A Good Story

Ever have one of those times when you have a lot of thoughts but they don’t seem to necessarily coordinate? Call it a “senior moment” or a “creative mind” but I am having one of those moments as I try to write this post. So I will forget trying to coordinate things and simply share them as a list of three.

1 – Liberia. As you know from my last post, we are seriously considering transferring our service with Evangelical Church Missions from the Bolivian field to the new field in Liberia. At this point everything seems to be falling into place with one of the last pieces about to happen. This next week (April 10-19) Mark, Niki and I will be taking a trip, along with some others, to Liberia. This will be Niki and Mark’s opportunity to experience first hand just a little bit of what may lie ahead for us. It will give me an opportunity to validate what I felt on my previous visit. Will you please pray with us that as we come to the point of making a final decision that our decision will be in tune with God’s direction for us?

Liberia's beaches and people are calling again!

2 – Deputation. Our deputation travels are continuing for about three more months. While the support that we need to raise has not been exactly coming in so fast that we are unable to keep up with it, it has been coming in slowly and surely. But nonetheless we have had some really good interaction with people along the way and I believe that I have been learning some new things. God continues to show himself faithful to us and to the work to which he has and is calling us. And I am amazed with the people who have been willing to partner with us through the years. Many of them have been with us from the very beginning and it is humbling to think that they have put confidence in us. We hope, by God’s grace, to be deserving of that confidence. Will you please pray with us that the needed rest of our support will come in during these three months?

Feeding squirrels (and people) has been a favorite activity this year. 

3 – Good story. Sometimes we all need to be encouraged. I find that in ministry results can seem few and far between. But once in a while something happens that brings encouragement our way. Not too long ago my cell phone rang. When I answered it there was the voice of Bryan Canny, my really good friend and co-worker in Santa Cruz. He said that there was someone there at his house that wanted to speak with me. It was an hermana (sister) from the church. She said that her husband wanted to speak with me.

This couple has three children. I had the opportunity to dedicate two of them. When I dedicated the second child several years ago I had a pretty heart to heart talk with the dad who was not living for the Lord. I reminded him that dedicating a child was really promising before God to raise that child in the faith and to be an example. I asked the dad when he was going to change and begin living as an example for his kids.

On the phone the dad reminded me of that conversation and told me that recently he had developed an aneurism in his head. (At least that is what I understood him to mean.) He had to have “open head” surgery and was faced with the thought that he might die. Remembering our conversation he received the Lord into his life and has begun to walk with him. Was I ever encouraged! I had prayed for him and his brother but had not seen any results. But now, the seed planted quite some time ago has taken root. Will you please pray for this couple and especially for the dad that he will keep walking with God and letting him make the needed changes along the way?

A representative child. I couldn't find one of the actual kid.

So there you have my senior ramblings but I guess there is a common theme after all. God is faithful to us and never leaves us on our own. It’s good to have one that we can call Father knowing that we are never out of his hands or care.