Rejoice with us!
- We have been able to share the good news with many friends
- The guys have given some of their friends the Book in their language
- Of the friends that have already headed home, we got to see all of them one last time
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| Enjoying some McD's with a friend! |
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| Playing games at a birthday party! |
Apparently there is some type of inspection going on in the city, so all of the local fruit vendors (who don’t have permits) have closed up shop for a few days. The fruit that we have been seeing everyday on the street corners is no longer visible. Why are we including this in our update? Well, it has a SP implication as well!
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| Fruit! |
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| No Fruit... |
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| The bus ride to and from class! |
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| Getting haircuts with a friend! |
Please lift us up this week:
- Good health
- Wise use of time
- Chances to share truth with our language teachers
- Continued protection from the enemy
- Opportunities to serve the Ms
- Sweet time together as a team
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| Green beans! |
Maya
Wow…I stand in awe of how loving our Father is! We had
dinner with our friend Sharon the night before she had to leave and some great
SP conversations came out of it! During our conversation, I had shared with her
that one of my greatest fears is that some of my friends and family will not be
in heaven with me one day. She later asked us what we wanted most in life and I
said that I wanted to be able to trust Father in all things, especially with my
friends and family who have not yet chosen to follow JC because I know He has a
perfect plan and that He loves the world. Then she asked, “Does Father love
people who aren’t followers of JC?” and from that question, Father allowed me
to share with her the Good News and the fact that He loves everyone, even her. That
conversation was a good reminder to me that I can trust in Him because He is a loving Father. Please PR for more
chances to share truth with friends!
Shout-outs! Ram-hope Cali is treating you well! *Nacho
voice* You’re the beeeeest..love you!! Mom and dad, love you guys and miss you
SOOO much!! SWAT—can’t wait to reunite and hear stories!!
Heather
I have a lot to PTL for this week! For the girls, four of
our friends went home, and at first we were bummed that we hadn’t gotten to
share the good news with them. But we ended up being able to have a meal with
three of them right before they left and told the story from beginning to end
to two of them and then we got to share how Father is and ties into what we
want most in life to our friend. Father has shown us so much this summer and
now he’s showing us the fruit we thought wasn’t there. Things you can be in PR
for are; our friends as they have a very long trip on a train that they would
think about the good news we were able to share with them. Also, that our
friends would share what we told them with their families and friends back
home.
Shout-outs: Happy early Birthday Lindsay! I hope you have a
beautiful day and hopefully I will see you in Mustang! Mom and Dad, Jackie, and
Kelsey- I love you and miss you! Eat some Rib Crib for me and Chicken Express
and Cheddars! Lol Rachel- Everyone here thinks its crazy that I have a twin but
every time they talk about it I start missing you. I can’t wait to see you! Oh
and you can eat those things too but I love you and miss you and hope you’re
having a great summer!
Gayle
Oh how our Father likes to spoil us. Just a couple of days
ago I was pretty bummed that I might not get to see a couple of our friends
before they head out west, but through PR Father granted us a lunch that did
not seem likely to happen! Lily texted me to say she could make lunch but she was
going to be late, so the girls and I went for a PR walk and lifted up the
campus and our lunch. After eating, we walked around the school’s track and Lily
asked us some really good questions that led into a full discussion of the good
news! It was really hard to leave her and while we walked away my eyes filled
with tears at the knowledge that she not only rejected the news I brought but
she rejected what our Elder Brother was offering her. But, we PTL because that
was the first time she had heard the good news and now she can think it over on
her 40 hour journey back home! Please PR for Lily and that she would come into
contact with brothers and sisters who can reinforce truth; PR that Father would
open her eyes and heart.
Liz- that creeper card was opened at THE perfect time. Thank
you so much. Sophia and SwAT- we have been lifting you guys up! I love and miss
you all so much can’t wait to swap stories and PR together! Kee-kee ka-kaw!
FOCUS people- I can’t believe how much we are using what we learned just a
month ago! Taylor- I heard Bey the other day and thought of you =) Amanda, thinking about you...can't wait for the wedding!
Ryan
This week marks about the halfway point of our time here in
East Asia, and though we’re only halfway Father has been so faithful and so
incredible. This week I had the chance once again to meet with my friend
mentioned in the blog last week; we again talked about the good news and it was
amazing how Father worked during that time. I got the chance to ask him the
question “what’s your biggest fear?” and his reply was death and what happens
afterwards. Through that I was able to tell him truth in what Brother has done
for us and because of that I don’t have to fear anymore. At the end of our
conversation he told me that he had so many questions about being a cousin that
don’t have answers; and that’s the truth, and I told him the place to find the true
answers is The Book; this friend of mine leaves to go back home this week, so
please PR for him and the he would see truth. Also please PR that the words
would stir in his heart and that Father would continue to be at work, and ask
that we would continue to see fruit in our group and grow together as a group.
Shout-outs! To CH Family love and miss you guys! And Jeremy
my bro this picture is for you, WINNING!
Russ
At this point in the trip I have been dwelling on two
thoughts about it being the halfway point. The first is that I can’t wait to be
back home (especially after eating some American food today) to see friends and
family and share about all the fruit that Father has produced, fruit that we
don’t even completely recognize yet. But on the other hand, I know that at this
point the end of our trip is going to be approaching faster and faster. Just
now I got a text from a friend saying he was on the train home. I was never
given the opportunity to say goodbye, but Father has been abundantly gracious
to me in that He has given me the ability to trust Him with caring for our
friends. After all, He cares for them much more than we do. Yes, the fruit
stands have disappeared, and yes, it’s hard to see fruit in my friends’ lives
from what I’ve shared, but I have confidence in the power of Father that He is
producing fruit everywhere, in my life included.
Mom & Dad, Amanda & Tanner, happy anniversary!
Brandon
Well this week marks half way and each day has been so
packed that it seems like each day could be a week but somehow time is still
going really fast. All of my friends have either left for the summer or are
leaving very shortly. While it’s hard to say goodbye when there are things they
still don’t grasp, it’s also been great to be able to look back at what Father
has done in each of the relationships. We were able to grow so close to these
guys in so short an amount of time and the amount of truth and news we’ve been
able to share is amazing. It’s been neat
to be able to see how each one has either become more open to the truth or had
certain realizations. Surprisingly most have been very excited to receive part
of the Word in their own language. After one conversation, one of my friends
said that he realized that the Book was true (what?!?!) and he couldn’t wait to
get his hands on a large chunk of it when all he could get a hold of before was
12 pages of a PDF of an old manuscript.
PR that as they have a long train ride home, they will continue to think
on conversations and discover JC for who He is in the Book. Continue to PR that
they will have dreams about what they’ve heard and PR that the Word would
multiply and reach many people where it’s headed. While it’s sad for our
friends to leave, it will be nice to enter a more restful season and I can’t
wait to see how Father works in this new time. Shout-out to the DNBC crew as
you gear up for Eagle Nest (I think) have fun! Oh and JB and Matthew, one of my
friends said I look like Jason Bourne!And Happy Birthday Dad!
Logan
The past week could probably best be described as
bittersweet. The weather’s been mostly nice, studies are going well, and I’ve
had a lot of good times hanging out with friends; that’s the sweet. The bitter
has been having to say goodbye to some of those friends as they finish their
semester go back home for the summer, but thank Father that He’s blown away my
expectations in giving me and everyone else opportunities to develop good
friendships and share truth in the midst of it all. Please PR that the SP would
work through the truth that was spoken to our friends, and thank Father that
they had the chance to hear them! As I look forward to rest of the trip, I
don’t really know what to expect, except that Father will be at work, and it will
be good. And to hOt and sWaT: we’re lifting you guys up. To Aaron specifically,
I know you’ll continue to rise above any adversity.
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| Enjoying some American food! |
Sometimes it takes something like a few fruit stands
disappearing for Father to remind us that although we may not always see SP
fruit, he is still producing it. It is only by His love and grace that we get
to see and enjoy bits and pieces of it.
For now,
TEA
