Home Leave in USA

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.

All of us - 12 grandchildren