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| Grandchildren - visiting the Washington DC zoo |
We have been on home leave from
our assignment in Kenya/Tanzania since July 8. We have been enriched and
refreshed by our visits to our children and grandchildren, and many of our
friends and supporting congregations. The theme that runs through our minds and
spirits these days is one of gratitude for the fullness of life which we have
and are experiencing. We really wouldn’t choose any other lifestyle or be happier
than we are right now. We feel overwhelmed by the love so many of you have
shown by supporting us, contributing financially and also by blessing us with
your prayers for our ministry.
Although we see and affirm many areas of ministry here in
the states, we feel God has specifically prepared and blessed us with the gifts
to be used in the Mennonite churches in East Africa for this period of time. We
have completed the first two years of our commitment during which we have spent
most of our energy on developing and introducing a basic program of leadership
training which should be able to be carried on by local pastors and leaders. We
have also written seven initial courses which will be used for study and
discussion in small groups of leaders. We have been excited to see how God is
already working in the 15 areas where the training has been given. Our vision
is that many church leaders will grow and deepen their relationship with God
and then share their “God experience” with others who will become excited about
reading the Bible, studying and growing spiritually. We hope to be the spark
that God uses to ignite the flame of the love of God in their midst so that
revival and spiritual depth might follow.
We are preparing to return to East Africa for another two
years to continue to encourage leaders to go deeper with Jesus. We find there,
as in many churches in America, Christians become satisfied to call themselves
Christians but really their faith minimally affects their lives. We are sensing
that learning about discipleship and developing a deep relationship with God is
key to their spiritual experience right now. So as we go back we are asking God
to open up a way to use our gifts to develop “deep people”. We have been
praying about an idea which we would initiate by the beginning of 2015. If God wills,
we would begin to live in some of the more remote areas for a period of 4-6
months to mentor their leaders. We have heard this request from the leaders in
some of the newest developing churches who often feel isolated from the more
central mother churches. We would envision developing deeper relationships and
nurturing them holistically as well as spiritually. We ask for your specific
prayers in regard to this vision.
Our prayer is that you might join us in any way that you can
for the upcoming two years. We feel that God will provide and be honored by our
commitment to continue on for this time. After two years, we will have reached
the age when we feel our service overseas should end. May God bless you as you
prayerfully consider what you can do to help God’s mission to mature in East
Africa.
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| All of us - 12 grandchildren |
