fran. It has been a long time
since I have talked about her because it has been over 3 ½ months since we have
seen or talked to her. In early September, Fran left for distance learning in a
town many hours from ours. We thought she would only be gone a month but after
3 ½ months and several messages to her, we still hadn’t gotten word that she
was back in our city. I had given up hope that she would want to reconnect.
Then this past week she messaged me- wanting to meet! Please ask that we will
be provided many opportunities to see Fran and to share with her over the next
month. Also ask that we would be able to connect her with some local friends
that can continue sharing with her when we are gone. It was clear that the
Father brought us together at the beginning of our time here and it seems He
has not yet fulfilled His purpose for our relationship. Lift us up as we pursue
His will.
Finally, I ask for diligent and purposeful petitions to the
Father on behalf of the area in our city called Dala. In this place we have
many dear dear friends. Our sister Pam lives and works here- persistently
sharing the Truth. This past week we hosted a Christmas program there and many
new people heard the Word. Ask that the fellowship there would grow. Lift up
also our friend Aunt T as she continues to struggle to commit her whole life to
the Father. She has heard the Truth many times, attends the fellowship
consistently, but yet will not fully let go of her past. Lift her up- pray
against the Evil one and his workers who bind her. Ask that she might finally
join the Father’s Family. Mona, another dear friend, also lives in this area.
She continues to study the Word and has believed but is still hesitant to be
dunked. Please lift her and her family up- that they will all join her in her
belief and be dunked together. Ask that the Father work through us powerfully
in the small amount of time we have left with them.
This next month will be full. Full of conversations, travel, celebrations, joy, sadness, anticipation, and so much more. Coming off of such a busy time has left me tired but encouraged. I am well aware that time is slipping through my fingers and soon I will be aboard a plane home. As happy as I will be to see those I love at home, I will be sad to leave those that are now in my heart here. Though I am tired I am happy. Happy to be in a place where the Father can use me and content to be a bit worn and haggard if that's what it takes to be His servant. Please lift me up as He continues to teach me what it means to truly be His.
You are all in my heart this holiday season. I hope that you
are enjoying the coming time with family and joyously celebrating the birth of
the Son. Be reminded that He is the greatest gift the world has ever received.
Lift up this place that that Truth might also be known here.
