“Miriam, a CanIL faculty member, had cancer surgery back in March and is just beginning chemo and radiation treatments. Today is Miriam’s second chemo infusion. Please pray that her cancer will be fully eradicated. Also pray for arrangements to cover her work commitments this summer, should that prove necessary. She is scheduled to assist with the phonetics course, becoming course head for it in Fall term.”
Andrew woke up last Thursday and one eye only had vision in half of it. He went to emerg and was seen by assorted doctors who couldn't figure out what was wrong. He went to the ophthalmology clinic connected to Toronto Western on Monday. It is very discouraging when the dialysis program was getting easier to handle and his blood work was improving. The diagnosis is optic neuritis. The prognosis they gave him was that it would probably progress to his other eye and there was no treatment, They said it was probably due to wildly varying blood pressures. He is terribly discouraged --if he goes blind he would not be able to do the dialysis, or his work which he enjoyed.
For more than a year now, the two of us have talked about writing our Memoirs, but we've had difficulty setting aside enough time to get them done. Well, here's the good news! We believe that the Lord has made writing our full-time work assignment for 2023, and we're actually working at our computers 5 to 6 hours every day.
If you have time to open the attachment below, it details what we're writing about, mentions the role of the Holy Spirit in the process, and shares a few pictures and prayer requests. If this is as far as you have time to read, thank God with us for time to write, for His on-going provision in every way, and ask His for guidance as we each work on our books.
Pat has been a very valued KW<M supporter over many years. She was called to higher service at 7:30 this evening at Baycrest Hospital. She has fought her cancer diagnosis with strength and faith. This leaves her husband, David, with a big missing feeling.
Here at the orphanage it seems like we have had flu, tonsillitis and headaches.
I found out this morning that Margaret, and another the girl who looks after Margaret 's daughter are sick again. Whew!!
I have just made it through a few very difficult days overseeing the clinic while the clinic administrator is away for ten days. Thankfully, although Mondays are our busiest day, it was much more manageable than Friday last week. The clinic just switched over to completely digitally recording information, instead of writing in the paper registers. The clinic staff and I are still learning how to troubleshoot different areas of the software. I was happy to have a Karimojong doctor visit on Friday to discuss publishing her dissertation together, as we had been trying to connect for over a month. It was also staff pay day, I had to sort travel logistics for some visitors from the States, and have a meeting with the schoolboys that the mission is sponsoring before they start their second semestre. I didn't have enough mental energy to figure out why the money wasn't reconciling with the computer software at the end of the day. But today everything balanced, which was such a relief!
Our mission pastor flew out of Uganda last night. He left our mission station a week ago. This past week was full of trying to figure out lapses in communication and trying to get on the same page with all the mission workers. But those of us remaining on the mission are working really well together which has been encouraging. A retired pastor and his wife are now visiting for two weeks to provide us with a bit of counselling and debriefing, which has already been so beneficial to our weary souls.
While we don't have any mission pastor candidates, a family has agreed to join us before the end of the year to help with our maintenance needs. Please pray for them as they prepare to move to Uganda. They have a set of boy/girl twins that are three years old and a one and a half year old boy.
• We are thankful for David Noble's building team from Ontario and praise God for safety and success; for their sacrificial labour throughout a whole month of 12 hour weekdays and 6 hour Saturdays
• The multi-purpose refectory is on track to be completed by June 30, on time for the summer camp season
Seasons come and seasons go,
God's steady grace yet overflows;
Springtime showers and new flowers:
All His beauty clearly shows!
We rejoice in all our toil,
Knowing He will bless good soil;
Read on, pray and praise our God
For He is gracious and so loyal!
Ten days ago the Lord sent me out on an unexpected reconnaissance trip into "the world". Though somewhat removed from it, I pick up a fair bit through my counsellees and all they are facing. However, through an appendectomy I had the opportunity for some first hand experiences. It's a four page reflection-- if you have time for it! I'm grateful and happy to be "up and running" again, but appreciate prayer for more stable health. May we all be equipped to face the challenges of our cultures, enabling us also to bring more love and light to the lost in the world. We do need revival.
The kids in the "Best Start in Christ" preschool in Nicaragua come from households of all shapes and sizes. Read the stories of three youngsters and join us in prayer for their families.
I’m headed to Los Angeles from May 23-26 to meet with Lausanne Movement staff as we plan for Seoul 2024, which is their next global gathering. We plan to have 5000 people in person and 5000 online. My colleague Dave Benson & I are planning their afternoon sessions, called Collaborative Action sessions for each afternoon of Seoul 2024. These sessions will impact how the Lausanne Movement works together in Seoul and beyond, which is why we need to sync up with the staff to ensure this will boost their roles and accelerate the spread of the gospel.
I’ll be working with incredibly smart and talented people, so I look forward to brainstorming together. This is really significant planning time, so your prayers are welcome.
For June, please pray for the planning of Arise Asia (AriseAsia.org), as we count down the days until we begin on July 25 to host 1100 Christians, 18-30 years of age from across Asia and the Middle East to inspire towards missions and fulfilling the great commission. Much to do before then!
Pat is known to many at Knox as a strong and faithful KWM supporter for many years. We encourage prayer on her and Dave's behalf as she struggles with cancer.
We always wish we could share many moving and fascinating personal stories of people whose lives we've touched and whose lives have touched us. But in this age of the Internet and diminishing language barriers, respect for privacy almost always prevents us from doing so.
Doggies waiting for a treat from Jacky....no such luck! She ate it all!!
Living the Post-Resurrection Life
The Lord is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Do you also enjoy repeating these words announcing the first awesome Resurrection Sunday! And isn’t it such a blessing to realize how these words are loaded with tremendous meaning: we actually rose with Christ (spiritually/metaphysically), were united with Him; are “new creation” already in this age of darkness and evil; thus now living in two worlds at the same time; putting us at war—primarily against ourselves (!), ”crucifying” our old nature; “actualizing” Christ’s victory for an increasing fullness of life (love, goodness, meaning, wisdom, joy, light, etc.), even as we still sin and suffer through our personal pilgrimage. Does Christ’s victorious resurrection enable the pros to outweigh the cons? This is what we can come to discover with Paul: “…our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes on not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17-18). Physically we are living in the same world as before the Resurrection, but now, everything has changed…! Actually the change is a 180° change! We’ve now been put right-side up, though there is still work to do, working toward a full 180! Change is now accomplished—therefore change is possible! This is the post Resurrection life!
Teaching these truths in the Discovering Change series in our church is a joy! April 18th we began and continue for the next three Tuesdays, with almost 40 in attendance. Your prayers for the Spirit to enable everyone to personally apply particular truths of the Gospel to their hearts are very much appreciated. May this bring encouraging and helpful insight, reviving each individual to pursue change and walk more closely with the Lord.
Mentoring and training six women from three churches is also such joy and they are progressing well on self-counseling projects and reading assignments —though we’re moving forward a little more slowly than expected with counselees. Two women, physically challenged (severe morning sickness and a prolonged illness) have not been able to participate regularly. Please pray for physical health and spiritual depth for us all, that the blessing to the churches will increase. A few men have indicated their interest to be mentored also—beginning in the Fall… Your prayers are so appreciated here also!
Helping individuals burdened by a greater degree of suffering continues to be an awe-inspiring privilege and challenge. Called to uniquely image God, unique heart idolatries are to be “thrown off” in personal “theatres” of life. Helping one counselee, T, now able to “stand on the promises of God” herself, to trust God’s love, wisdom and strength for her challenging job and family of origin, and seeing the pull of darkness to put an end to her life exchanged for a will to live and love others, has been lovely teamwork within the church—and by your prayers! Praise the Lord! Another couple, married for decades, reports that they never thought their marriage could change to become enjoyable! The estranged couple, (R&M), attending two different churches, are drawing much closer! Thank you so much for your continued prayers for them—and their many children! The three estranged couples are, for the most part, back in churches, though divorce is more likely... Longing for miracles for U & A , J & V, A & E! Pray for others appreciated: M, gifted at a deadline-oriented job, is taking heart that another burnout is not inevitable; young L, who has only known rejection, is learning of Love that conquers evil; and W, who is willing to be take up the challenge to trust the opposite sex intimately. There are others I could list too—increasingly there are those who have experienced, or committed, dreadful evils, so please continue to pray for love and wisdom from the Spirit to work in their hearts— for each and every counseling session!
A strange challenge was booking my US Home Service to the Philadelphia area this summer—now confirmed from July 12th through August 9th! I’m very much looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible then! For anyone interested, I’ll be teaching a summary of the Discovering Change classes I’m doing in Munich at Glenside New Life PCA on July 30th, from 6-9pm.
In God’s providence I’ll be flying via Toronto for a wonderful family event—celebrating my youngest niece’s wedding the evening of July 2nd – and to visit two churches. I’ll be in the city from June 28th through July 11th.
Finally, there’s some more good news: I’m very grateful to let you know that the financial deficit of US$1100/month expected this Fall has already reduced by $500/month. The Lord is providing!
As the world is impacted by wars and rumors of wars—and challenges of many kinds—I’m encouraged that prayers for revival are increasing here and there! There is need for the Kingdom to advance “forcefully” among us all! Thank you so much for your partnership to that end here! Blessings on you all! Elizabeth
For those who would like to contribute financially, here are the two options:
In the USA: https://mtw.org/missionaries/details/matthias-elizabeth
In Canada (via the new, improved link!): https://bit.ly/FFECElizabethM