Update on Next Missions Trip Plans
I just found out that the Tenek translation workshop has had to be rescheduled to June instead of May, so I won't be able to go to that one. However, I do hope I will be able to join the next workshop for the Tenek translation, which will probably be in October (and still in the USA). Please pray that this will work out.
Meetings and Plans
I'm drawing to the end of this series of deputation meetings. At the moment, I'm enjoying a few days at the parsonage of Calvary Baptist Church in New Stanton, PA. I've enjoyed my time with the pastor and his wife. The pastor's 92-year-0ld mother also lives with them. She has Alzheimer's Disease, but although her memory no longer works effectively, she is very sweet and full of spunk! And physically she is doing well; you would not guess she is in her 90's. So she is really very nice to have around!
This weekend I will go to Erie in northwest PA for the last of this series of deputation meetings. Early next week I should be back at my home base in Indiana, in my own bed! It's been less than two months since I last left it, but it seems like much longer because so much has happened. After being in a different bed every few days for the last couple months, it sure will be good to be in my own place again.
Even though I've only just recovered from jet lag from my last trip, I'm already making plans for my next trips. Lord willing, I will be able to participate in a short workshop this May, with the Tenek New Testament for Mexico. This translation project usually holds its workshops in the USA, and even though it is for a language in Mexico, the translators speak excellent English, so the workshops can be held in English instead of Spanish (a very good thing for me, since I don't know Spanish!). So if the dates work out for my deputation schedule, I should be able to participate! Right now it looks like it should work out, but the dates are not yet confirmed.
I'm also planning a trip to Chad, Africa, probably for early next year. This will be mainly a survey trip, to get a taste for the country, see some of the ministries taking place there, and to make some preliminary plans for housing, etc. I do not yet know the details of when I'll be going and what I'll be doing. But I will give more details on both of these future trips when I learn more. Please pray as plans continue to go forward.
This weekend I will go to Erie in northwest PA for the last of this series of deputation meetings. Early next week I should be back at my home base in Indiana, in my own bed! It's been less than two months since I last left it, but it seems like much longer because so much has happened. After being in a different bed every few days for the last couple months, it sure will be good to be in my own place again.
Even though I've only just recovered from jet lag from my last trip, I'm already making plans for my next trips. Lord willing, I will be able to participate in a short workshop this May, with the Tenek New Testament for Mexico. This translation project usually holds its workshops in the USA, and even though it is for a language in Mexico, the translators speak excellent English, so the workshops can be held in English instead of Spanish (a very good thing for me, since I don't know Spanish!). So if the dates work out for my deputation schedule, I should be able to participate! Right now it looks like it should work out, but the dates are not yet confirmed.
I'm also planning a trip to Chad, Africa, probably for early next year. This will be mainly a survey trip, to get a taste for the country, see some of the ministries taking place there, and to make some preliminary plans for housing, etc. I do not yet know the details of when I'll be going and what I'll be doing. But I will give more details on both of these future trips when I learn more. Please pray as plans continue to go forward.
Past the Halfway Milestone
I've been on the road a lot in the past few days. Over the weekend, I traveled from Ohio to eastern Iowa for a missions conference, and now I'm on my way back across the country for several weeks of meetings in western Pennsylvania. I usually try to avoid going so far out of my way for just one meeting, but as it was the only weekend that would work out for me to go to this church, I decided to allow an exception in this case. And it was worth it! The conference was a great blessing. In spite of the suffering economy, the church is thriving and seems to have a heart for missions.
Well, I made it a couple of hours before I stopped in a hotel (for my Aussie readers, that's a motel!). Just as I got to my room, an email showed up on my Blackberry from a young family in Maine, whom I stayed with over a year ago when I was in that area. They feel that the Lord has laid it on their hearts to support me financially as well as with their prayers! And their support brings me to 51%, so I'm over the halfway point at last! Praise the Lord that He has increased my support by 10% already this year! Please keep praying for a late 2010/early 2011 completion of deputation!
Well, I made it a couple of hours before I stopped in a hotel (for my Aussie readers, that's a motel!). Just as I got to my room, an email showed up on my Blackberry from a young family in Maine, whom I stayed with over a year ago when I was in that area. They feel that the Lord has laid it on their hearts to support me financially as well as with their prayers! And their support brings me to 51%, so I'm over the halfway point at last! Praise the Lord that He has increased my support by 10% already this year! Please keep praying for a late 2010/early 2011 completion of deputation!
Firsthand Idolatry
Who hasn't seen photos of people bowing down to Buddha or to Hindu idols? I've seen as many of those as anyone, but it is somehow different seeing it firsthand. During my recent trip to Asia, I had the opportunity to visit a Buddhist pagoda. It is heartbreaking when you know the Lord, to see people so sincerely and earnestly praying to an idol which cannot help them.
This pagoda has hundreds or maybe thousands of Buddha images -- so many that even our guide didn't know how many there were. But there are four main ones, on the north, south, east, and west sides of the pagoda complex. People were everywhere around the pagoda, praying to the idols or just sitting around with friends eating snacks.
Around the main pagoda building are many of these little shrines. They represent different days of the week, and people go through a special water-pouring ceremony at the shrine which represents the day on which they were born. They believe that this will prevent bad luck.
Here's a closeup of a Buddha worshiper. I didn't like to take too many of these, as I didn't want to invade their privacy, but I wanted you to get a taste for what we saw there.
The kids were the real heartbreakers for me. Buddhist boys and girls are dedicated as novice monks when they are quite young. Our guide told us they can't get married unless they spend several years as novices. The beautifully dressed children in this photo are new novices (monks under 20 years old are called novices; those over 20 are monks. The word "monk" is used for both males and females).
This mother was teaching her small son to pray at this shrine. Whenever he would start wandering (as kids do), she would pull him back onto his knees in front of the image. This little fellow has no control over what his mother teaches him. Pray that someone will share the truth with him!
This pagoda has hundreds or maybe thousands of Buddha images -- so many that even our guide didn't know how many there were. But there are four main ones, on the north, south, east, and west sides of the pagoda complex. People were everywhere around the pagoda, praying to the idols or just sitting around with friends eating snacks.
Around the main pagoda building are many of these little shrines. They represent different days of the week, and people go through a special water-pouring ceremony at the shrine which represents the day on which they were born. They believe that this will prevent bad luck.
Here's a closeup of a Buddha worshiper. I didn't like to take too many of these, as I didn't want to invade their privacy, but I wanted you to get a taste for what we saw there.
The kids were the real heartbreakers for me. Buddhist boys and girls are dedicated as novice monks when they are quite young. Our guide told us they can't get married unless they spend several years as novices. The beautifully dressed children in this photo are new novices (monks under 20 years old are called novices; those over 20 are monks. The word "monk" is used for both males and females).
This mother was teaching her small son to pray at this shrine. Whenever he would start wandering (as kids do), she would pull him back onto his knees in front of the image. This little fellow has no control over what his mother teaches him. Pray that someone will share the truth with him!
Sneaking through the Snowflakes
Yesterday, the weather forecasts were predicting 10+ inches of snow for Cleveland, and it was supposed to keep snowing through Wednesday morning. Well, we did indeed get snow, but only about 5 inches, and it had stopped by the time I got up early this morning, except for the occasional snowflake. Another snowstorm is building in the west but doesn't look like it will affect my travels. I made it to the airport without a problem, and passed smoothly through security. Praise the Lord! I'm now sitting at the gate waiting for my flight to Chicago, which is scheduled to leave on time in about an hour. There I will meet the other missionaries that I'm traveling with, and we will continue to Asia from there. The others are flying to Chicago from Boston, and the snowstorm is approaching Boston, so please pray that they make it out before the weather gets serious. Pray that the Lord will allow all of us to pass between the snowstorms so we can make it to our destination in good time!
Pray for Weather
I had a very good meeting in Louisville, Ohio, on Sunday, and now I'm just waiting to leave for Asia tomorrow. My first flight is scheduled to leave Cleveland at 7:32am, but a snowstorm is predicted to pass through this area today and tomorrow, with several inches of snow expected. Please pray that this will not cause any major problems for our flight schedule. The Lord is the One who controls the weather!!
Two Praises
I found out two good pieces of news to be thankful for. One is that I've officially been accepted into Bob Jones University to attend linguistics classes this summer. Not that I was expecting to be rejected, but it is nice to have that official "yes"! Praise the Lord also for providing the funds for tuition and a place to live while I'm in South Carolina. When I first started making plans to attend BJU, I wondered how God was going to provide each of these needs, and it's been exciting to see it coming together!
The other praise is that I have again learned of new support! One of my supporting churches recently voted to increase their giving, bringing my support level to 48%. Praise the Lord again!
The other praise is that I have again learned of new support! One of my supporting churches recently voted to increase their giving, bringing my support level to 48%. Praise the Lord again!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)