Pray for safe flights for any MKs who can go home for Christmas. (Last year their granddaughter had a tough time going home.) This can be an extra stress on missionary families serving in less accessible areas and hoping to have that treasured family time at Christmas.
I took Jacky and Daniel [enjoying his mango in video] to the hospital this morning. Daniel has some spasms occasionally. It most likely has to do with his growth. I wanted Jacky to get tested as she had been losing weight gradually while she eats well. I also find her quite letargic, not much energy. She lost 3 kg in about 2 months. We waited for one hour and a half to see the only doctor who was available for all the patients.
She was given ibuprofen, a large dose of antibiotics, meds for worm treatment.
Thank you so much for praying for us since our last prayer update at the beginning of our summer camp season. Judah's eye injury was a close call and it took several weeks for his vision to return to normal but he is fine now. Josiah turned out to be just the first of many people to suffer from serious skin irritations.
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.