Dear Supporting and Praying Friends and Family,
We want to start out this update with an apology that our emails have not gotten to you for the past several months. We thought they were going out to the email addresses that we put in but it wasn’t. Sorry about that, so glad we figured it out and now have a new working list of our supporting friends’ email address. Thanks for responding and updating your information for us!
We have exciting and daunting things on our plates these days – many opportunities to trust in the Lord’s way and timing as we see what He unfolds!
1. We’ve been teaching Bible lessons in the village for close to 2 months now. We have 2 groups so far that meet in the evenings with people sporadically coming. It’s been hard to convince them that they really need to come to all of the lessons bc it’s all one story and is all tied together. We’ve had good responses from those that come though. They are getting a new worldview as they hear these Truths in their own language. We have all ages; children, teens, and many grandpa’s and grandma’s. We’re very glad to have begun the teaching and we’re looking to the Lord for wisdom as we interact with those He is drawing to Himself!
~Please pray that those who have been coming would really be drawn to the Truth and continue to come consistently.
~Pray for Tim as he teaches in the languages- still not an easy thing to do, and for the rest of us to have social energy for each of the meeting times. Might sound strange but it really takes a lot out of us as we meet several nights a week after full days, and continue to interact in the language. It can be mentally exhausting.
2. The Lord helped us through the translation checking of Genesis 1-10!!! A consultant from the States came in for 4 intense days of working with 4 village friends, making sure the translation Tim has done is accurate and communicating. Tim was almost hoarse by the end as he would read a paragraph to our helpers, then as they are telling it back, he translates their talk into English so our consultant hears exactly what they’re getting out of the texts being read. Questions are asked and each verse worked through making it as accurate as possible. There were many laughing episodes and it seemed our friends helping really enjoyed interacting with the text and thinking through what God’s Word really says!
~Pray with us that those 4 helpers would continue to think through the things they heard and be impacted eternally!
3. Dina & Abby are doing well, just last night at the dinner table we got talking about God’s family and our hope that many friends in the village here would have a chance to be in Jesus as their Savior. They both acknowledged their understanding of Christ’s work on their behalf and desire to have the Holy Spirit in their lives. We’ve talked over these kinds of things many times before but now have a sense that their confidence is in what Christ has done, not in any other “Christian activity” enabling them to have a relationship with God!!! Praise the Lord! We’re starting to wrap up 1st grade and they’re getting more interested in reading on their own now! Homeschooling isn’t for the birds but it’s so worth it and I’m privileged to be able to spend so much time with them.
~Please pray that the girls will continue to grow in their understanding of God’s grace and develop a passion for others to hear God’s Truth.
Thanks you so very much for those who have taken time to pray for our family and the ministry here in Southeast Asia! Thanks also for those who have been able to support us financially~ the Lord has used you to keep our support at 100% and we are truly grateful. ~Andrea,Tim, Dina & Abby