I know it has been a very short time since my last post, but I wanted to take a minute and let you all in on something our team is doing for our final month. Since responsibilities are winding down, we decided to be more intentional about praying for this country while we're still on the ground. To facilitate this, we chose four prayer topics; one for each week we will still be here. I would like to invite you all to join us.
This week (until next Tuesday, the fourth,) we will be praying for the government. There are many changes that are taking place in the government here, and many more that should. There has historically been a lot of corruption through every level of society, which is something that will have to be dealt with if improvements are to be made. And of course we pray that God's plan would be evident in and through the leadership of this nation and that He would move in strong ways to make Himself known.
If you have any questions, please let me know and I will elaborate! Thank you for joining us in your prayers.
1 Timothy 2:1-2 "I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity."
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Friday, March 24, 2017
Community
When I wrote last, I was in the relaxation stage of summer vacation. Our team has now fully transitioned into that era of vacation where you try to fit as much as possible into the time that you used to spend working. As Peter pointed out to me yesterday, recently we have had some of the busiest weeks since arriving in Myanmar six months ago.
Mostly, we have filled our time meeting with pastors, as evidenced by the approximately twenty pinpoints on our developing mapping project that I mentioned in my previous post. This has been quite a treat. At the start of our trip, we expressed worry to our pastor back home that it was very difficult to set up meetings with anyone here and we hoped to one day be able to meet with a Myanmar family inside their home to experience what their life looks like. How things have changed! To use this week as an example: on Sunday we attended a house church and stayed for lunch with the pastor and his family. We then visited a second pastor in his nearby home. Wednesday night, we visited the home of some of our local friends for a short Bible study. Yesterday, we biked to the homes of two different local pastors to visit with them and meet their families. We have gone from despairing of ever experiencing community in the home of a Myanmar family to meeting with four to five each week. It has been quite the journey to get here, and is such a strong reminder for us of how God works to bring His people together when it may seem impossible to us. We just need to trust in His perfect plan and timing.
As we look forward to heading back to NH in just over a month, this reminder of trusting in God is an important one. We have begun job searching and trying to figure out what the future may hold. I recently applied for a couple jobs and am considering a master’s program that would begin in the fall. It is difficult for me to think about the future in the United States while living in Asia, so I need reminders such as this to rest in God’s sovereignty and astounding grace. Summer vacation hasn’t been all church visits and mapping. I was able to attend a three-day conference last week focusing on providing support to victims of trauma or trafficking in Southeast Asia. We have begun a bucket list of places to visit or foods to eat before the end of our time here, so we have been checking off fun activities as well.
I also had three amazing visitors to show around town and catch up with at the start to vacation! My parents and good friend Liz were here for just about a week, which was such a refreshing time for me. It was such a blessing to be able to introduce them to people we are working with and show them the places where I have been living for so long. No email or skype talks can beat face-to-face conversations with people you love! I am looking forward to more of those conversations in the very near future. In the meantime, our focus is on finishing out strong to leave a lasting foundation for future partnership growth. Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support!
Mostly, we have filled our time meeting with pastors, as evidenced by the approximately twenty pinpoints on our developing mapping project that I mentioned in my previous post. This has been quite a treat. At the start of our trip, we expressed worry to our pastor back home that it was very difficult to set up meetings with anyone here and we hoped to one day be able to meet with a Myanmar family inside their home to experience what their life looks like. How things have changed! To use this week as an example: on Sunday we attended a house church and stayed for lunch with the pastor and his family. We then visited a second pastor in his nearby home. Wednesday night, we visited the home of some of our local friends for a short Bible study. Yesterday, we biked to the homes of two different local pastors to visit with them and meet their families. We have gone from despairing of ever experiencing community in the home of a Myanmar family to meeting with four to five each week. It has been quite the journey to get here, and is such a strong reminder for us of how God works to bring His people together when it may seem impossible to us. We just need to trust in His perfect plan and timing.
As we look forward to heading back to NH in just over a month, this reminder of trusting in God is an important one. We have begun job searching and trying to figure out what the future may hold. I recently applied for a couple jobs and am considering a master’s program that would begin in the fall. It is difficult for me to think about the future in the United States while living in Asia, so I need reminders such as this to rest in God’s sovereignty and astounding grace. Summer vacation hasn’t been all church visits and mapping. I was able to attend a three-day conference last week focusing on providing support to victims of trauma or trafficking in Southeast Asia. We have begun a bucket list of places to visit or foods to eat before the end of our time here, so we have been checking off fun activities as well.
I also had three amazing visitors to show around town and catch up with at the start to vacation! My parents and good friend Liz were here for just about a week, which was such a refreshing time for me. It was such a blessing to be able to introduce them to people we are working with and show them the places where I have been living for so long. No email or skype talks can beat face-to-face conversations with people you love! I am looking forward to more of those conversations in the very near future. In the meantime, our focus is on finishing out strong to leave a lasting foundation for future partnership growth. Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support!
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