John & Debra Bowen, Fern & Glenn Byerly (Pray that our son-in-law's trip to Ethiopia last month will have strengthened and encouraged the Bible translators there.), Gladys Linthicum, Norine Love, Patsy McCarthy, Clarence & Cathy McMullen, David & Angela Morris, Barbara Rahn, Pamela Stedman, Diana Wadsworth.
In some exciting family news, my brother and his family are moving to Uganda! This is my oldest brother Ben who's been serving in Haiti for fifteen years. Because the country is becoming more and more difficult to travel to, he's decided to work in Mbale for two years. They would still like to continue with their Haiti work sometime again in the future, God-willing. They won't be officially part of the OPC Uganda mission, but partnering with the mission as a Regional Foreign Missionary on the continent. He'll come visit next week with his wife and youngest daughter, then move here in March. I'm excited that I'll get to see them more often!
My brother's visit to Mbale and Karamoja went well. They returned to Florida Tuesday night. I'm glad that his wife and youngest daughter also came. Their three other kids are older and will remain stateside. It was good to spend time together with family. We have a visiting pastor coming next week who wants to move to Uganda with his wife. All their kids are grown up. Please pray for team unity as we decide on their specific role and how they can best serve the mission.
Long time building administrator at Knox
Del passed away at 8:30 on Sunday November 19
Del’s funeral service was held Saturday, November 25
in Dundalk , Ontario
Today I caught up with my fifty friends of the American Women’s Club in Beirut, and scattered here in the US.
They are caught and torn between two cultures, although most of them are born to Christian tradition. How to cope with the madness of this world?
With my lovely Moroccan grandmother this afternoon, we stumbled through broken Arabic and broken English for a couple of hours and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Married at 14, first child at 16 and about seven altogether, she is a young grandmother, active and eager for life, happily caring for her young immigrant family here. Her daughter-in-law pursues IT courses at Dallas College, but has not found work. The husband works at something (?).
Last week there was an unexpected invitation to a three-year-old birthday party. Grabbing an extra toy obtained at Amazon, and some Bible Story books, I found a gathering of children and
friends, the Moroccan daughter-in-law with her little daughter.
Pakistani neighbors and friends have reached out for help and accepted prayer for healing.
Pray that the Love of God in Jesus Messiah will reach into the hearts of all these people through His visits with them. It’s an amazing experience.
Today we thank God for our country and its veterans. This coming Friday, American Thanksgiving will be celebrated with a group of Christian neighbors in my home: a Nigerian family of 6 or 7; an Iturean Family of 4; an Hispanic family of 3; two black American ladies; an American lady from Germany. This is a Christian celebration, thanking the Lord Jesus for giving us this land by the Pilgrims and for guiding us in the writing of the Constitution that underlies our identity.
We often see hindrances when a translation nears completion, but the
translation of the southern Asmat dialect of Pirimapun/Saman seems to
have been hindered from the beginning. Don and Joan Gregory were in
Saman long enough to start translating when they had to leave for family
reasons. Several years ago three families from Ethnos mission went to
Saman to learn the language and translate. One couple dropped out after
building a house. The Smiths and Bruces have learned the language,
translation has started, but the Smiths have just left the field. Please
pray that the Lord would put a hedge around Sam and Kari Bruce.They are
now living in Sentani and Sam is working on translation with a Saman man
in Bible School there.
My son Andrew passed the first test for kidney transplant eligibility.
He has just had a skin cancer removed form his leg and needs to keep the
leg elevated for a couple of weeks!
Ian Douglas Shugart PC was a faithful Christian, a Canadian politician, professor, and public servant who served as a senator from Ontario. He grew up in Knox Church. You can watch Ian's funeral at the link below
This may very well turn out to be a November letter before you see it. I usually think of October as being a quiet month, but not this one. I think you will understand why when you hear what I’ve been up to.
John 1:12 “And for those who did receive Him, he gave them AUTHORITY or power to become
Children of God, that is, believers in His Name”
It’s awful, it’s worse than awful. Our book club in Beirut has just finished The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimanda Ngozi Adichie, a noted African novelist. You can get it at the Dallas Public Library. It’s a recital of what is awful in our world. Nothing different, just other places and different times. Don’t read it if you want to stay in your particular corner of LALA Land.
So first thing in the morning. I flee to the Word, to take comfort in the amazing statement, that I have the authority or power to declare myself a son of God. Something like but much more powerful than the authority that my American Passport gives me…
Which brings me back to the American Women’s club and our Book Club. Those women all hold American passports, but choose to stay with the Lebanese husbands they married out of college
40 years ago or more. They are currently raising funds to supply medicines to AUBMC for drugs needed to care for children. There has been an immediate response to our member who is gathering the funds while she is temporarily visiting back in California. There is just a slight problem with getting funds and herself back into Lebanon (all flights in and out of Beirut have been cancelled). Further, how do you get medicines bought into Lebanon?
My Pastor to a Baptist Church in Sidon (Ezekiel 28:20-26 among many other references to Sidon known in the scriptures for those of us addicted to Bible Study) reports that there is a flood of people coming up from south Lebanon into Sidon, escaping the villages on the border. There is a member of our SS class, Soha (Sue) whose family village is there.
Dr. Ramzi Hajjar, my cousins Grace’s son, is a doctor at AUBMC, choosing to stay with his wife,
Siham and his little daughters, Gracie, and Maria. Now 4 and 3. All with American passports, could move to the US, but choose not to. There is plenty of family here to cushion their return.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch:
It’s too quiet here in Richardson/Garland. My neighbors no longer go for outside walks, their children no longer appear in the playground. I hope that lets up this week. I have been experiencing the physical effects of stress after the last few months, a frozen shoulder, and a return of the UtI that has plagued me over the last year. My rejection of missionary status by my church, HPPC, has been very painful, and a direct purpose of God to drive me to Himself alone.
He always does that in all our distresses, whatever their source. He wants us ONLY, Holy.
Thank you Lord Jesus.
Back to the beginning: John 1:12 …for all those who did receive Him, He gave them authority to become children of God, that is, believers in His Name.