Love Your Neighbor Month

♥LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR♥

I don’t know about your church or community, but around our church this month of October has been LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR month. Now, the truth be known, every day should be a Love Your Neighbor emphasis, right!? We all live in different environments; however, no matter where we live if we look around us there are always opportunities to share a little LOVE.

This month our neighborhood experienced a real tragedy. At a home Just three doors down from us a young man committed suicide. On top of that, the grandfather was diagnosed with Covid19. We live in a new community and everyone is still getting to know one another, so we really didn’t know these people. Several of us did get together, bought a gift basket, and delivered it yesterday just to say that we are thinking of you. A small gesture for sure, but now our prayers can surround this family and seek opportunities to connect.

In our Bible Fellowship Group, following a serious car accident, parents of one of the couples just moved into an assisted living community. This is a big transition for them. The daughter asked the staff if there was anything that we could do to assist, and they quickly answered. We delivered large print Bibles and 2 CDs of hymns along with song sheets files that can be printed and used  in their worship time. Because of Covid19 we met outside to deliver the Bibles and CDs.

Then on another front, in SE Asia, our partners have made arrangements for a living space to be used by families of cancer patients. This is located very near the hospital. This is definitely a labor of love, and once again a creative way to reach out.

What’s happening in your neighborhood? We would love to hear about it. When we talk about loving our neighbors, we can just follow Nike’s slogan — Just Do It!

Miracle Baby Update . . .

I think we would all have to agree that any time a baby is born, it is indeed a miracle from God. However, there are times in life when we step back and take a deep breath because we are overwhelmed to see the miraculous hand of God at work in ways we could never imagine. Thank you so much for your prayers for Wibrandis, the granddaughter of J & A, partners and dear friends in SE Asia. She was born very early and was exceptionally tiny at 740 grams — BUT she’s a fighter. She is now 1.5 kg. Her weight does go up and down, but we are praying she will reach 2 kg soon. Great News!

You may be wondering about the name, Wibrandis. She was a woman, and wife from long ago during the Reformation (1504-1564). She too was a fighter, and was very involved in ministry. She went through extremely difficult times when many women would have given up. But she hung in there. She is seen as an heroic woman during the Reformation. A precious namesake, right?!

Please join us and continue to pray for this precious little girl, Wibrandis. May God have mercy and give her strength. May God also bless her mommy and daddy as they continue this most trying and difficult journey. May God also use this precious moment in time to bless others around them and give them hope.

Thanks for joining us on the journey!

INVISIBLE CHILDREN . . .

As we look around us, we may miss some of the most obvious needs that exist in our world. We often see children playing, and if our own children are basically happy and safe, we may totally overlook that some children are not safe. Some children are not happy. And some children are on the streets with little or no care. In SE Asia, we have a genuine concern for these needy children. Some were abducted, crippled and forced to become beggars for these wretched people who continue to bring harm. Some are from very poor families with basically no care. And then others are homeless for all kinds of reasons.  We all know the song, “Jesus Loves The Little Children”, and indeed he does.

We are so grateful for 2 specific groups who are reaching out to children in need . . . these INVISIBLE CHILDREN. They are there, but we just don’t see them. One ministry, started by 2 families, provides classes, activities with love and assists these families in poverty in all kinds of ways. Pray for them to have adequate resources, more workers and wisdom as they continue during this Covid19 pandemic. These are all volunteers. The work is tiring, but their passion is unstoppable. Pray for God to strengthen them as they continue ministry in poverty stricken areas of their community. One exciting tidbit is that they now have workers who were children in this ministry and have grown up to serve Christ in this way. Pray for their tribe to increase and for God to bless greatly.

The second ministry, in a different country, is using sports evangelism to reach out to street kids who are often overlooked by others. They are doing an amazing job despite the many challenges that surround them. Pray for these leaders as they invest in these children and young people. Pray that through these children families can also experience God’s love and come to know Christ. They are currently praying for additional leaders to enlarge their work and reach more young people. Join us in prayer!

THE 2 BECOME 1

Years ago when our family first arrived in Taiwan, we met the C family and we have been close friends ever since.

Last weekend the son of one of the C daughters was married. GT, a Naval Officer, and HL tied the knot to begin a new life together. A number of people in GT’s family are actively involved in Christian ministry. However, HL is a new believer and the only Christian believer in her family. From experience we can tell you that this is not uncommon. So today we celebrate this new union. Today we ask you to join with us in prayer to support this new family. We pray that HL will grow in Christ and be all that God wants her to be. We pray for the entire extended family to draw even closer to the Lord and also have opportunity to pray for and share with HL’s family as well. Nothing is too difficult for God. He indeed is UNSTOPPABLE.

Here are photos from their ceremony as well as their feast! Congratulations and God’s Richest Blessings to GT and HL! We send our love and prayers.