Monday, February 25, 2008

Our worldview...

"Ethnocentrism is the tendency of people to judge the behavior and objects of another culture by the values and assumptions of their own culture rather than by those of the culture to which they now belong." Oh Lord, develop in us a humility and a teachability to become both bilingual and bicultural. No small task.

This past week not only included sessions with such profound teaching but our first immunization clinic. We were lucky to only have two shots - rabies and polio booster. This week though I think we will be getting four. Though we don't like shots - who does? - we are thankful that we are in a generation in which the immunizations are available. How many of past generations died soon after reaching their places of service because of a lack of immunization?!

This week we are looking at chronological storying. I am really excited about these sessions.
Pray for us this week that we will be as sponges absorbing insights into new tools to share the Gospel.

Happy Birthday to our daughter Deborah who turned 22 on February 25th.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

We are officially HOMELESS...

Well, it is done. We are now officially homeless as the papers were signed yesterday freeing us from the entanglement of our home. Thank you for praying for us as we waited on the Lord for His timing. I thought it needed to sell by the end of October, well then by the end of November, surely by the end of the year. But God knew the PERFECT time - and it was obvious that it was indeed HIS timing.

Our time here is so good! We are in classes preparing us for the logistics of living on the mission field, but by far the greater focus is getting us spiritually prepared for going to the mission field, teaching us how to remain spiritually strong when we do get to our place of service. While we have an occassional reading assignment, everyday we are in the Scripture as the dominant text for our time here, reminding us that that time must be intential, set apart every day. Without our making that time intential everyday, before we know it days have passed and our lives grow weaker, our purpose fruitless. We are only as strong as we allow the Spirit to flow through us!

Please pray for us to see Jesus only! Continue to hold us and the unreached peoples of Guatemala to the throne.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

We're Here!

We arrived yesterday to begin our eight weeks at Orientation!
Praise Listings as we look back:
1. Wonderful home for Floppy - she's a happy, spoiled basset
2. Sale of our home - closing on the 15th
3. Safe travel visiting family along the way
4. Special times with family
5. Wonderful times of sharing our calling and vision with many churches
Prayer Requests for these days:
1. Open heart and mind to absorb all the Lord has for us while we are here
2. Learning of Spanish even while here
One of God's special blessings:
After arrival yesterday, we found that missionary friends of ours who is the designer of our job description are missionaries-in-residence. How great to renew friendship and learn more about the vision before us.
Thanks for holding us to the Father.