Peter and Leah Humphreys Still Waters...He restores my soul. Summer at Still Waters!
Psalm 22:26 “They who seek the Lord will praise Him.”
Leah and I are praising God for many answered prayers! Here are some things that we, together with you, have brought before our God in prayer:
- Request – Wisdom regarding the direction of the Still Waters ministry.
Answer – God has made it abundantly clear that He intends for us to continue on, by faith, and provide care for missionaries in crisis, and training for shepherds.
- Request – Provision for the accumulated deficit.
Answer – Since January, we have been able to meet our financial commitments each month and begin to address the deficit. God has laid it on the hearts of His people to help, and has given Leah enjoyable part-time work.
- Request – That God would raise up 20 additional supporting partners in 2010.
Answer – Halfway through 2010, 11 partners have joined the Still Waters team!
- Request – That God would continue to use our lives to encourage, guide and bless His messengers.
Answer – We have been so blessed to invest our lives in missionary colleagues who have responded to truth and God’s work in their hearts – 
and we praise Him for these and many other answered prayers! Thank you for standing with us through some difficult days!
We were blessed to enjoy a visit from Gregg and Kathleen (Rutledge) Bowcock, all the way from California. It was just fun to hang out with some of Leah’s family!
Summer is always busy as we attack the work that can only be done during this warmer time of year. Here are several of the projects that we hope to be working on from now until the snow returns:
Finish the last of the siding on the loft
Clean out pond and repair flood damage
Begin retaining wall to prevent septic tank from sliding into the pond
Bring in all the firewood that will be needed this winter!
Our top priority is caring for those who God brings to Still Waters. As we are able (have time and funds), we will be working on these summer projects, and are asking God for health, safety and wisdom. We’ll keep you updated as things get checked off our list!
Jason Walton, a missionary (and a long-time friend) on his way to Paraguay stayed for a week and helped me put in some insulated windows. It was great to get caught up on what’s happening in his life, and talk about Paraguay with him!
You can tell who we are even through the cement dust, right?!
Leah and I are grateful to our God for each of you and we value your friendship and encouragement.
We are keenly aware that our ministry would be impossible without the team that He has raised up to partner with us. May the Lord richly bless you for your faith, your sacrifices, and your faithfulness.
We are honored to serve our God together with you!
P.S. We celebrate our 34th anniversary on July 3rd 
“Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.” Psalm 34:3
Leah and I are excited to share with you some great things that God is doing for and through His ministry here at Still Waters!
Three months have now passed since we asked you to pray that we would have wisdom regarding the future of our ministry (our concern had to do with declining support and the corresponding monthly deficits). We know that many of you were praying, and several encouraged us by writing and calling – thanks! Our Heavenly Father has used His Word and His people to encourage us, and we feel confident that He is leading us to continue on in this work by faith.
Early in January of this year, we began to ask God to provide for His work by raising up twenty new financial partners by the end of 2010. After two months, God has already added nine contributors to our support team! We are so thankful for all God is doing and we want to encourage each of you with that news – we serve an awesome God.
Also, we have been deeply blessed to watch God at work in the hearts of those we care for. Two couples we have been privileged to serve recently are on their way back to the mission field with encouraged hearts. Praise God for all He does to restore and refresh his children!
The recovery of my shoulder since surgery in January has progressed well. The surgeon and the physiotherapist are pleased! I’m still not allowed onto the basketball court, but they assure me that time is coming.
We love and appreciate each one of you beyond our ability to express. Thank you for partnering with us and making it possible for Leah and me to invest our lives in the global spread of His glorious gospel in this way. We are thrilled to hear continual reports from around the world of tribal people coming to the saving knowledge of Jesus: one day we’ll get to meet these dear brothers and sisters and worship the King together. What a day that will be!
For His glory,
Pete and Leah
I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. Psalm 9:1
Recovering from Surgery!
What’s going on at Still Waters these days?
Dearest Friends!
In late 2009, Leah and I met with our leadership team here in Durham and then communicated with a 
small group of you, asking that you pray regarding the future of our ministry here at Still Waters. Specifically, we shared that, due to a steady decrease in our monthly support, we were facing some tough decisions. We know that many of you pray for us regularly, and we appreciate your communication with us and all the encouragement and guidance you supply.
After a month of waiting on the Lord for His direction, we would like to share with you what we see as our next step of faith. Our dependency is on God, and our hearts are at rest in Him despite the uncertainties. Even though we don’t yet know what the Lord is going to do in 2010, we sense that He is leading us to continue to walk on the same ministry path He directed us to since returning from Paraguay nearly six years ago. 
What will it take to continue? We are asking God to raise up a new generation of partners who will commit, by faith, to joining with us in this ministry of tending to the needs of career missionaries. For the past 32 years, we have been blessed to partner with dear friends who sacrificed for years to see our ministry carried out. Many of these friends have finished their earthly race and have now gone to be with the Lord. These realities mean that more ministry partners are needed to step into the gap.
In the short term, Leah has begun teaching part-time, while I carry on with the bulk of the work here at Still Waters. 
We are thankful for the provision of work for Leah, and will continue with this plan until God redirects us. Our desire in the long term is to be completely available as a couple to care for those who God sends our way – whether it be couples who come to stay, or ongoing help given by phone or email to those who can’t get here right now. 
On January 21st, I will be having reconstructive surgery on my left shoulder and have been given strict instructions by the doctor to lay low while the shoulder heals. During the recovery time, I look forward to studying, writing materials on biblical shepherding, and continuing to meet with and care for those God has entrusted to us at this time. Please pray that God would refresh and encourage these dear ministers of the Gospel through Leah and me.
Many people groups around the world are still waiting to hear the Good News of Jesus for the first time, and our mi
ssion is to care for those who have given their lives to spread the Gospel message, but need a season of encouragement, hope, and reminders of truth. We would love to hear from you if you have any questions about God’s work here at Still Waters.
Thanks again to each of you who are praying for us and are already a firm part of our support foundation. We are excited to see what God does this year and look forward to sharing each answer to prayer with you!
For His glory,
Pete and Leah
Counting our Blessings
This is a beautiful time of year i
n Canada, and it’s a little bit surprising that we have not been crunching around on snow yet! Yes, that’s a big blessing.
Peter has been busy with the usual outdoor tasks that he fits in around the caring ministry that God has entrusted to us. It continues to bless and encourage our hearts to have His people stay in the Loft and enjoy its comforts, while having the opportunity to be reminded of freeing truths from the Word.
Much time is also spent studying, and praying for those who need comforting and encouraging. Keeping in touch by email and phone with those who have come through (or can’t travel to Still Waters) is part of the ministry that we both enjoy.
For now, we have no kids and grandkids living close by, and this has been difficult to get used to. How precious it is to be able to communicate freely with them because of present day technology. That’s a big blessing!
You, dear ones, who pray for us and give sacrificially each month, are firmly implanted on our blessing list. We thank God for you. We have some urgent prayer requests for our ongoing ministry here at Still Waters that we will be sharing with you soon.
In the midst of your busyness today, know that you are prayed for and loved!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! and warm blessings from our house to yours.
TORNADO
It was getting just too dark to work, and I was thinking I’d have to put a light on to see the window casings even though it was still early in the afternoon.
Suddenly, the rain came down in such a torrent that I couldn’t see from the garage back to the house. It was deafening. Then, the power went out. Not too long after, it got really quiet and the skies began to lighten up again. Our corded phone rang and it was my son Deryk, calling from his work site about an hour away. “You guys okay? We heard on the radio that there were tornadoes in Durham!”
I turned on my transistor radio to hear the latest news. Tornadoes in Durham! I got in my truck and headed into town – just a few kilometers away – to see if I could help out.
That night we washed up in the stream just like real missionaries But electricity and water were soon restored, and the clean-up and repair in town has begun.
- Please be praying for the students and teachers at the missions’ training camp Academy, where the children of staff and missionary candidates go to school. They will be using offices and other buildings while the Academy is being repaired.
Summer 2009!
We are having an interesting summer!
Travel, rainy days, speaking opportunities, repair and insulation work, study, more rain, extra time with our grandkids, and even a few surprises!
For several years we’ve been asking God for His plan for an efficient way to process firewood (a big job for Peter each year to make sure we have enough for 8-9 cold months).
God has provided a brand new firewood splitter through a generous giver.
Hurray! Hurray!! Hurray!!!
Deryk and Ivy have been staying at Still Waters while they’ve been waiting on God’s direction, since graduating from missions’ training. A move to Texas is their next step of faith – please keep them in your prayers.
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for praying for us and for sharing your gifts with our ministry. We’ll write more soon!
Hurray for Spring!
We are back in Canada from our long trip to the States!
Seeing people, of course, was the highlight of our trip: some of our kids and grandkids, several members of Leah’s family and so many of our friends. 
We also really enjoyed the beautiful scenery, much warmer weather, and lovely nectarine blossoms at the France Ranch! 
Peter got to meet members of Leah’s family he had only heard of. 
Farther down the road, this was about all we could see of the Golden Gate Bridge! We even made some new friends – like Jeff Willis, Corpus Christi Fire Chief and his wife and family. Peter went on some 
interesting ride-alongs with Jeff!.(also shown – Eric, Zachery, and Leah Hendrix – Cherry and Dan’s kids). 
We came home to Isaiah Humphreys’ first birthday party, and snow! Thank you for praying us 
safely home. We are back at work again, and love the ministry God has given us here. We are excited to see who God will send to Still Waters next, and appreciate and thank Him every day for your faithful partnership.
Love, Peter and Leah
January 2009 Prayer Requests!
(Click on pictures to enlarge them!)
#1 During the summer of 2009 we need to replace a 60′ X 14′ wooden retaining wall that prevents the septic tank from sliding into the pond.
This project is urgent and initial estimates put the final cost at around $12,000. 
We will be using concrete and retaining wall blocks that will make the wall permanent. We are also asking the Lord to send us volunteers to help with this heavy work!
Wow! That’s a big request. Not long after we began working on a permit to start this project…
#2 …we were hit hard by a flash flood which did a lot of damage to the dam 
at the west end of the pond (in December of 2008).
Before restoring the pond to its pre-flood condition we will need to repair the dam and fill in the berm that was washed away.
Hopefully this project can also be completed during the summer of 2009.
#3 We are trusting the Lord for a piece of equipment (backhoe) 
that will assist us in being time efficient with development and maintenance demands here at Still Waters (snow removal, landscaping, pond and trail maintenance, etc.) Something mid-sized and used (but not worn out) would cost around $25,000.
#4 Leah and I are going to be on the 
road from January 30 till the first week of April visiting family, supporters, and churches – 
we’d appreciate your prayers for our travels, and that God would raise up new partners in the stead of those who have experienced changes in their finances, and also those who have gone to be with the Lord. Our prayer is that we will be a blessing, and bring glory and honor to God during our long journey.
#5 Our Headquarters has recently provided us with an updated recommended minimum monthly support amount. Currently, our monthly deficit is
$1730 USD.
Thank you for praying with us
regarding these needs.
Some of you pray often for our health, ministry, and financial needs and we are grateful to you every day!
Warm Greetings to You!
(Click on any photo to enlarge!)
I (Leah) am smiling because it really has been warm here recently – imagine…a warm day in Canada in November!
After weeks of admiring lovely red and brown leaves 
came days of raking them off the grass – just in time for the first snowfall (last month!) While Peter was performing this necessary duty, along 
with bringing in piles of firewood, fixing our wood-burning stove, and then shingling the leaky roof (thanks to help from students at the missionary training camp), 
I was preparing for six speaking opportunities and was happy not to have rain dripping in on me. In the midst of this all, Peter was also preparing for speaking engagements!
One special ladies’ event I spoke at several times was held way up north in Blind River, Ontario – we were blessed by truly gorgeous scenery as well as 
great fellowship with God’s people.
It’s good to be back home again after our travels. We are again reminded of how refreshing this place is to us and will continue to be to folks who stop by to revive their hearts and renew their minds.
We see Still Waters as a sacred trust from God through each of you, and always desire to be good stewards in our service for Him every day. 
PRAISE NOTE! Two wonderful answers to prayer: God has provided a new washer and dryer for the loft, as well as a 1999 Dodge truck for hauling firewood and working around the place – we are grateful to Him for these blessings!
Another special encouragement came in the form of a visit from friends and supporters all the way from California – it was a real ‘lift’ for us. We are looking forward to more visitors this month.
Early in spring of 2009, we are planning a trip by road to visit churches and supporters between here and California, so we can share the work of Still Waters in groups big or small! Please keep praying with us for additional partners for this work – our hearts overflow with gratitude as we see God continue to provide for His ministry through you, His people.
Peter has upcoming surgery on his left shoulder for which we 
don’t have a firm date yet – this will obviously impact when our travels begin in the New Year. I think that being on the road is a good place for him to heal, away from all the irresistible work here at Still Waters!
We are deeply thankful for your generous giving, and your prayers for our ministry.
Peter and Leah Humphreys
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Throughout the global missions community, there has been a long history of missionaries leaving their field of service because they are overwhelmed by unmet spiritual and emotional needs.
Still Waters exists primarily to provide restorative care to New Tribes Mission leaders, including mentoring them in Biblical shepherding principles.
The specific intention is to see these leaders return to the field refreshed and better equipped to minister to the missionaries they serve.
As the number of effective shepherds increases,
we believe there will be a corresponding reduction
in the number of missionaries who must return
home to get the help they need. "…so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the same comfort we ourselves have received from God." 2 Corinthians 1:4