Grace Beyond

Many Thanks from the Gunn's

2009-06-05T10:10:00.000-07:00

Twenty one years ago yesterday, Miriam and I were married at Grace Church! I still refer to Grace as my "home church", and it continues to be that to me. Thank you so much for remembering our anniversery and sending the card and Starbucks gift cards as part of your service day. It was a real encouragement, especially for Jessica as she continues to nurse her broken leg. She LOVES Starbucks and we often have Dad/Daughter dates there.

In April I got to spend some time with Gary Peterson at Wycliffe HQ in Orlando, as I was there for a conference. He gave me the "insider's tour" and it was incredibly inspiring to see all that God is doing through Wycliffe-and Gary and Robin. If you ever get to Orlando, be sure and make time to visit there and be sure and take your kids-you will not forget it.

God Bless you all!

Rob Gunn for the Gunn family

Nadolski trip to Ghana

2009-04-14T11:46:00.000-07:00

Many of you took the time to pray for Steve and me on the Living Water trip to Ghana.

Thank you. John and Marcia

Here are a few of the answers to your prayers:

People. We met hundreds of people. Most of them lived in small villages in the north-east region of Ghana. In each village, the people came out of their small, mud homes to greet us and to thank us for the pump LWI installed last year.

Real needs. In Kandinga, a small village in the north-east region, we met Elizabeth and a six-month old baby named Sydney. He had a grossly swollen head, and the health workers diagnosed him with hydrocephalus. I took him to the regional hospital, and we met with the head pediatric physician. His name was Dr. Garcia and he was from Cuba. He told me that Sydney needed a drain placed in his head, and this could only be done in the capital city, Accra. We talked to people at the governor’s office, and they helped get Sydney health insurance. Our partner will follow up with Sydney, but he continues to need our prayers. Please pray for Sydney and Elizabeth.

Appreciation. Your prayers matter and we appreciate your prayers and encouragement.

You. While you are praying for us, we are praying for you. Thank you.

Everyone needs clean water. Most of the villagers rely on hand-dug wells. If done right, these wells can provide a good supply of water. However, many of these wells go dry during the dry season and local women and girls are forced to walk miles to nearby rivers and ponds. These water sources are polluted and lead to many cases of water-related diseases. Far too many children die when they get diarrhea, dysentery, and/or typhoid fever.

Riding in the truck. We were riding in the truck on an average of five to 12 hours a day. Riding in the truck was OK. We talked and played games. We usually ran the air conditioning.

Schools. Too many schools have no water supply and the kids come to school with a plastic bottle of water. It’s their only water for the day, and the temperatures range up to 110 degrees. LWI is working to bring new boreholes to these schools. So far, we have drilled over 600 boreholes throughout Ghana. In the past year, we’ve drilled about ten boreholes for schools. Each time, the teachers tell us stories of how the student performance goes up when they have nearby water to drink and the girls don’t have to walk miles to fill jerry cans of water for the school. LWI needs help to raise funds to drill these boreholes. Maybe, you know ways to help. If you do, please feel free to contact me.

Petersons’ Prayer Guide - April 2009

2009-04-04T07:45:00.000-07:00

“All goes well for those who are generous, who lend freely and conduct their business fairly. Such people will not be overcome by evil circumstances… They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.” Psalm 112: 5, 6a & 7

Gary & I returned from our trip to California encouraged and blessed by the generosity and warmth shown us by our supporting churches and friends. The specific requests we gave you to pray for in the last prayer guide regarding this trip were all answered in wonderful ways. Thank you for lifting us up! We really felt the Lord’s enabling in what was a very full but rich time. Special thanks to Wayne & Lois Peterson for hosting us in their home for the whole 17 days. For those interested in statistics, we had 40 meetings, visits or meals out with folk during that time, and we spoke 14 times. Our kids did just fine without us, and Josiah met us at the airport like a pro. I went to Esther’s college last Friday and brought her home again just for the weekend so we could see each other and get some college paperwork done together. It was lovely to be a family of 4 again for a couple of days.

We’d like to especially welcome to our team, those who signed up to receive this prayer guide for the first time this month (some 17 couples or individuals). We are so grateful to have your prayers added to those of the others on our mailing list. We have truly seen God answer prayers in wonderful ways as we have brought specific needs to our Father in heaven. I’ve added an explanation of abbreviations we use often at the bottom of this letter. We hope you’ll feel free to share your prayer needs with us also. This is a partnership!

Josiah has just about decided on The King’s College in New York City as his choice after High School. We’ve been busy completing forms and trying to stay on top of all the paperwork involved in this process. Please continue to pray for God’s confirmation and for Josiah to finish this important senior year of High School strong. Esther would appreciate that prayer for her third year of college, too. She is making good grades, but it’s a constant challenge to keep everything in her life balanced.

Praise God that the dreadful fires in Australia have all been extinguished. Cooler temperatures and some rain have removed the threat for the time being. Continue to pray for those who suffered losses from those fires.

We are looking forward to hosting the Dost family from Washington State for the first week of April as they vacation in this area.

Josiah has his Spring break April 4-12. Pray for refreshment and good use of his time. Pray that Gary & I can get a little break somewhere in there, too. We are both feeling tired from the busy schedule of late. Spring allergies are also still affecting both of us.

Gary’s April 09 Schedule

3^rd *A-Z Program - Friends Academy after school group and *Mission Encounter program for a group from Illinois

9^th M.E. - Riverbend Academy

10^th Good Friday – office closed

12^th Easter – May you know the joy and power of His resurrection in your life.

13^th Host in visitors center and give the morning tour of Wycliffe

16^th A-Z for Pinecastle Christian Academy & Corporate 5Km. Fun Run in downtown Orlando. Wycliffe and Campus Crusade staff will participate. We have special shirts made up to get our messages out – a great promo. I have run this 5-6 times, and this year, hope to run my best time ever. Last year 10,000 people took part!

17^th A-Z program for Christian Education of Osceola Home School Group

21^st Morning tour and later, a special tour for Asbury Seminary students

23rd ‘Bring your kids to work day’. We put on a special program for the Wycliffe kids to make them feel a part of the ministry.

24^th A-Z for Sarasota Calvary Chapel School

28^th A-Z for International Community School

30^th Special Wycliffe Men’s luncheon. Gary will be MC.

* A-Z Adventure program is for Elementary School ages.

* Mission Encounter (M.E.) program is for Middle School – College age students.

These are 4-5 hours long with the goal of opening the students eyes to other cultures, Bible translation needs, and ways they can help, even as kids.

Ways you can pray for these:

-For the hearts of the participants (and their teachers/chaperones/parents) to be open to what God wants to show them.

-For the staff to connect well, communicate clearly, and work well as a team.

-For strength and fresh enthusiasm for the staff with each group.

-For each participant to be impacted in a powerful way and challenged to get involved as a pray- er, give-er, or go-er.

Esther Peterson is going to Nepal

2009-03-24T16:51:00.000-07:00

Hello, friends!

I wanted to let you know about the latest happenings in my life. I am finishing up my third year at Bible College (Trinity College of Florida) and I have one more year to go. I am currently working part time in the Admissions office to help pay for tuition. Last semester I officially changed my major to Christian counseling, after having really enjoyed a few of the counseling classes already. Though I do not see myself becoming a professional counselor, I am certain that learning some counseling skills will help me in whatever ministry God leads me to. This semester I am taking a class called Marriage and Family Communication, and it has continued to increase the desire God has given me to have a Godly, healthy, Biblical family myself and to help others to do the same. Along with counseling classes, I am still taking 54 credits of Bible and theology, so I believe this major will give me well-rounded preparation for ministry.

As part of my requirements for graduation, I must complete two counseling internships. The guidelines for these internships are fairly general, and I have been encouraged to intern in an area that I would like to be involved in after college. Many of you know that I have always enjoyed kids and teenagers, and of course, I love seeing other parts of the world and experiencing other cultures. I also feel a special concern for orphans, and hope to be able to adopt one or more myself one day. Combining these things, I have decided to spend the month of June in Nepal, helping at an orphanage run by some friends of my parents. This will fulfill at least one, possibly both, of my internship requirements, which will also decrease the load for my senior (last) year.

While in Nepal I may be helping out in the school where the orphans attend, assisting with Sunday school, tutoring in English, homework help, and generally being useful wherever I can. Most of all, I will be learning about working with orphans and relating to the people of this very different country. Some of the challenges will be learning some Nepali and trying to communicate with children who do not speak English. This is also a very different part of the world than I have ever been before, so I am sure there will be many challenges in adjusting to the culture. As with all overseas travel, safety and health will also be a concern.

Living expenses should only be a few hundred dollars, but because Nepal is so far away, traveling expenses will be high. I need to raise approximately $3,500 for this trip. If any of you would prayerfully consider helping me with the finances for this trip it would be greatly appreciated! This will be a bigger challenge financially than any trip I have done before (including the six months I spent in Argentina!), but, as always, I know that if God wants me to go, He will supply the means to get there. I would also appreciate all the prayer support I can get for this trip. It will be a great challenge spiritually and emotionally as well. I have learned a lot since my last overseas ministry experience, and I am in desperate need of God’s grace to enable me to put what I have learned into practice.

If anyone would like to contribute financially to this trip, please make a check out to “Esther Peterson” and send it to my parents’ house: 4418 Lake Trudy Dr., St. Cloud, FL 34769. If you would like a tax deductible receipt you can give the money through my church. Make the check out to “Cornerstone Church” with the memo line left blank and mail it to my parents’ address. I will be sending out periodic updates before, during, and after my trip. If anyone has any questions or would like more information, please e-mail me or write me a letter.

In Christ ~ Esther Peterson

Peterson's Prayer Guide - March 2009

2009-02-27T10:46:00.000-08:00

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Cor. 9:8 (NIV)

As I type this, Gary & Josiah have just returned from their trip to visit The King’s College in New York. It was a full, but very helpful and informative trip for them, and a good father-son time as well. Believe it or not, I enjoyed having 3 quiet days all on my own! Josiah is feeling the pressure to make a decision about college soon, but needs to pray and process some more before he feels ready. Please continue to pray for him.

Gary & I leave on Saturday (Feb. 28th) for California. We’d be grateful for your prayers while we’re out there: for safe travels, good health during what will be a busy time, good connections with our supporters, family, and any new folk the Lord wants us to meet. Pray for wisdom in what to share in each setting, sensitivity to the Spirit as we interact with people, and that we would be a fragrant aroma of Christ. Please pray too for our kids during our absence. This will be Josiah’s first time to be home alone for a week, and Esther will be doing some travel to come home during her Spring break.

Esther has found a good option for her internship in June, helping friends of ours who work at an orphanage in Kathmandu, Nepal. I (Robyn) spent 3 years there as a child, so I’m really excited that Esther might get to see where I lived. There are many details to work out yet, so please continue to pray that things come together if that is God’s will for her.

Most of you are aware that Australia has been hit with catastrophic fires in the south east, and floods in the north in recent weeks. My family is safe, but they feel the stress of not knowing when fires may threaten them. There are still several fires out of control and more bad weather conditions just ahead. Join us in praying for God’s protection, for the hundreds who have lost loved ones, the thousands who have lost property, and all those trying to help. Our thoughts and prayers are with them many times a day.

Gary’s report: We’ve had lots of visitors to Wycliffe’s Discovery Center in February, some great kids and youth among them. As usual, the month’s schedule changed after we sent it out to you… I received a letter from a 12 year old today saying how much she enjoyed her time with us. She was very excited and has committed to pray daily for the Bibleless People group she adopted in Indonesia. Another class also adopted a people group to pray for until they get the Bible in their language. Wow!

This month we’ve had a lot of help in the kids program from Wycliffe Associate volunteers. These mostly seasonal volunteers, along with several locals have helped fill our staffing needs, and they have done it with great talent, commitment and passion. Most of them are retired teachers so relate well to kids. Half have been here previous years so know our programs. Though none had worked with the older students (the age groups I’m in charge of: middle school – college) and they were terrified of them, many of them have stepped forward to be trained, and they have done a great job. The problem is that most will be gone by the end of March. Pray that the Lord will provide more locals who can help out year round.

Gary’s Schedule

February 28 – March 16th in California for the Mission Conferences at Grace Church, San Luis Obispo and Grace Bible Church, Arroyo Grande.

Pray for the Wycliffe Discovery education team while I’m away. They have a full schedule of groups coming in, including two large groups on March 13th when they have 98 6th graders and 46 adults coming for a Mission Encounter (M.E.) program, and 30 Campus Crusade college students, also for a M.E. program. Pray that they find enough staff, but also pray that those who come would really be challenged and impacted.

18th Mini M.E. for Blue Ridge Bible Church (a youth group from out of state). They are here for their week of Spring Break to do work projects for Wycliffe.

19th A-Z Adventure and M.E. program for Lighthouse Home school Group (40-50 students + adults)

20th Special devotional for Wycliffe Associate volunteers on the center. Pray that I will inspire them and challenge them to take back the vision to their churches as they return home after a few months of volunteering here.

24th M.E. for First Lutheran School (20 students + adults)

25th Teaching on missions at First Baptist of Eustis, Florida. This is a bit of a drive and will be after work, which means I’ll be getting home late. But this church is trying to grow a mission vision, so I’m excited to be a part of it.

26th A-Z Home school group (details still coming)

27th A-Z program for Friends Academy & Living Waters Fellowship (43 students & 9 adults)

Petersons’ Prayer Guide - February 2009

2009-02-03T11:17:00.000-08:00

And we can be confident that He will listen to us whenever we ask Him for anything in line with His will. And if we know He is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that He will give us what we ask for. 1 John 5: 14-15 (NLT)

Here are some items to thank God for:
I have been released by my surgeon and physical therapist because I’ve made great progress with my knee. I have full range of motion in it again, although it’s still painful with a hard flex. (I’m told it could take up to a year to get over that).

Most of you (everyone with e-mail) received a special prayer request from us on January 8th telling the sad news that the father of Esther’s boyfriend (a fellow Bible college student) had just committed suicide. We so appreciate the prayers and notes from several of you. Although it will obviously take a long time to get over such a difficult experience, Charlie is doing pretty well. The college community has been very supportive, and the practical details that need to be taken care of are gradually happening. We ask you especially to pray for Esther, who wants to be there to support Charlie as he works through things, but has a heavy study load this semester and has already been feeling overwhelmed at times. Pray for wisdom in knowing what’s important to do when.

We are keeping an eye out for good airfares for several trips coming up, and were recently able to purchase our tickets from LA to Melbourne at much less cost than we’d expected. Praise the Lord! We plan to be in the Melbourne area from June 2nd to Aug. 1st.

Esther is working out the details for her internship in June and we would be grateful if you’d pray for that process. Pray for clear leading as to where she should do it, diligence on her part in getting preparations done in a timely way, and provision of funds to cover the cost of travel.

In our last prayer guide, Gary mentioned needing to prepare to teach Perspectives classes in February. Well, to his surprise, he found out that two of the classes were scheduled in January, not February! So he’s had a very busy time getting his prep done so he could teach a lesson he hasn’t taught before (probably 30 hours in about 4 days!) The first class was on Sunday (my birthday), so I didn’t see much of him, except when he and Josiah made me a nice breakfast. He felt that the classes went well, so that’s a huge relief! See his schedule for when the other 3 classes will be.

We would like Josiah to attend a college preview weekend in New York City this month. Please pray that we’d find good airfares, there would be no bad weather to interfere with the travel, and that Gary can find accommodation with people instead of having to pay for an expensive hotel. Josiah can stay with the students. Pray too that this visit would help Josiah in his decision.

February 25th is our wedding anniversary! We are so thankful for God’s blessing of a happy marriage these past 25 years.

There are mission conferences at our two main supporting churches in California for the first two weeks of March. We haven’t made it to these in quite a few years, so feel it’s important to attend this year. Josiah won’t go with us since he will still be in school, but Esther will come home and keep him company for a week during her Spring break from college.

Gary’s schedule
2 & 3 Host in the Discovery Center and do the morning tour (Because we are short staffed I’m filling in).

5 Mission Encounter program for Sarasota Christian School. (45 7th graders & 13 adults)

9 Teach lesson 5 of Perspectives at noon for Pastors in Gainesville, Florida and from
6:00-9:00 pm in Ocala, Florida.

10 Teach lesson 5 of Perspectives from 6:00-9:00pm in Gainesville, Florida – then drive 2.5 hours home.

11 Special tour for a senior pastor from Sarasota, Florida.

16 Mission Encounter for youth group from New Covenant Church, Kissimmee.

19 A-Z Program for Orangewood Christian School. (42 second graders & 10 adults)

20 A-Z Program for Glencoe Classical Academy. (25 K – 5th graders & 5 adults)

19-21 Josiah and Gary visit The Kings College in New York City. (They meet in the Empire State Building!)

25 Our 25th wedding anniversary !

26 A-Z Program for Shores Christian School (30 second graders & 10 adults)

27 A-Z Program & Mission Encounter for Classical Conservation Home School Group (38 students grades 1-12 & 15 adults).

28 Robyn and I leave for California for 2 weeks of mission conferences.

Dudecks Coming to California

2009-01-06T10:47:00.000-08:00

We will be coming to California from January 17 to February 10 to visit with the churches and friends who support us in our missionary work, whether by prayer or financially. We hope to rekindle old friendships, make new friends, and share with you about the work that we are committed to.

This time Pam will be joining me, and Jennifer will be with us for part of the trip. We would love to meet as many of you as are interested in getting together. There will be several opportunities in various meetings, or if you would like to get together one-on-one, please get in touch. Here is our tentative itinerary:

Sat Jan 17 - arrive in LA.

Sun Jan 18 - Grace San Diego.

Mon Jan 19 to Wed Jan 21 - available for one-on-one in San Diego County.

Thurs Jan 22 to Tues Jan 27 - Global Opportunity Festival at Shadow Mountain Community Church, El Cajon. Available for one-on-one in the San Diego area during "down" times.

Wed Jan 28 to Fri Jan 30 - Whittier, visiting with Pam's family.

Sat Jan 31 - Jennifer leaves from LAX to return to college. John and Pam will drive to San Luis Obispo.

Sun Feb 1 to Tue Feb 3 - Grace Church, San Luis Obispo.

Wed Feb 4 - Return to Whittier.

Thurs Feb 5 to Mon Feb 9 - Fullerton Evangelical Free Church and Sonlight Fellowship. Available for one-on-one visits.

Tue Feb 10 - return to Charlotte NC.

If you would like to get together during any of the one-on-one times above, please drop me an E-Mail right away, as I am planning our schedule now and don't want to miss any of you.

Blessings, John Dudeck

jdudeck@zenia.simcsg.sim.org Charlotte, North Carolina
--
"Certain thoughts are prayers. There are moments when, whatever be the attitude of the body, the soul is on its knees." -- Victor Hugo

Petersons' Prayer Guide - January 2009

2008-12-31T10:36:00.000-08:00

Pray for us… for we want to live honorably in all we do. May the God of peace…equip you with all you need for doing His will. May He produce in you through the power of Jesus Christ all that is pleasing to Him. Heb. 13: 18, 20(NLT)

Happy New Year to you all! We enjoyed Christmas as a family with a few traditions; a picnic breakfast at the big lakefront in town, and the watching of “The Nativity” movie in the evening. In the afternoon we also accompanied many from our church choir to take part in a Christmas production at Sea World. For serving in this way we were each given two free tickets to return to the park in the next year – quite a deal! We are spending New Year's Day helping with a fundraiser for a high school Christian group, manning concession booths at a big football game.

We are on vacation this week, as mentioned in the last prayer guide. There seems to be a lot of chores to take care of, but we are trying to find ways to rest and be refreshed in between the work.

I am now having physical therapy to try and regain full function in my knee, after the arthroscopic surgery last month. The good news is that the surgeon didn’t find any tears or arthritis. Although he cleaned it out, I have yet to find out if the pain I went in for has been taken care of or not. I didn’t anticipate the time it is taking to get back to normal! Please be patient with us if we take awhile to respond to your letters, etc. The days go by extra fast when you spend several hours each day on rehab!

Josiah has now been accepted at two colleges he’s applied to. He is also finishing an application to Moody Bible Institute in Chicago (it requires more essays...) and would like to visit that college soon, too. He had a good offer of scholarships from Columbia International University, but with the total yearly cost of a private school, he is still several thousand dollars a year short of what is needed. Please continue to pray for him in this decision.

Here’s what’s on the schedule for January:

Gary
The year is starting off very busy for me. We are short staffed and many of us are doing double duty.

I am also preparing to teach Lesson 3 for the Perspectives in the World Christian Movement courses being run in Central Florida in February. I have not taught this lesson before. Shortly thereafter I will be teaching lesson 5 on the north Florida circuit. I have taught this before, but it has been revamped, so I have to re-work my lesson. I love teaching Perspectives, but there is some work involved. I do these after hours (mostly evenings) so I can keep up at the office. Here’s the website if you want to know more about it: www.perspectives.org

5 I will be the host in Discovery for the day. We are down to one volunteer for hosting purposes from the 3 we had in the Fall. It means many of us have to step in as needed.

6 Leading devotions for Wycliffe’s Total It Up course here in Orlando (check out: www.wycliffe.org/Events/EventsList/TOTALItUp.aspx)

6 & 8 I will be teaching the “Anthropology” section for Total It Up. It’s a fun class to teach.

5-9 Wycliffe Discovery Education planning and preparing for new semester.

10 Josiah’s 18th birthday!

11 We will drive Esther back to college following her vacation. Please pray as she works to balance relationships, work, planning for the future and her studies.

13 Mission Encounter for Venice Christian Academy (12 High school / 2 adults)

15 A-Z program for Real Life Christian Academy (28 students / 12 adults)

23 A-Z program for Regency Christian Academy / AZ (28 3rd graders / 18 adults)

25 Robyn celebrates another year of life (:

27 YME Altamonte Christian Academy (20 12th graders)

28 Near Him Home Educators home school group. A-Z (70 1st–5th graders). YME
(30 6th–12th graders)

30 A-Z program for First Christian Academy (120 5th graders).

Greetings from the Dudecks - December 2008

2008-12-30T14:28:00.000-08:00

It's been a year of challenges, but with plenty of hope and encouragement. Here are some of the challenges we've faced this year:

In January and February Jennifer was part of her school's Robotics team, and John was a "parent-mentor". The team had to build a robot in six weeks that would compete against other robots to play a game. The robot didn't win anything, but the team took the "Rookie Inspiration Award" twice. It was a lot of fun and a good time for John and Jennifer to work together.
Jennifer graduated from Olympic High School this year. She entered a competition with the National Center for Women & Information Technology, and was one of 28 nation-wide to be awarded a laptop computer and $600 cash.

Jennifer applied and was accepted by three universities -- NC State School of Engineering, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Taylor University. She decided upon Taylor. It's a small private Christian school in Indiana. She is majoring in Computer Science/New Media and minoring in Studio Art. She has just finished her first semester.

When we went to visit Taylor University in April, the engine died in our Toyota Camry. We had to leave the car in Indiana to have a rebuilt engine put in. It took two more trips from Charlotte to Indiana (an 11 hour drive each way) before we finally got this challenge resolved. We are grateful for a church in California that gave us a gift that covered 1/4 of the expenses. In August we took Jennifer to Taylor and participated in the International/Missionary Kids orientation week.

Pam's health has been our greatest challenge this year. She has been having trouble with insomnia for several years. Doctors had not been helpful. They just prescribed sleep medications that progressively were less effective. This fall Pam went to her doctor determined to break the pattern. She had to get off of her dependence on the medications, which was very difficult. She has been following a sleep regimen to establish better patterns, and has had definite improvement. She is now sleeping better with no medications than she did before when taking them. We are encouraged. It was very difficult for a while.

John's work at SIM International working on Information Technology projects has been a challenge. His current project has not been making rapid progress, although it is moving ahead. Pam has not been going in to the office, but hopes to soon be feeling enough better that she can return to her work in the archives.

Our financial needs continue to be a challenge. As you know we receive financial donations from supporters for our mission work. We have had increases in our needs, mainly due to the cost of medical insurance, and some of our supporters have cut back or stopped giving. But we have had some giving increases this year, which is encouraging, though we are far short of our requirements.

One of the things we have enjoyed doing is volunteering at various history sites. Pam has been doing living history for years, mostly hearth cooking, and John has started going along to take photos. John is looking into ways to try to make a little money doing photography, although he hasn't sold any pictures yet.

We are planning a trip to California January 17 through February 10, 2009. We will be visiting the churches that support us financially, and spending time with family and friends.
We are grateful for all your prayers on our behalf, and for your generosity towards us.

With all our love,

John, Pam, and Jennifer Dudeck
E-Mail us at: john.dudeck@sim.org.

P.S. We are all on Facebook, so be sure to look us up.

Peterson's Prayer Guide - December 2008

2008-12-02T14:09:00.000-08:00

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be His royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

As usual, we had many more events than were scheduled when we wrote the last prayer guide. Overall it was another great month, but I (Gary) confess there were some groups that I felt I just didn’t/couldn’t connect with. One group showed up with less than 24 hours notice. Though I spent a couple of hours with them, I just felt there was no interest. It was discouraging, but I have to leave it with God.

Election Day! We had over 1950 people come to our center to vote. There were many opportunities to talk about what we do, and even to share the gospel with a few. It was fun hearing some of the voters in line accurately telling others all about us. Some of these new friends in the neighborhood have come back to volunteer at the center in various roles. Praise God!

I had a gentleman come up to the Discovery desk with his new bride by his side. She said, “He’s been anxious to see this place for 6 years and we are so excited to finally be here!” He had been one of the workers who put the Discovery Center together. That was just 6 weeks after his first wife died and he was struggling. Assembling it and reading much of the material he was putting up was a big part of his healing through that loss.

Our trip to Columbia International University in South Carolina was a fabulous experience. We hadn’t expected a program for us as parents, but they provided that concurrently with the potential student events. We were very impressed with the college, the lovely setting and the caliber of the staff and students they’re producing. Josiah is leaning strongly towards it, but we are still waiting to hear what scholarships he will receive.

The Last Languages Campaign Celebration on the 21st and 22nd went great – at least from my vantage point. We had lots of visitors from around the world on Friday, and from around central Florida on Saturday. We’ll tell you more about it in our newsletter. We are getting ready to produce that now, so be looking for it in the next few weeks. Pray that we’ll do a good job of communicating and inspiring the recipients.

December Schedule

1st I will be hosting in Wycliffe’s Discovery Center as well as giving the morning tour. Pray for divine appointments. Robyn will be driving Esther back to college after her Thanksgiving break with us (5 hour round trip).

2nd Robyn is having arthroscopic knee surgery. Pray that it will be successful and she’ll recover quickly.

3rd I will be speaking to a large group of Hispanic middle-schoolers (junior high) at Inglesia de Palabra Viva (Living Word Church). They support a colleague of mine who is heading off to serve in Cameroon, Africa.

5th 150-200 soccer players in Orlando for the National Christian College Athletic Association Soccer Tournament will be visiting our center. Pray we’ll be able to really connect with and challenge them. We are told that 10% of these players will not be Christians. We also have 90 elementary age kids and their parents here for an A-Z program at the same time.

6th Gary’s Mother leaves early in the morning to fly back home to California. It has been an honor, privilege and fun to have her here – except that she beat me in most of the games we played. Surely my mother wouldn’t cheat would she? That same morning I will attempt to complete the Orlando half marathon (13.1 miles or 21 kilometers). I haven’t run that far for 7 years! Robyn is taking part in a special fund-raising tea to support AIDS ministry. Pray that God will inspire her as she gives the opening prayer.

11th Mission Encounter for 20 middle school students and two adults from Otis Memorial Academy.

12th Mission Encounter for 70 8th graders from Orangewood Christian School. Pray I will get some extra staff to help me as we are short staffed at the moment.

16th and 24th. Face to Face – I will be the Mission Speaker for our 1pm public presentation to any visitors.

25th Happy Christmas to you all! Thank God for those who now have the Christmas story in their language for the first time.

26th – January 2nd Family staycation – holiday at home. Plenty of work projects to catch up on as well as getting ready for a busy new year.

Peterson's Prayer Guide - November 2008

2008-10-31T09:42:00.000-07:00

“Happy are those who fear the Lord… All goes well for those who are generous, who lend freely and conduct their business fairly… They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.” Psalm 112:1,5,7 (NLV)

Aren’t you glad we have Scriptures like these to encourage us in these unpredictable days? God is good and He is faithful to those who obey Him and walk in His paths.

Last month we were part of the Amazing Race Missions conference at our church here. It was a busy and exciting time as we watched many in the church having their eyes opened to the needs of the world. Already our own small group is starting to plan a short term mission trip for next summer. Thanks for your prayers. These are exciting days!

At the beginning of the summer, I started a big project to clean out our home office, throwing away or shredding piles and piles of paper and reorganizing things. I worked many hours on it, and am happy to say that it is finished. A great feeling!

Gary writes: We are changing the name of our WordSpring Discovery Center to Wycliffe Discovery Center. Though there was a good reason to call it WordSpring, it has been confusing for many of our visitors and especially in advertising who we are. This may seem minor, but to change signs, brochures, posters, websites, banners, etc. is going to take time and money. We expect in the long run it will be more than worth it, however. Wycliffe has also decided to close the Discovery Center on Saturdays for financial reasons. Some Saturdays we’ve had lots of visitors, and on others, only a handful, but we’ve had to have a full complement of staff on at all times just in case. If we have groups book in advance, we will still open for them on Saturdays.

We have recently lost one key staff member due to changing family needs, and another is retiring at the end of the year. We have also lost the main person who scheduled groups, so that has put more responsibility on the rest of us. Pray that we can find some experienced people who will be able to help us.

Gary’s November Schedule

3rd I speak at our “Face to Face” (meet a missionary) program for visitors. We never know how many people will be there or where they will come from. In the past, I’ve had some incredible opportunities with our visitors.

4th National Election Day. WordSpring will be a voting location. We have done it for the primaries and midterm elections, and have had some phenomenal opportunities to talk with people – though only if they ask directly. We are expecting 2,000+ on the day. The most we’ve had before was almost 1200. I expect to have a 10-12 hour day. Pray for divine contacts.

5th I will be filling in as host for the day at Wordspring. I enjoy this, but it does take me away from preparing for groups. Pray for divine contacts.
Robyn and I will also be teaching a new mission preparation class at our church in the evening (filling in while the regular teachers are away.)

6th I will speak to the Saint Cloud (the town we live in) Ministerial Association. Pray that I will not only inform, but inspire the pastors to be involved in missions and Bible translation. We are hoping that some from their congregations would be willing to help us as volunteers at Wycliffe during the months when the snowbirds are gone.

11th Wycliffe’s International Day of Prayer. Every November 11th Wycliffe members around the world spend a day in prayer following the example of our founder. It was November 11th when Cameron Townsend spent a day in prayer before getting permission to enter Mexico, where eventually we started as an organization.

12th (tentative) A-Z Adventure & Mission Encounter for Citrus Heights Academy – 50 students from 3rd – 12th grade & 6-12 adults.

13th – 15th Robyn and I will be driving with Josiah to a scholarship weekend at Columbia International University in Columbia, South Carolina, (about 8 hours away). The college will be granting a number of scholarships that weekend, including one for full tuition for 4 years. Josiah worked hard writing the required essays for the occasion. He will have to miss two days of school, so pray that he can get caught up without too much stress. Pray too that God will use this event to help Josiah know if this is the college he should attend. It is one of his top choices right now.

18th – Dec. 6th Mom Peterson flies out from California for a visit. Pray that we’ll be a blessing to each other.

17th – 20th It will be all hands on deck to prepare to launch Wycliffe’s Last Language Campaign kick off celebration. People are coming from all over America and the world.

21st – 22nd Last Language Celebration. These will be long days, lots of work but lots of potential to connect with key people. Pray for inspiration and energy. We are already well underway with our preparation. Check out www.lastlanguagescampaign.org to see what it’s about.

22nd My birthday. My age matches the year I was born – minus the “19” part in front of course.

24th – 26 Taking some vacation time to spend with my family and enjoy Thanksgiving.

27th Thanksgiving Day. A time to celebrate God’s blessings on us as a nation and to be thankful.

We’re so thankful for you and the part you play in our lives and ministry. Thank you for the gift of your involvement with us!

Peterson's Prayer Guide - October 2008

2008-09-30T11:54:00.000-07:00

“Dear friends, if our conscience is clear, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive whatever we request because we obey Him and do the things that please Him.”
1 John 3:21-22 (NLT)

On September 21st Gary gave the sermon at our church here. We asked you to pray for his preparation and that God would use the message to really impact the listeners. God answered that prayer in a marvelous way! He did some deep work in Gary’s own heart as he prepared, and helped him make time to work on it even with a full schedule. I felt he really connected well with the congregation and was able to present the challenges of the Great Commission in a fresh, relevant way. Many people gave positive feedback, and we pray that the things God spoke to them will continue to influence their lives in the days to come.

As mentioned last month, our church here is having its first real missions conference from Oct. 1-6. Missionaries from a number of organizations and countries are coming to share about their ministries. There are meetings and events designed to grow the vision of our church and help us connect with these missionaries throughout the week. Gary will be speaking to the preschool and elementary aged children about missions on Sunday, the 5th. Pray again that God will prepare his heart and the message He’d have him share with these young ones. Pray that God will use all the events of this week to challenge more to be involved in the work closest to His heart – bringing people to know and worship Him.

On October 12th, Esther is bringing another group of students from her Bible College to spend the night here and to visit Wycliffe on the 13th. Pray for safety as they make the 2 hour trip each day, good fellowship, and that God will use this experience to open the eyes of these young adults who are preparing to serve Him in different ways.

Thanks so much for upholding us in prayer! We rely heavily on the knowledge of your support in this way.

October Schedule

1-6 “Amazing Race” mission conference at Cornerstone Church, Saint Cloud, Florida. Meetings and events each day for Gary & Robyn.

4th Help coordinate and run in the 5 km. race which is part of the mission conference. Gary will have to leave shortly after running and dash up to the office to lead a Mission Encounter program for a church youth group and a home school group.

12th & 13th Trinity College will come visit us and Wycliffe.

16th A-Z program for home school group.

21st Gary speaks at Jupiter Wycliffe Associate chapter in the evening. This is a couple of hours drive south and we’ll be driving home afterwards.

23rd A-Z program for a large home school group.

28th A-Z program for Circle Christian School.

30th – 31st – manning a WordSpring booth at the Florida League of Christian Schools (FLOCS) convention. This is a VERY busy two days with great opportunities.

Gary will be the host at Wordspring on the 7th, 13th, 15th, 20th, 22nd, 23rd, and 29th and giving the daily tour on a number of those days as well. There are people away in his department, so he is filling in. Pray for freshness as he interacts with each new group or visitor.

A-Z Adventure program is for Elementary School ages.
Mission Encounter program is for Middle School–College age students.

Day of Fasting for Pam Dudeck

2008-09-09T10:23:00.001-07:00

We are making Tuesday, Sept. 9th, a day of fasting for Pam, seeking the Lord to restore her health.

Pam's insomnia has continued to wear down her strength. She is very fatigued. The doctors that she has consulted have been unable to give a diagnosis of the cause of her insomnia, and have only treated the symptoms by giving her sleep medications which have become progressively ineffective.

She will be seeing her primary doctor on Tuesday. We are praying for two things -- first that the Lord will miraculously restore Pam's ability to sleep. Second, if He does not do it miraculously, that the doctors will be able to come to a correct diagnosis and treatment.

I will be fasting all day Tuesday. Please join with me if you can. And please pray for me as well as for Pam, as we continue to persevere through this time of testing.

jdudeck@zenia.simcsg.sim.org Charlotte, North Carolina
--
"The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly." -- Richard Bach

Peterson's Prayer Guide - September 2008

2008-09-02T16:57:00.000-07:00

“God chooses to operate in response to our prayers. He is perfectly capable of hallowing His name, advancing His kingdom, and enforcing His will without our asking Him to do so. But He wants us to ask for these things. That makes our prayers tremendously important!”
(Quote from “Love to Pray” by Alvin VanderGriend)

Some of you will be aware that we experienced tropical storm Fay that caused a lot of destruction due to the incredible amount of rain it dumped on this state recently. We are happy to say that although things are rather soggy around here, we were unscathed by it. However, many on the coast are still under water and will feel the impact for a long time to come. A nasty hurricane (Gustav) is in the Gulf right now but is only affecting us with extra rain. We’re more concerned about Hanna, the next storm, which is in the Atlantic and may be affecting us in some way later this week, so we would appreciate your ongoing prayers for safety and wisdom in our responses to whatever future storms come this way during hurricane season (through November).

Esther arrived home safely from her 2 months in Australia. We’re so grateful to all who made her time there so enjoyable and worthwhile. The family went beyond the call of duty to look after her well! It was great to have some time off to catch up with her, see her photos, and have some fun together when she returned. We were given free entrance to a Disney park one day during our vacation, so that was a lot of fun. :) Our time up the coast was very relaxing. Although we spent a good part of two days painting the place to pay for our stay, it was fun to do a project together like that. That area was hit hard by the storm last week, so we are very grateful that our vacation was the week before!

We enjoyed hosting a number of out of town guests in August, too. Please let us know if you’re ever coming this direction. We’d love to see you and catch up face to face.

We took Esther back to her Bible College on Friday. She’s been helping with new student orientation these past few days and her classes begin today (Aug. 27). Some have been wondering what she is studying there. She is doing a “General Studies” major, preparing for ministry of some kind. This semester her subjects include: the book of Hebrews, Introduction to Counseling, Introduction to Preaching, New Testament Greek, Systematic Theology I and Apologetics. She has 2 years to go and hopes to get a job after she graduates, and continue to study at night school to get a teaching qualification. She has the same dorm room and roommate as last year, and will continue working in the Admissions office of the college part time. Thank you for your prayers for her! It was truly a delight to have her around for a bit!

Josiah has begun his senior year and is happy with his teachers and subjects. On the days he rides the bus, he leaves the house at 6AM, so it’s an early start! He has started helping with the video recording at church on Sundays, and enjoys that. We have a new family pastor who is bringing a different focus, and the AWANA program is being discontinued. Pray for wisdom as Josiah makes his commitments for this year. Soccer refereeing starts up again on the weekend, so that will provide employment for him on Saturdays during the season.

I, (Robyn) made some good progress on cleaning out office files and throwing out obsolete paper during the summer, but I’ve still got more to do. I will keep plenty busy with e-mail (I’m still way behind), prayer ministry, and involvement at church as we move into the fall. I want to keep being intentional in my relationships in the neighborhood, too. Pray that I’ll make good use of my time and be able to prioritize according to God’s desires.

Our church here is preparing for its first real missions conference in October. We are both on teams to help with making this happen. Gary has been asked to give the sermon on September 21st as part of the lead up to the conference. He would appreciate your prayers for God to guide his preparation and use his message to really impact this part of the Body.

Here’s Gary’s schedule for the month as he knows it right now:

4th–5th WordSpring Education retreat
11th A-Z Adventure, Masters Academy (96 people)
18th A-Z Adventure (40 students) and Mission Encounter (24 students)
21st Preach on missions at Cornerstone
25th Hope Home School Group A-Z Adventure

Thanks again for your partnership in all of this!

Peterson's August 2008 Prayer Guide

2008-07-31T15:54:00.000-07:00

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare of the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God and I am trusting Him. Ps. 91: 1-2 NLT

Gary writes: What an incredible month July has been, and much busier than the schedule we originally sent out. By the time the month had started, I had many more groups book in, and by the middle of the month we had already set a record for sign-ups to pray for a Bibleless People Group. On one day I had no sooner finished with one group than I turned around and had another, followed by another. The youth pastor from one group said that in three years of Divinity school he had never heard that there were people without access to a Bible in their language. One person was amazed to find out that there were 80 languages spoken in their home country.

A pastor brought about 10 kids aged 5 to 18 years – most younger than 12 – to spend a day with us, going through our summer program. Since they were staying longer, we threw in a special, behind the scenes tour of the office. The kids from this church of less than 250, raised $130,000 for missions in the past 10 years, most of it in the last 3 years. One 15 year old raised $10,000 this past year! I have never met a more mission minded group of kids in my life! Many have already gone overseas on mission trips, and almost all have done trips in the US, and not just easy ones. They were preparing to head to Sturgis, North Dakota for the biggest Biker rally in the world – to witness to some of the toughest people in the world. The kids are fearless!

We’ve had lots of college groups come through this month, but the biggest was the 203 students/leaders from the Navigators, (mentioned in the last prayer guide). They spent most of a Saturday at the Wycliffe office, and I assembled a team that did a fantastic job of informing, inspiring and involving them. We all had a blast! The response was overwhelming too. Over half of the students signed up to pray for a Bibleless people group, the book store did over $3200 in sales, running out of the most popular items. (The profits go toward Bible Translation). The workshops were very well attended, and we were all thanked profusely for allowing them to come. Wow! I got a call at home afterwards asking if Robyn and I would go out to breakfast with a group of them. We met them at a restaurant in Orlando at 7AM on Sunday. What an incredible group of young men, hungry to learn and eager to serve the Lord. And we still made it back in time for church. What a weekend!

Esther arrived home from Australia last Saturday – July 26th.. It was a happy and sad day for us, as we learned that our dear friend, Geoff Morrow, who was Gary’s mentor into this work with Wycliffe, went home to be with the Lord following 2 heart attacks. He will be greatly missed, but he left a wonderful legacy in many, many lives. Please pray with us for his wife, Aileen, and their family in this time of loss.

August is hopefully going to be a slower month. This week we are enjoying a “staycation” – that’s a vacation where you stay at home. I had hoped to go up the East coast of the US and see some of the historic sites, but with high gas (petrol) prices, we decided to stay at home. And you know what? Esther is happy about that!

August 4-8 I was to be away at a retreat for Wycliffe’s Church Relations department. I have been asked to join this and have considerable interest in this aspect of our work. But for now I feel God has me in the right spot, and they have decided I don’t need to be there. We had postponed some groups coming in that week because of my being away, so we’ll see if we can re-connect and bring some in.

August 11-17 is the second installment on our vacation when we will be going two hours up the coast to Flagler Beach. Some good friends are letting us stay in their bungalow near the beach for a week. It will be away from phones and interruptions, so we’re all looking forward to reading books, walks and runs on the beach, watching some old movies and playing board games together.

August 18th – Josiah starts his last year of High-school. Where has the time gone?

August 22nd – Esther heads back to Trinity College for her third year.

The rest of the month I am filling in for people who are away, and am on call for any group that may walk through the door or book to come and visit on short notice – a common occurrence. I will also be getting ready for the fall when the school groups and home-school groups start booking, and we as a staff will be heading to various teachers conventions to promote our WordSpring education program. We will have two key staff away on a strategic overseas assignment with Wycliffe during the fall, so no doubt we will all have to share the load. I am also trying to train more staff to help me run the Mission Encounter program.

Thanks for your prayers. This has been the busiest summer I’ve had, but with some of the greatest results. And I have shared with many groups – especially with the Navigators – that folk like you were praying for them, and that’s why God was talking to them. We all make a great team! Have a great month!

THE LIDBECK NEWSLETTER

2008-07-08T14:12:00.000-07:00

Greetings dear friends.

The month of June has certainly been a great time for us. We celebrated the birth of our first grandchild, Colton, born to Christine and Bryan. Actually, Colton was born May 10, but Kathy flew back to Bloomington, Illinois to spend time learning how to be a grandma and returned June 14. We celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary on the 16th. We have completed 33 years of ministry with American Missionary Fellowship on June 1st. We completed two years leading the church at Parkhill as of June 15th. And we anticipate the marriage of our son, David, on July 4th, completing a round of family milestones.

The Sunday school teacher at Guadalupe Community Church reported that another child received Christ earlier this year. The Hispanic children who attend have become little missionaries, inviting their friends to come. The entire church basement has become a large classroom for Terrie Wilson, whose loving dedication to the Lord and to them is evident to these precious ones. Pray for this small assembly as they grow in grace.

Parkhill Community Church will host the local CDF for a BBQ outreach June 22nd.

We are once again at “crunch time” for Camp Challenge. There are only a couple of staff slots left to fill. Last year saw our largest attendance since 1985 when the Las Palitas fire burned the facility to the ground. A junior high group from Nevada will be returning for the fun (the wife of the young couple in charge of the youth attended Camp Challenge as a girl and recollects the fun
that she had, and the change it brought).

Camp staff who got/are getting married since last year includes Joel Topping to Emily Mittel, Josh York to Stephanie Mittel, Alie Sparrow to Zack Heinrich, David Lidbeck to Brandy Noice, and Johnny Power to Becca Shepard. This represents a LOT of leadership, half of whom will be ministering with us again this summer.

Pray for fruit for the upcoming camps beginning July 14 and ending August 2. We are speaking to the issue of the return of Jesus Christ.

Celebrating the completion of 33 years of ministry on the Central California Coast between Los Angeles and Salinas, Wayne & Kathy proudly hold a plaque awarded by Rinconada Country Church.

Have a great summer.
Wayne & Kathy Lidbeck
wlidbeck@sbcglobal.net
American Missionary Fellowship
Box 370, Villanova, PA 19085
Regional Director: Lance Eisele 559-734-0954
LanceEisele@americanmissionary.org

Peterson's Prayer Guide - July 2008

2008-07-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. 1 Cor. 15:58 (NLT)

If you’re anything like us, you are praying for friends who are scattered across the globe on summer mission trips. Praise God with us for what He is doing in and through the Body of Christ – those who are going, and those who are praying, the long-term and the short-term. May each of us be strong and steady in the work He has given us to do.

Gary & I have just returned from a wonderful, little break, courtesy of some good friends who gave us the use of their condo up the coast a few hours. It was a true gift from the Lord as we enjoyed quiet, rest, and a beautiful part of Florida, walking, running, swimming and reading - just what the Doctor ordered!

From all we’ve heard, Esther is doing well with life on the dairy farm, enjoying the time with relatives, and working hard. So far she is keeping healthy, for which we thank God. We are excited that she has been able to see another aunt and two more cousins who flew across the country to spend 10 days on the farm. On July 19th she will celebrate her 20th birthday. We praise the Lord for our wonderful daughter! Please pray for her safe return as she travels from the 24-26th.

Josiah writes, “This last week I attended the Florida American Legion Boys State on the campus of Florida State University in the capital of Tallahassee. The program is designed to provide 11th grade boys a hands-on opportunity to learn about state and local government through classes, mock elections, and job enactments as well as providing participants with the history of the state coupled with tours of the historic sites of the capital and speeches from prominent state officials. I had the honor of being elected state senate chaplain the first day and presided over the prayers and mediations for the rest of the week for the whole assemble. I thank God for the opportunity and all that I learned through the experience! Though I am still unsure of whether I want to pursue politics in the future, the things I learned will help me to be a more aware and active citizen.” Thanks for praying for our son!

Gary made it to the international Perspectives conference in Dallas, TX. It was a who’s who in missions! Some were his favorite Perspective course authors. He was like a kid in a candy store – and it was all non-fattening! He came home VERY inspired, encouraged, challenged and motivated to do better. He’s already seen a positive impact from it in his work.

God gave many more strategic opportunities for Gary at Wordspring in June. The time with the university students from Campus Outreach Ministries was beyond everyone’s expectations, including theirs! Over half of the 132 who came made a commitment to pray for a Bibleless people group, and all of Gary’s staff had great conversations with students. The leaders told him that many of the students from last years visit have already changed their majors to prepare for missions. They were sure many would do so out of this group as well. We credit your prayers for the powerful work God is doing in their hearts.

Gary’s July schedule. Remember to pray also for the unexpected visitors.

1st Sharing with a church youth group visiting our headquarters and helping on a work project.

3rd Special tour and talk for a Korean American youth group from Virginia visiting with YWAM (Youth With A Mission). We have three other youth groups visiting this day that my colleagues will have to do because I am already committed to this group.

7th I will be the missionary speaker for our “Face to Face” program – a program run Monday – Friday where visitors hear from various Wycliffe missionaries and have a question and answer time. Numbers can vary from a couple of people to over 40. Recently I had a standing room only crowd, but it’s usually around 10.

8th I will do the 10am tour – filling in while our regular guides are on vacation or away on business.

10th & 11th Special tour and talk for youth group from New York. 60 students + leaders divided so we have 30 each day.

12th Special all day program for 178 university students, 20 leaders and 5 children with the Navigators. This is the 4th year this group has come to visit, and there are about twice as many coming as we’ve had in the past. They are one of the most interested and committed group of students we have visit every year. It will take a lot of staff and creative planning to make this a special day for them. If the response is anything like it was with Campus Outreach, it will be an incredible day.

14th I will cover as receptionist for WordSpring in the afternoon so the staff can have a meeting.

18th and 23rd.I do the Face to Face presentation.

28th – August 1st the Petersons will be on VACATION!!!!

Life for India, Inc. Newsletter - June 2008

2008-06-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

Thank you very much for your continued support and prayers for the work of LFI. Sorry that I have not been able to communicate with you as much as I should have. Due to my wife’s physical problems, we had to spend a lot of time with different doctors. Thanks for your prayers; she is much better now. Please continue to pray for both of us for strength to carry on.

The work in India – (Karnataka state) is going wonderfully. As some of you know, the work area is divided into three areas now (very soon it may be further split into four) for efficiency and close fellowship. I have reports only from two leaders now. Each of the group leaders are responsibile for seven or eight evangelists who work with them. Each of the Evangelists work in 12 to 20 villages around their station.

Long ago we bought a plot of one and a quarter acre land near the church in SIDLAGHATTA. Recently we have built a building there to house the evangelist, an orphanage and a boys home for single parent boys, and a house for widows who have no livelihood. They are taught some kind of trade to create self-esteem. The buildings were donated by generous Christian people, but now we have to find the sponsors for the would-be residents. You could invest $15/ per month, that is 50 cents a day, to make some one happy.

At CHINTAMONY, being the government administration center and silk trade area, many young women come for jobs and cannot find a proper place to live. We are in the process of completing a boarding home (hostel) for young women. This will be a great opportunity to witness to them and influence their future. We already have a girl’s home for the children who come to school there from faraway villages. We also sponsor bright girls from the locality who do not have other means of going to school. There are 45 girls who are enrolled there now.

We have just completed another building for industrial training for the young people of the villages. Welding, Carpentry, masonry work, etc., are some of the training they get.

At GOWNAPPALLY we had a lot of opposition. By loving our enemies, we have overcome the problem and have completed a church building for the local believers.

With the help of Compassion International, we are providing two meals a day and educational tutoring for about 500 School-going children at RAYALPAD AND SIDLAGHATTA. This greatly relieves the burden of the parents. The public greatly appreciates this project.

At DIBOORAHALLI we use the church building as a school also during week days. There are no good schools in the town. About 60 children are studying in our school. We are working for building another building so that we can accommodate more children. Wherever we are helping in the education of the children, the public is very supportive for the work.

VBS, conducted in two centers, were attended by about 1000 children.

Baptism. We have been very careful in this matter in the face of opposition to conversion both from fanatical Hindus as well as from the politicians who want to please the majority. In spite of that, we have baptized 65 people in the reported places and an equal number in the other centers also. So many are coming forward for baptism, but we train and test them for at least a year.

As our board feels that we should enlarge our boundaries, recently we have expanded to the next state, a place called MADANAPPALLY in Andhra Pradesh state. It is only 12 kilometers from RAYALPAD, the border town, where we have established a church already. Mr. Prasad is well versed in the Telegue language and custom. Please pray for this new field.

With anniversary celebration of the mission, we conducted a two day convention for all believers to attend.

We had conducted special lay evangelism classes for the church members to train them in the word. From time to time we conducted refresher courses for the evangelists also.

One of the great joys I have- thanks to God- is that He gave me the idea of “operation Andrew”, an emphasis on the miracle of multiplication by personal evangelism by the believers. We taught them that every Christian is a missionary, obligated to the Lord and their brothers to tell about this wonderful gospel. TODAY WE HAVE 46 YOUNG PEOPLE FROM OUR FIRST AND SECOND GENERATION CHRISTIANS WHO ARE WORKING AS MISSIONARIES IN THE CHURCH AND VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. I PRAISE GOD FOR THEM AND REQUEST YOUR PRAYERS FOR THEM THAT THIS WORK THE LORD HAS STARTED MAY BLESS HIS HOLY NAME throughout India.

I am aware of the fact that wherever God is working, Satan will try to destroy it. Please pray earnestly that He will provide victory and take glory for Himself.

God bless you.

Dr. Abraham Thomas, General Director
Email: lfikns@yahoo.com

Peterson's Prayer Guide - June 2008

2008-06-02T14:07:00.000-07:00

For all the world is mine and everything in it. I don’t need the bulls you sacrifice…What I want instead is your true thanks to God… giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors Me.
Ps. 50:12-14, 23

Praises:
Esther made it safely to Melbourne, Australia on May 27th our time, (28th there). Thanks so much for your prayers for her! We had such a precious time with her in the last few weeks.

So far our air conditioner is still working fine. We’re trusting that when the time comes for us to have to replace it, God will supply the resources. He is faithful!

We had an unexpected, expensive car repair required this past week, but the week before we had received our gift from the government (economic stimulus package), so were able to pay for it. Thank You, Lord!

Gary writes: May was a VERY busy month for me. No sooner had we sent out the schedule than more groups booked or just showed up. I’m so tired when I come home at night, but it’s a good tired. (We hope to take a few days vacation as a couple (23rd-25th). Please pray for refreshment!) I’ve made some new contacts with groups who want to start booking their students in for one of our Mission Encounter programs. As mentioned in the last prayer guide, my partner, Mike has now left. God is starting to bring in some part time volunteers to help fill his role, but please pray for others to help share the work load as the program continues to grow.

May 7th we had a large group from Macon, Georgia. They had left at 4:30 AM to get here, yet they were still a keen group. One of the parents got so excited as he heard of the many opportunities that he asked if our missionary schools around the world could use computers. He is in charge of replacing computers for the local Air Force base. I immediately got him in touch with our Children’s Education director and the head of IT. Wow!

14th I had a group from Alabama – their 3rd year in a row. Their leader told me of a young lady from a previous visit whom they had been very concerned about. She had shown little or no interest in spiritual things, yet was very touched by the stories shared of how we got our English Bible and the role and power of prayer. She was to lead devotions for the group the next day, during which she broke down as she shared how God had spoken to her. Upon arriving home she told her family what she’d experienced, and her mother asked her to share with her women’s Bible study group. The women were so touched that they wrote to Wycliffe and took on the funding of a Wycliffe project - God’s multiplying effect!

I received a call while covering at the receptionist desk from a Campus Crusade director. She had brought a group of students from Alabama and Pennsylvania for a “quick visit” that ended up being the highlight of their trip. She wanted to thank the person who gave them a special tour and spent time with them and went on to tell stories of its impact on the students. She couldn’t remember the gentleman’s name, but asked me to find out who it was and thank him for them. I told her, “You just did”. I told her that the reason I believe God made such an impact was because of those who pray for our ministry, asking God to touch the hearts of those who come through our doors. She asked me to thank you!

Our two programs (A-Z & Mission Encounter) continue to get great feedback. At the recent Home School convention where I helped staff the Wycliffe booth, we had lots of families who had been through one of the programs stop by and thank us. It made it easy for us to promote the programs to others when we had so many satisfied customers!

These are just a sample of what God is doing in people for His Kingdom and glory. What a privilege to be on mission for God!

June’s schedule:

4th I will be the WordSpring host and morning tour guide. We never know who will show up, so pray that we’ll be prepared and that God will bring people our way. I will be doing this often for the summer – sometimes on short notice.

6th Last day of 11th grade for Josiah. Praise God for a great year for our son. But his homework doesn’t stop; he has lots of school work over the summer. We are also hoping he will be able to get a part time job. From June 22-28 he’ll be involved in a special program in Tallahassee called “Boys State” at which he’ll learn how the local and state governments work. If he gets the accompanying assignments completed, he’ll earn 3 more college credits!

6th Mission Encounter program followed by a special program for 25 University interns and 10 staff from Campus Crusade for Christ.

12th – 15th National Perspectives conference in Dallas, Texas. I praise God for a special friend and supporter who paid my way to take the course 5 years ago which launched me into being a part of this incredible program. (www.perspectives.org) I was honored recently to have been put on the list of national presenters. We are trusting God to supply for the expenses associated with this conference.

19th 110-120 university student leaders from across Indiana with Campus Outreach ministries will be coming to hear about Bible Translation and missions. What a great opportunity to share with these who can go back and share it with their fellow students.

26th Mission Encounter program for a group of students here for a work project.

* We will be working to prepare a newsletter this month, and would be grateful for your prayers for that effort too.

Update from John Nadolski in Ghana

2008-05-27T14:57:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much for your prayers. Here are a few of the key answers:

- I am healthy and fine. Answered prayers for travel safety and health.

- We finished the project in Ghana: finishing 45 wells in 25 days. Answered prayers for project success.

- I got a chance to preach last night at a small, humble village. They met in a pole barn with a thatch roof, but the thatch was there more for shade than protection from rain. I could see the stars through the thatch. But, these people were trying to know God and they came out to the meeting after working all day in the field. This was definitely an answer to prayer for God to be honored.

- Marcia is teaching a good class at school and she really enjoys working with the group of 2nd graders. As she tells me, most nights she sleeps about four or five hours, some nights more and some nights less. She's tired but doing well. Please keep praying for Marcia to get rest and a good night's sleep.

- Since we've finished the work in Ghana, I am traveling to Sierra Leone to work with our LWI partners, Ruth and Robert Search. They are having troubles with their landlady. This lady gets violently mad and attacks the Search's. Please pray for wisdom for them and me.

- I plan to return to Ghana on Tuesday night. I will meet with Allan and Patsy Fulton, other LWI partners in Ghana and fly home, starting on Wednesday evening.

Thanks for your prayers, your email notes and your phone calls to Marcia. We're praying for y'all, too.

God bless you,

John

Nadolski - Prayer, Ghana 2008

2008-04-30T09:38:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends and Family,

About a week ago, my boss asked me to go to Ghana, West Africa as soon as possible. At a time like that, all I can do was to pray and go. The trip planning has gone fast and it has gone well. I am scheduled to leave Houston on Friday, May 2nd and plan to be in Ghana the next day.

While in Ghana, I will work with our partner, African Assistance Plan, as they repair wells in flooded areas of north-east Ghana. Many, many wells were polluted and/or damaged during last year’s flood. About one-half of these wells are traditional, hand-dug holes with open tops. We will clean out, deepen (if needed), disinfect, and seal these wells. We will also install a new hand pump. After we are done, the local people will have a safe water supply for a long time.

It’s important to me to have your prayers while on this LWI project trip. We need your prayers for:

- Marcia: she’s home and busy teaching. Three teachers are out for maternity leave and Marcia is scheduled to substitute, filling in for all three of them at different times. She has a great time with the kids and this gives her a lot of opportunities to share the love of Jesus. Please pray for her day-to-day needs during this time.

- John is traveling to north-east Ghana. It’s a rough area; long distances between towns, no phones and usually no electricity. Local food is basic. The main food dish is ‘foo-foo’: pounded yams/corn/cassava. It tastes a lot like library paste. Please pray for John and the team to have wisdom, health and safety.

- Pray for opportunities for John and Marcia
o to share the love of Jesus,
o to honor God, and
o to tell others of God’s faithfulness.

Below is a prayer guide for the trip. Please remember to pray for me on these days (or others), and I will be praying for you, too.

Last fall, Living Water International started a well-rehabilitation program for flood victims in northern Ghana. Pastor David Donkor, LWI’s partner in central Ghana, worked hard to complete the project and he needs some help to finish in a timely way.

Specific prayer needs:
- As always, pray for Marcia.
- We will be working in northern Ghana, an area dominated by Muslim and animistic people. John has been asked to share the love of Jesus in word and deed. Pray for wisdom and opportunities.
- May is in the middle of the rainy season for northern Ghana. Rain is good, but too much can keep us from driving around. Please pray for our travel safety and health.

5/2 John leaves Houston and flies to Accra, Ghana
5/3 Arrive in Ghana. Visits with good friends
5/4 Church, worship, rest and visiting
5/5 Travel to Sunyani a city in the middle of Ghana: 6 hour drive
5/6-7 Get organized for project and gather supplies
5/8-10 Travel to northeast region: nine hour drive, meet with regional governor, get started on work
5/11 Church, worship, and rest. Mother’s Day in States. Please pray for Marcia, too.
5/12-14 Return to Sunyani. Train team on well drilling.
5/14-17 Continue training and project work.
5/18 Church, worship and rest. Many of the local people are refugees from the north. They bring their Muslim beliefs with them.
5/19-21 Help at bible-teaching school, started by Rev. Donkor.
5/22-24 Continue training and project work.
5/25 Church, worship and rest. I expect to preach at the same church throughout the trip.
5/26 -27 Meet with Alan and Patsy Fulton in southern Ghana.
5/28 Leave Gahana and fly to Houston.
5/29 Arrive in Houston. Be with MarciaThanks for all of your prayers and encouragement.

Jen Peet - Investing Well

2008-04-30T09:20:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe it is already spring quarter 2008!!

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. Matthew 28:19-20

It’s midnight on Monday night, the first night of the quarter and to be honest, I am exhausted, but what an amazing day and start to Spring Quarter! It began at 9pm with over 75 students showing up to prayer walk through Isla Vista. We broke up into smaller groups and covered every house with prayer. We prayed against the bonds of sin and addiction and, along with many other things, we prayed that students would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and to make the most of their college years. We then prayer walked through campus and met in the middle and spent over an hour worshipping together. And then to top it off, we went out to the beach and over 10 students were baptized. Yes, it was freezing, but no one cared. We didn’t want to be anywhere other than proclaiming the name of JESUS together! And the amazing part about all of this is that it was not really planned. On Sunday. my co-leader, Ken, knew the Lord wanted us to start the Quarter by praying and giving it over to the Lord. So the word got out and students came! As I walked through Isla Vista, then worshipped and then watched students make a public confession of faith, I felt so humbled and blessed. Even though it was a long day, I felt the Lord continuing to remind me of what it means to invest my life well and to be faithful with what HE has entrusted me with. There is no more satisfaction than investing in eternity and in what matters. And to be honest there are times when this doesn’t come natural (many times!) and my cry to the Lord lately has been, not my will JESUS, but YOURS!

Please Pray!
Going along with the theme of investing my life well and being faithful with what the Lord has entrusted me with is the fact that I have a lot on my plate. I want to end this year well with the girls I lead, my staff team, & my roommates, while also preparing well for my trip to the Middle East this summer! And none of this will happen if I am not fully relying on the Lord. Please pray that I would continually be laying my entire life in the Lords hands.

Reaching Every Student
The mission of Campus Crusade for Christ is to give EVERY student an opportunity to know what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus. As we have been thinking and praying about what this means for UCSB we are noticing that we are not reaching ALL of them. UCSB has over 20% Latino students and currently there is no place on campus for them to learn about God or grow in their relationship with him. Next Sunday, April 13th, we are partnering with a Latino Church and hosting a BBQ where we will share our heart of wanting to create a safe place for Latino’s to learn about Jesus. Would you begin praying now that the Lord would bring the students he wants there? Pray that HE would raise up a movement of students from the Latino community to reach other Latino students!

Peterson's Prayer Guide - May 2008

2008-04-29T11:37:00.000-07:00

The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Psalm 37:23-24

Last month I wrote about the new role Gary is considering. Though he’s very interested, at this stage he doesn’t feel free to move out of his current role. God is really blessing his ministry, and his team is already short-staffed. If God wants Gary in the other position, He’ll need to provide others to fill the needs in his current department. Thanks for continuing to pray for God’s timing and provision of the right staff for the right slots.

When you have a college student here in the US, you have to make an application for financial aid each year. As I was working on this recently I became aware of a mistake I’d made last year which made a significant difference in what government grants Esther was eligible for. We’re in the process of getting it corrected with the appropriate offices, but it means we have to pay back several thousand dollars she wasn’t entitled to. We were planning to use our tax refund this year for something else, but now that money will be needed for Esther’s college fees. How good it is to know that God wasn’t surprised by this, and He can be relied upon to take care of His children!

Esther plans to go to Australia to work on my sister and her husband’s dairy farm for 2 months this summer (cold winter there!). She looks forward to seeing her Nana and other friends and relatives while there too. Pray that she will be a blessing to the Blease family, especially to her cousins (the two youngest she has never met). She will be gone from May 26th – July 26th. We were able to use my frequent flier miles to pay for most of her airfare - PTL!

The exploratory trip Gary and Josiah made to visit colleges went very well. They enjoyed the time together, and came home with a lot to chew on! Josiah hasn’t made any decisions yet, but what he learned and experienced will be very helpful as he does make choices in the months ahead.

Soon after I last wrote, my hives cleared up. When I tried coming off the antihistamines, I found that I no longer had any hay fever, and the heartburn subsided when I stopped the medicine. So I am one happy camper! Thanks for your prayers, and thank You, Lord, for good health!

Gary reports that the Children’s Missions Jamboree on April 5th went very well and produced many great comments from kids and parents alike. Though their numbers were down, the impact was great. All the staff worked very well together and really enjoyed the day too.

April 25th - Gary arrived home on his motorcycle last night at 11:15pm after a VERY LONG day. He had two school groups at the office and a special tour before going to speak at the Hispanic youth group’s mission weekend last night. Many of the young people came up and talked with him afterwards, and 28 adopted a Bibleless people to pray for. Most of the students there were bi-lingual, but they provided an interpreter because they broadcasted the message to a number of countries around the world where they only know Spanish. He didn’t find this out until he got there, so that made it “interesting” with what illustrations he could use and broke up his flow a bit. But God showed up and Gary was very conscious of your prayers!

Here’s Gary’s May Schedule:
30th April – 2 High School groups have just booked in for this day. Their times will somewhat overlap. We’ll run a modified Mission Encounter program.
2nd A-Z Adventure program for two school groups (61 students & 28 adults)
3rd A-Z program for a large church group (50 students & 20 adults)
7th Mission Encounter – school group (30 7th graders & 20 adults)
8th A-Z and Mission Encounter – home school group. (30 students & ? adults)
9th A-Z Pine Castle Christian Academy (32 students & 15 adults)
14th Special tour for youth group from Alabama
16th A-Z for school group (16 students & 6 adults)
20th Mission talk & I cover for the receptionist at WordSpring desk
22nd -24th Help staff a booth at the Home School Convention (5,000+ participants we’ll challenge to come visit us)
23rd Mike Burtnett’s last day. Mike has been my partner for a year now. He’s a former youth pastor who joined Wycliffe 3 years ago. He’s been great with the students and great to work with. He and his family are heading to Southern Mexico later this year to be the youth pastor for the missionary kids at our translation center there. I will really miss him. It adds more work for our team. He will be a hard person to replace. Please pray that God will bring us someone who can help us – especially with the older students. And pray for Mike as he and his family prepare for this big move. It will be their first time living and working overseas. They have three young children.
30th A-Z Downey Christian School (36 students & 10 adults)

*A-Z Adventure program is for Elementary School ages.
Mission Encounter program is for Middle School–College age students.

Once more, let us thank you from the bottom of our hearts for partnering with us in this invaluable way. We appreciate you all so much!

Finally some good news!

2008-04-23T10:51:00.000-07:00

(Washington, D.C., March 24, 2008) -- "I will build my church," Jesus said, "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18)

The lead story on Drudge over the weekend was the Pope baptizing a prominent Egyptian author who converted from Islam to Catholicism, and for good reason. It's a huge story in Italy and the Muslim world, especially coming as it did the week that Osama bin Laden accused the Pope of waging a "crusade" against Islam. But this particular baptism is just the tip of the iceberg.

Despite unprecedented press coverage of Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Middle East since September 11, 2001, one big story is generally not being told by the mainstream media. Hundreds of thousands of Muslims are converting to evangelical Christianity and will be celebrating their first Easter this year, even amidst widespread persecution and the very real threat of death.

I first began reporting this story in 2005 after interviewing some three dozen Arab and Iranian pastors and evangelical Christian leaders in the U.S. and the Middle East. Over the last three years, however, I have had the privilege of traveling to Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, the West Bank, Turkey, and Morocco. What's more, I have had the honor of meeting with and interviewing more than 200 Arab, Iranian, Kurdish, Sudanese and other pastors and Christian leaders. With more data, the trend lines are becoming even more clear and the story is even more exciting.

The God of the Bible is moving powerfully in the Middle East to draw men, women and children to His heart and adopt them into His family in record numbers. More Muslims have come to faith in Jesus Christ over the last thirty years -- and specifically over the last seven to ten years -- than at any other time in human history. There is a revival going on among the ancient Catholic, Coptic, and Chaldean churches. Today, the Church is being truly resurrected in the lands of its birth.

Consider the latest evidence:

* AFGHANISTAN -- In Afghanistan, for example, there were only 17 known evangelical Christians in the country before al-Qaeda attacked the United States. Today, there are well over 10,000 Afghan followers of Christ and the number is growing steadily. Church leaders say Afghan Muslims are open to hearing the gospel message like never before. Dozens of baptisms occur every week. People are snatching up Bibles and other Christian books as fast as they can be printed or brought into the country. The Jesus film, a two hour docudrama on the life of Christ based on the Gospel of Luke, was even shown on television in one city before police shut down the entire TV station. "God is moving so fast in Afghanistan, we're just trying to keep up," one Afghan Christian worker told me, requesting anonymity. "The greatest need now is leadership development. We need to train pastors to care for all these new believers."

* UZBEKISTAN -- There were no known Muslim converts to Christ there in 1990. Now there are more than 30,000.

* IRAQ -- As I shared on Fox & Friends on Easter morning, in Iraq, there were only a handful of Muslim converts to Christianity back in 1979 when Saddam Hussein took full control of that country. Yet today, there are more than 70,000 Iraqi Muslim background believers in Jesus (MBBs), approximately 50,000 who came to Christ as refugees in Jordan after the first Gulf War in 1990-91, and another 20,000 who have come to Christ since the fall of Saddam Hussein. John Moser, the executive director of The Joshua Fund, and I just returned from nine days traveling through five provinces in Iraq. We met with 19 Iraqi evangelical Christian leaders. I had the privilege of preaching in a church of more than 100 MBBs from Baghdad -- a church that didn't even exist in 2002 before liberation. We also had the privilege of meeting and interviewing numerous former Islamic jihadist terrorist who have come to Christ and are now pastors and church planters.

* KAZAKHSTAN -- In Kazakhstan, there were only three known evangelical Christian believers before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Today there are more than 15,000 Kazakh Christians, and more than 100,000 Christians of all ethnicities.

* EGYPT -- More than 1 million Egyptians have trusted Christ over the past decade or so, report Egyptian church leaders. The Egyptian Bible Society told me they used to sell about 3,000 copies of the Jesus Film a year in the early 1990s. But in 2005 they sold 600,000 copies, plus 750,000 copies of the Bible on tape (in Arabic) and about a half million copies of the Arabic New Testament. "Egyptians are increasingly hungry for God's Word," an Egyptian Christian leader told me. Last Christmas, I had the privilege of visiting the largest Christian congregation in the Middle East, which meets in an enormous cave on the outskirts of Cairo. Some 10,000 believers worship there every weekend. A prayer conference the church held in May 2005 drew some 20,000 believers.

* IRAN -- In 1979 when the Ayatollah Khomeini led the Islamic Revolution, there were only about 500 known Muslim converts to Christianity. Today, interviews with two dozen Iranian pastors and church leaders reveal that there are well over 1 million Shia Muslim converts to Christianity.

* SUDAN -- Despite a ferocious civil war, genocide and widespread religious persecution, particularly in the Darfur region -- or perhaps because of such tragedies -- church leaders there tell me that more than 1 million Sudanese have made decisions to follow Jesus Christ just since 2001. Since the early 1990s, more than 5 million Sudanese have become followers of Jesus. Seminary classes to train desperately-needed new pastors are held in mountain caves. Hundreds of churches have been planted, and thousands of small group Bible studies are being held in secret throughout the country.

In December 2001, Sheikh Ahmad al Qataani, a leading Saudi cleric, appeared on a live interview on Aljazeera satellite television to confirm that, sure enough, Muslims were turning to Jesus in alarming numbers. "In every hour, 667 Muslims convert to Christianity," Al Qataani warned. "Every day, 16,000 Muslims convert to Christianity. Every year, 6 million Muslims convert to Christianity." Stunned, the interviewer interrupted the cleric. "Hold on! Let me clarify. Do we have six million converting from Islam to Christianity?" Al Qataani repeated his assertion. "Every year," the cleric confirmed, adding, "a tragedy has happened."

One of the most dramatic developments is that many Muslims throughout the Middle East and even in the United States are seeing dreams and visions of Jesus. They are coming into churches explaining that they have already converted and now need a Bible and guidance on how to follow Jesus. This is in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. The Hebrew Prophet Joel told us that "in the last days, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days....And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved." (Joel 2:28-32)

In Epicenter: Why The Current Rumblings In the Middle East Will Change Your Future, I devoted an entire chapter to these dramatic trend lines and why Muslims are converting in record numbers. I am currently working on a new non-fiction book and documentary film called Inside The Revolution, to be release during Easter 2009, with much more detail on this subject, including first person accounts of former Muslim terrorists who have become the new Apostle Pauls of our time -- murderous religious zealots who had visions of Jesus Christ and are now pastors, evangelists, church planters and powerful Christian leaders. Other books I would highly recommend on this subject are Light Force: A Stirring Account of the Church Caught in the Middle East Crossfire by Brother Andrew and Al Janssen; and Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe In Christ.

Is life easy for these Muslim converts? By no means. They face ostracism from their families. They face persecution from their communities. They face being fired by their employers. They face imprisonment by their governments. They face torture and even death at the hands of Muslim extremists. But they are coming to Christ anyway. They are becoming convinced that Jesus is, in fact, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and that no one comes to the Father in heaven except through faith in Jesus' death on the cross and powerful resurrection from the dead.

Dudeck News and Prayer needed

2008-04-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

Greetings to all our friends,

This past week we took a road trip to Indiana from our home in Charlotte. We visited Pam's sister Paula and her husband Bob in Warsaw, Indiana, and took Jennifer for a campus visit at Taylor University where she plans to attend in the fall. It was nice to see Paula and Bob, and Jennifer thoroughly enjoyed her visit at Taylor.

But not all went well on the trip. The engine on our car, a 1996 Camry with 186,000 miles, decided to give out just as we pulled into Warsaw. The car is now in a shop in Warsaw, and we rented a car to return to Charlotte. When a rebuilt motor has been put in I will drive back to Indiana to pick up the car. At least that's the current plan. We would appreciate your prayers that this unexpected situation will be worked out. It takes 11 hours to drive between Charlotte and Warsaw.

For the past 8 months or more Pam has been experiencing severe insomnia. With medication, on a good night, she gets 5 hours of sleep, and 3 to 4 is more common. As you can imagine, she is feeling tired all of the time, and it is causing her to struggle with anxiety and irritability. She has had to quit her job in the law office, and is now helping in the archives at SIM International a couple of mornings a week. This is a real trial for all of us. The Lord has been working in her and each of our hearts through this time. But we really need your prayers that the Lord will restore her health.

We would also appreciate your prayers concerning our financial needs. Our financial support from donors is at about 67% of what we need on a monthly basis. So we need to find some new supporters. We have no plans other than to continue our ministry in SIM for the remainder of our active years, which should be at least 9 or 10 years more.

And speaking of finances, the cost of Jennifer's college is considerable. We have the funds to cover the first year, but at this point, we don't have a clue how the Lord will provide for the rest. We believe that Taylor is a great place for Jennifer, and she is really excited about the school. It is a small school with under 2,000 students. The school has an excellent Christian atmosphere. They offer a major called New Media that combines computer science, art, and communications in a way that is right up Jennifer's alley. We have made friends with some of the faculty and staff, and Jennifer has already been offered a job in the computer services department. But with all the scholarships, grants, and work options, there are still several thousand dollars per year beyond the "expected family contribution" that are not covered. Most students take out loans to cover the shortfall. But we really don't think it is right for a student to leave college with huge loans to pay off. This is one of the factors that causes so many young people to never go on to missions. By the time they have paid off their loans, they are married, have children, have bought a house, and are no longer willing to go overseas. Because of this, we are not willing to take out a large college loan. Pray that the Lord will provide. Unless He does, Jennifer will have to transfer to a cheaper school after her first year.

Of course the repairs on our car are an added major expense at this time. And we anticipate needing to replace the roof and the air conditioner in our house within the next year or two.
So we really need your prayers at this time.

Thanks, and keep in touch.

For Pam and Jennifer,

John Dudeck

jdudeck@zenia.simcsg.sim.org

"Have you ever noticed that God has an awesome way of messing up your plans?" -- Kelvin Smith

The Rain Has Returned - Katie Herbst

2008-04-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

This is Africa: One of my officemates recently named the lizard that lives in our office. “Patrick” is a quick little guy with an unusually long tail. I glanced out the door during a Good Friday church service and noticed a HUGE pig just cruising by; I’m not sure where his home was. On my way to work one morning a little kid ran up to me, eager to show me the head of a chicken that his family had just killed. He was most excited to show me how the eyelids opened as he opened the beak and then shut as he closed the mouth. One night while reading by candlelight I looked up to find a huge spider INSIDE my mosquito net about 12 inches from my face. For my housemate’s sake it’s a good thing that I go silent when I’m scared...

My job: I love the interactions I have been having with the kids here. If it’s playing chase with a group of little ones or discussing truth with the older ones, it is a privilege to be a part of their lives. Many of the little kids around New Hope have become my friends. At first a few of the staff children were a little unsure about me, but just the other day one of the ones who used to avoid greeting me, ran full speed at me and jumped in my arms. I love the little ones. My involvement with the older kids provides many great opportunities to discuss real issues. I have been able to see more into their lives, what they believe, what they think, what they don’t believe, what they feel. These discussions have been exciting because the students are being real. They have a lot of good questions and I really consider it an honor to be a part of their journey. If you’re praying, please pray for the Investment Year students as they begin to truly establish for themselves what they believe about God, his Word, and their lives. This is a crucial time for them. It has also been great to be a part of the process of deciding what’s next in life. Many of these students are making decisions now that will affect them for years. It’s fun to hear what they think and what they want, and to see how God is directing.

Easter: As I mentioned briefly above, my housemate and I walked about 3km to the nearest town to attend a Good Friday church service at an Anglican church (Church of Uganda). This was a great experience. We were assigned a personal translator for the parts that were not in English. It was so cool to be reflecting on the death and sacrifice of Jesus with Christians in the middle of Africa. They have a different color skin and they speak a different language but He’s the same God, it was the same sacrifice, and it is the same freedom given, for ALL who believe. I almost started crying because the little old lady next to me was so precious. She sat there, diligently reading out of her Luganda Bible with her cute reading glasses and singing from memory every song. On Easter Sunday it was equally amazing to be celebrating the resurrection of Jesus and the confidence and life that that gives. I had Easter lunch with Pacific family-smashed and steamed cooking bananas, rice, pieces of beef, and yams. After lunch I had a great time with a handful of kids and my camera. = ) It was so fun to spend my Easter lunch with them. I am becoming attached to those kids...

My heart: March provided two great opportunities for me to get away and go deep with God. I went to a week retreat with a few fellow staff members, where we focused on issues of the heart, the past, and what God has to say about it all. This time was significant for me; I’m learning more and more about what it means to be real, with myself, God, and others. Just last week I went away for the day with a small group of women to go through “The Steps to Freedom in Christ”. This was another great time of being real before God and realizing in a new way the freedom I have, and claiming that freedom for my life. I am currently in a Bible study based on the concepts that are laid out in the steps. It is extremely life-giving and a great time with the women involved. God has been so faithful to “work” on me, helping me see how much I need him, because without him I’m a mess. I think the more broken I become, the more he will use me. How often I think the opposite, that I need to have it “together” and then he will be able to use me.

Appreciation: I had a “profound” thought a few weeks ago that I want to share. Those of you who are supporting me in prayer and financially are not just supporting me, but you are standing in the gap and providing for the children here. The other day I was reflecting on how New Hope operates and realized that people like you pay and pray on behalf of children who cannot do so for themselves. So thank you, not just for supporting me, but for providing for children half way across the world.

with many thanks, katie = )

Willis March Newsletter

2008-04-08T10:35:00.000-07:00

Dear Partners in the Gospel,

Thank you for your prayers and gifts to our ministry! Tricia is feeling much better now and she is almost back to her daily self. She still has some discomfort in her lower back along with numbness in her legs, but overall she has made a good recovery. We thank the Lord for that and all of your prayers for her. I can look back on this as a time in my life when I really began to understand what it means to be a mother, a lot of hard work! As I had to step into many of Tricia’s roles while her back was healing, I learned to have more respect and sensitivity to all mothers everywhere for the job that they are doing raising children.

Since Tricia is doing much better, we were able to attend several missions conferences that we were invited to speak at. Pastors Tim and Danny of Grace Church in San Luis Obispo invited us to come and spend a week speaking to various Sunday School classes and Growth Groups during their missions week. We had a wonderful time connecting with many of you and having special meals together. Thank you for inviting us into your homes and praying for us. Also we want to thank Pastors Dave and Darrin Rusco of Paso Robles Bible Church for inviting our family to come to their first missions conference! We had a wonderful time sharing with you all and visiting with many of you while we were there. Thank you for the wonderful meals you made for us!

As Tricia and I get ready for some of the trips that I will be going on, we ask you to pray for us. There are still many people who are needed in order for the trips to have enough people to go. Pray that the Lord of the Harvest will send laborers into his harvest. We still need about 15 people to go to Russia and Ukraine with us. If you would like to find out more information go to our website: isptrips.org and you will be able to click on the link to see all of our upcoming trips.

Part of our job is to speaking to people in the US and recruiting them to go on these trips. We need volunteers to go so that there will be enough people to help share the gospel with teachers and create long lasting friendships with them.

In the most recent trip to Guatemala, 448 teachers attended the Moral Ethics training! Here are some of their comments: “This is the best conference I have ever attended.” along with “I have heard about these conferences, but now I realized about the importance that my family is for me. I am sure I’ll use the curriculum with my students.” and “I am very thankful because I was invited to attend; please continue helping me. I will share and do all to work with my entire school in this project about values.”

Betty Harrington from Paso Robles Bible Church will be going to Ukraine during the month of March. She needs your prayers and encouragement. If any of you are interested in going to Ukraine with her or myself in the future, please let us know. Ron and Cyndie Hamley from Grace Church in SLO are also going to Guatemala in July. They will also need your prayers and encouragement. If anyone would like to go on that trip, you can contact me directly or talk with them and we can show you how to sign up for the trip.

Wade and Josh have been sick lately, so we ask for your prayers that God would heal them and protect them from further bouts with Bronchitis. Thank you again for all of your prayers for us and enabling us to be a part of this ministry.

Love, Bob, Tricia, Wade, and Josh!

Please make a note that our address has changed to:
PO Box 3104, Mission Viejo, CA 92690

John Nadolski Returns from Kenya

2008-04-03T14:01:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all of your prayers.

It was a special and blessed trip to Kenya. Here are a few stories of how our prayers were answered. Since this is about PRAYERS, I’ll use those letters to tell the story. Send us a reply if you want more information or send us a note to let us know what’s new in your life.
John and Marcia

Prayer. I prayed for y’all on the days you were praying for me. I took the prayer list with me wherever I went, and I prayed for y’all, too. Thanks so much for your prayers.

Rain. It hasn’t rained in Marsabit for over a month and that wasn’t much of a rain. It did rain the day I left and that gave people hope that the rains would come early this year.

Answered prayer. Where do I start? There were so many answered prayers: health and safety were obvious, but there were many subtle answers to prayers. One that comes to my mind is about giving: I took two hats with me on the trip and I bought caps for the guys traveling with me. One day, Joseph was riding in the back of the pickup truck and his hat blew off. So, I gave him mine and I started wearing a leather hat with a broad rim. I liked the big hat because it kept the hot sun off of my ears, neck and nose. As it turns out, my partner David (Dr. David Adolph, PhD Engineer and program manager for the project) drove us to the air strip so that we could catch the small plane flying back to Nairobi. It had started to rain and David didn’t have a hat. I gave him mine and he seemed tickled. (It looked real good on him. It made him look like Crocodile Dundee.) When I got to Nairobi, I stayed at the guest house for African Inland Missions. While I was checking in, a guest came up to the front desk and gave them three hats to give away. I asked and they gave me one. It was a good reminder that God provides.

Yes. There is a desert in Kenya. We went through the edge of the Chalbi Desert, doing about 100 km/hour for about an hour. The road changes every time they get a rain, and they close the road every time it rains. They got rain a few days after we went through and they closed the road. It may stay closed until things dry out in May or June.

Education. Almost all of the kids start off at the primary school and they usually stay until they are about eight or nine years old. By that time, the kids are big enough to be useful in taking care of the sheep or walking the donkeys to the well. It’s sad to see kids drop out of school, especially girls. Maybe one in four kids finish eighth grade and only a handful of kids move to town to be in high school.

Rotary projects: LWI’s team drilled two of the four wells in Western Kenya and finished the project at Sabatia Eye Hospital.

Sand fleas. Those buggers bite – and leave welts that last for weeks.

Greetings from Utah!

2008-04-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hello from the Gunns! It has now been almost two months since the Missions Conference and I still think about how encouraging it was. I just wanted to let everyone know we are doing well and Miriam is feeling better and better as the effects of the chemo and radiation fade. Our next benchmark will be April 22 when she goes in for PET and CAT scans to see if there is any sign of the cancer.

Thank you again, Grace Church for all of your prayers and support!

Rob,Miriam,Jessica and Ethan

Peterson's Prayer Guide - April 2008

2008-04-03T10:58:00.000-07:00

If any of you needs wisdom – if you want to know what God wants you to do – ask Him and He will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. James 1:5

I’m memorizing James 1 at present, and this verse has been a great reminder to me at a time when we need wisdom with a number of important decisions.

Gary has been asked to consider joining another department at our Wycliffe office. Church Relations is getting a new beginning. They would like Gary to be available to speak to churches about Wycliffe and our work, not just locally, but in other parts of the US. He is very interested, as he loves that type of work and has done it in the past. His current job is mostly at the Orlando center, so has involved little travel, and he does miss that. He enjoys what he’s doing now, and there’s no doubt God is using him there too. Please pray for ears to hear God’s voice on this new possibility. He might be able to work part time in both departments for awhile, but the details are still being worked out.

Esther has only a month left of this college year, so is rather buried in big assignments at present. She received several unexpected scholarships and a gift towards her college expenses recently, so we are all praising the Lord for the way He is taking care of her needs. She hopes to work as a Resident Assistant next school year, so that will help with her fees too. She is still working through the options for the summer, so please keep her in your prayers for those plans and the purchase of airline tickets at a good price when we get to that stage.

On Thursday, March 27th Gary & Josiah began their road trip to visit 3 colleges: Columbia International University in SC, Liberty University and Patrick Henry in Virginia. They spent a night with the Gosses at the JAARS center along the way (for those of you who know them). On Wednesday Gary will drop Josiah off for a two day visit at Trinity College of Florida, where Esther is attending. Please pray for safety in their travels, discernment as they check out these possibilities, and a good time as father and son, brother and sister. Gary returns on Ap.2nd. I’ll go and pick Josiah up on Ap. 4th.

I (Robyn) had some health problems last month. I had the three H’s: hayfever, hives and heartburn. Gary and I both get hayfever each year about now. We’re told it’s the oak pollen that is at high levels right now. So we’re living with antihistamines each day to cope. The hives were something new for me. They hit suddenly last week and were a real nuisance, especially during the night. I’ve been to the doctor, and we can’t find a cause, so think they may be viral. Medication has helped. About the same time I also had heartburn for the first time, badly enough to wake me in the night and keep me from sleeping. So now I’m also on medication for that. It’s helping, but I’m not used to taking medicine and would really like to get off all of this. Pray for healing and praise God for doctors and medicine to help when we have stuff like this happen!

My mother got the results of her recent tests and nothing new was found. That is a relief, but still doesn’t help in finding the cause of some of her problems. Thanks for praying for her. It is hard to be so far away when she is dealing with serious health problems…

We enjoyed our various house guests in March. Please know that we’d love to have you stay if you’re ever in the area too.

Gary had a lot of fun at the car races. He got to do and see things he’s only seen on TV before, so it was a great time.

The various events on his schedule for March went well. I got to see him in action as he shared with 70 college students visiting Wycliffe last week. I think it was a real eye opener to them. It was great to see a number of them commit to praying for a Bible-less people group.

Last month Gary mentioned the big Children’s Missions Jamboree for the Central Florida Nazarene Churches. They expect 350 elementary kids and 100 adults for this all day event on Saturday, April 5th. Please keep him and the rest of their team in your prayers for that.

There isn’t a lot on Gary’s schedule for April so far. Maybe it will be a chance to get caught up on e-mail and work through things regarding the new position.

Thankful for your partnership in prayer, Robyn & Gary Peterson

Albrektson's Prayer Letter (Guatemala ISP Conferences, February-March 2008)

2008-03-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends:

The tourist bureau calls Guatemala "The Land of Eternal Spring," which may be perfectly true in a meteorological sense, but it was the land of daily surprises on my last trip. I had just returned from Tokyo, and after a one-week turnaround, caught up with the rest of my team for a pair of International School Project convocations in Guatemala.

The first conference took place in the idyllic island town of Flores, which just happened to be the place where the Mayans fought their last stand against the Spanish. Our first clue as to how unique the conference would be was when teachers showed up an hour early. Then we realized that about a hundred more teachers were coming than expected. Almost every small group leader commented on the warmth and openness of the teachers in their group. And my interpreters were the best in the business. See in the picture how Jorge even imitated my gestures!

After a day of sightseeing in Tikal , we wondered what our second conference would be like. It proved equally rich. Yes, we had more people than expected. But each day brought a new challenge. Day one: The hotel couldn't manage the "snack break" and we were immediately thrown 45 minutes behind schedule. Day two: The local Teacher's Union declared a strike and street demonstration that paralyzed the busses. Our teachers just ignored the strike and left home early—via taxi!

In the midst of the second conference a new regional minister of education took over from the one who had spoken at the opening ceremonies. When the new minister attended the closing ceremony he was amazed, and said, "These teachers are actually having a great time! I've never seen this at an educational conference before!"

Please pray as I leave for Kyrgyzstan tomorrow. The regional minister of education is very cold to us. Remember that my last conference in that country in 2005 ended in revolution and a hasty exit.

Thanks for allowing me to have this ministry!

God bless,
Ray & Kathy Albrektson
http://www.albrektson.com/

2008-03-13T13:17:00.000-07:00

DEAR PARTNERS IN MINISTRY!

Thank you for remembering my family in your prayers during my visit to our church planting teams in Siberia and during my “time of real testing” – taking care of the home and kids while Ruth was away at a conference for 9 days. We could not have made it through without your prayers.

Some Good News!
After two difficult “tours of duty” our family decided that it was time for a vacation! And since our residence permits require everyone in our family to exit Russia one time every six months, we thought it was time to head south. With the help of a generous special gift from my home church, we were able to afford a discount tour to a sunny part of the Middle East (Egypt). It was great to get away from the dark weather and the daily challenges of life in Russia (if only for 7 days).

Some Negative News
While we were gone, the main administrative offices of the Russian Baptist Union (where I work) experienced an internal leadership struggle and consequently a financial crisis. In an effort to overcome these problems the Baptist Union’s “Council of Bishops” will be meeting in closed session next week. Please ask the Lord to grant the Council supernatural wisdom. This is a critical time for both the Russian Baptist Union and for the Mission Department in particular.

Unfortunately, I will be away from Moscow next week attending a PIONEERS leadership conference. Please say a special prayer for Ruth and the kids while they are home without Dad.

I will update you on the Baptist Union situation as soon as we receive any news. In all things we remember that God is our strength and our shield.

Warmly, in Christ, Jim Overton, +7 903 154-8887 SKYPE mail2jim

Living Water International trip to Kenya, East Africa

2008-03-06T17:30:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends and Family,

It's a real blessing for Marcia and me to serve on the Living Water team and it’s special to be able to travel to different parts of the world to bring a cup of water in Jesus’ name. I get another opportunity this coming week as I go to Kenya.

Kenya has been in the news since the end of last year as they sorted out the results of their Presidential election. During January, hundreds of people were killed while 250,000 to 300,000 people were kicked off their lands because they belong to the ‘wrong tribe’. Last week, the two main groups signed a ‘power-sharing’ agreement. The violence has ended but there are still feuds and bad feelings between many of the tribal groups. Hopefully, true peace will return.

As for me, my travels take me to the deserts of northern Kenya for about 10 days. While there, I’ll travel around to document the LWI work done over the last 18 months. So, I get to smooze with the nomads, smile a lot and eat lots of goat meat. The chiefs usually cut the skin off the leg of the goat and make it into a wrist band. We’re supposed to wear the ‘bracelet’ to show everyone that the chief didn’t send us away hungry. It’s not real romantic, but it’s cultural.

After I finish up north, I plan to go to western Kenya, by Lake Victoria. LWI has a long-term project, providing a well, latrines, and hygiene training to over 10 schools. The schools use the water they need and sell the rest to the community. The income goes to pay for electricity and maintenance for the well and for school supplies. Great program.

If you would, please pray for me (and Marcia) while I’m on this trip. I plan to leave March 9th and return March 26th. My itinerary follows.

God bless you and may he keep you safe in the palm of his hands,

John and Marcia

I ask for your prayers. Please remember to pray for me on these days. Specific prayer needs:

- As always, pray for Marcia. John will be away for a long time and Marcia normally doesn’t sleep well when he is gone.
- I will be working in two different areas: by northern Kenya by Ethiopia and western Kenya by Lake Victoria. Pray for spiritual growth of the Kenyan teams. There was a lot of violence in Western Kenya and the people are still sensitive.
- This will probably be my last trip to Kenya as my assignment has switched to the Living Water programs in West Africa. It’s always sad to say goodbye to good friends.

3/9 John leaves Houston and flies to Nairobi
3/10-11 Arrive in Nairobi. Spend the night and fly the next day to northern desert, Marsabit
3/12-15 John meets with partner in Marsabit. Most of the time will be driving to the finished projects and documenting work.
3/16 Church, worship and rest. We will be with the Gabbra people, less than 5% are Christian.
3/17-19 Continue to work in Marsabit. We may be part of dedication ceremony for some of the sites. That means eating a lot of goat: boiled, roasted and/or stewed.
3/20 Fly back to Nairobi and then fly to western Kenya to meet with partners
3/21-22 Help arrange for new drilling projects and check progress of those started last fall. This is important because of violence in area over the last two months
3/23 Church, worship, preaching, rest, and site seeing.
3/24-25 Work with partners in Kisumu to finish projects.
3/25 Return to Nairobi and fly to Houston in the evening.
3/26 Arrive back in Houston.

Petersons’ Prayer Guide - March 2008

2008-02-29T09:04:00.000-08:00

What makes God smile? When we love Him supremely, trust Him completely, obey Him wholeheartedly, praise and thank Him continually, and when we use our abilities. (A quote from somewhere; I found it in my journal.)

At the beginning of February, Gary received a motorcycle as a gift from a friend in Washington State. It has already been a source of fun, and a financial help when he can ride it to work. It’s a lot more economical than a car! Praise the Lord with us for this gift, and please pray for safety as he rides it.

The Truth Project is off to a good start. We’ve averaged around 24 people attending so far and are excited at the impact it is already making.

We look forward to having Esther home from college for her Spring break (March 1-10th ). From the 5th– 9th she will be going with the drama troop from the college to do performances in north Florida. Pray for a good rest and for God’s blessing on the outreach. She’s keeping a busy schedule with school, work and ministry, not to mention relationships! We’d appreciate continued prayer for her summer plans.

We’ll be hosting a number of visitors this month. Pray that God will refresh these friends as we spend time with them, and that our home will be a haven of peace and blessing to those who come.

My mother in Australia is having some new health challenges and is undergoing tests to try and find the cause. Please pray with us for wisdom for her doctors, and that a clear diagnosis will be made and effective treatment will be available.

Gary’s March Schedule

1st two A-Z kids Adventures – Living Word Church (50 kids/10 adults); 1st Baptist Central Florida (25 kids/adults)
2nd speak at Maranatha Bible Church Missions Conference, Lantana, FL
3rd Special tour for Grace Evangelical College. Speak to visiting college group on Wycliffe (118 students) in the evening.
4th ME (Mission Encounter) for Melody Christian Academy (25 7th graders/4 adults)
6th A-Z & ME - Crusaders Christian Homeschool group & Rockledge Christian School. (3 preschool, 33 grade 2-6 & 10 grade 7-9 + 15 adults)
7th A-Z – First Academy of Orlando. 75 5th graders/? adults)
8th special tour for Lake Alfred Baptist Church (20-25 senior citizens)
14th-16th going to the car races at Sebring, FL with some Wycliffe Associates (a dream since junior high)
18th Special tour for the President’s office (I’m asked from time to time to give tours to special guests. I have had a wide variety of people – business people, church leaders, special donors, Christian leaders, etc.) Pray that I know what to say and what not to say. Often these are short notice, but this one was in advance.

Spring Break – Florida is a HUGE Spring break destination from the “frozen” northern states. Very few schools have their breaks at the same time, so we have purposely kept the last half of March lightly booked. Last year we had many university groups with several hundred students come by unannounced during this time, so I need to be ready to go at a moments notice. I’m also hoping to be able to do a quick road trip with Josiah during this time to visit a couple of Christian Colleges he is considering in the future. Pray we can work this into the schedule.

We are also preparing for a major event on Saturday, April 5th. 350 elementary kids and 100 adults are coming for an all day event called Children’s Missions Jamboree for the Central Florida Nazarene Churches. We have already been working on this for two months, but we’ve been trying to do that around an already full schedule. We hope to have more time this month to get ready for the big day.

As for February, we are still alive to tell the tale, but it was BUSY! Thanks for holding us up in your prayers and asking God to bear His eternal fruit through our lives and ministries.

Overton post Siberia Update

2008-02-21T13:20:00.000-08:00

Dear friends and partners in ministry,

Thank you for praying for me during my recent trip to Siberia. I was witness to the Lord’s provision and blessing especially during the day when the temperature dropped to -30 F.

More than just physical protection, the Lord answered your prayers for wisdom and guidance. Praise the Lord, Pioneers’ teams in Siberia are growing and are seeing people coming to faith in the Lord!

Please continue to pray for unreached Siberian peoples. They are living in one of the world’s harshest climates and have the lowest income levels in all of Russia, but all of that is insignificant compared to their isolation from the message of God’s love and forgiveness.

Please continue to pray for our family as well. This week Ruth is away at a leadership conference and I am home with the kids alone. For me, being a full-time “mommy” is much more demanding than my trip to Siberia. So please continue to keep us all in your prayers.

Here are our prayers requests:
Safe travels for Ruth to and from her conference
Good health for everyone (it is flu season)
Progress toward establishing a new visa and registration in July of 2008
Safety for Jim and the kids as they making a trip next week to renew visa registrations

Thank you for your prayers and partnership with us as we are seeking and serving the Lord and His kingdom.

Warmly,

Jim, Ruth, Ben, Greg and Leeza Overton

Peterson's Prayer Guide - February 2008

2008-01-31T14:25:00.000-08:00

Show me where to walk, for I have come to You in prayer. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. Psalm 143: 8b, 10

Josiah is going to lead another Truth Project group on Wednesday nights from Feb. 13 – end of May, this time at our church. Gary and I will be helping. It will be advertised to the whole church, so we don’t know how many will attend. Please pray that those God wants to participate will come. Pray for wisdom, strength and sensitivity to God’s Spirit as we lead. Pray that God will transform the thinking that has not been according to His truth in the lives of all who attend. Thank you!

Josiah is at a stage in high school when he needs to start making decisions about college. Gary hopes to take him on an exploratory trip sometime in the next few months to check out a couple of colleges he’s interested in. We would be so grateful for your prayers for our son as he considers what course of studies to pursue, and where God wants him to go. He is interested in taking 6 months to do some kind of mission experience before starting college as well, so there are lots of details to work out.

Esther is considering spending her summer in Australia (winter there). She’d like to work on my sister, Jenny and her husband’s dairy farm to get some extended time with her cousins (4 girls and a newborn baby boy). The farm is struggling because of the drought, but at this stage it looks like it may still be a possibility. Please pray again for all the details. This will be both exciting and a little scary for Esther as she has never spent time in Australia without her family before. We are also thinking about what we will do this coming summer, and would appreciate your prayers as we consider several options.

In a lot of the recent prayer guides, we have referred to programs on Gary’s calendar called A-Z Adventure and Mission Encounter. These are 5 hour mission education programs for elementary aged kids (A-Z), and youth. To learn about these programs,
check out www.wycliffe.org/Wordspring.org to see the Discovery Center where Gary runs many of his programs. Check out: www.wycliffe.org/Wordspring/programs. Here are some comments from Gary:

January has been a great month. I’ve often gone to work early and come home late. We’ve had lots of kids go through programs. The feedback from the students/teachers/ parents has been most encouraging. Anthony, a 5th grader, really came alive with the challenge to missions. He bought some books in our “Village Shop” to help him grow more in his understanding and vision for missions and Bible translation. God has begun a work in his life, and your prayers were a big part of it.

Here’s what’s on the calendar for February:

1st A-Z Adventure & Mission Encounter for Family Educators of Florida (35 participants)

3rd Gary teaches lesson 5 for Perspectives in Jacksonville, Florida. Check out the Perspectives course at www.perspectives.org

4th Perspectives, Ocala, Florida

5th Perspectives, Gainesville, Florida (home of the Florida Gators UF)

7th A-Z Orangewood Christian Academy 46 participants

8th A-Z Adventure for First Academy Home School (35 students + 14 adults) & Mission Encounter for Sarasota Christian (45 7th graders + 10 adults)

9th Mission Encounter Program for Living Word Church young adult group

14th A-Z Adventure for Real Life Christian Academy, AZ ( 42 participants)

15th A-Z Circle Christian Home School & Christian & Heritage Academy (76 participants)

16th Special tour and program for First Baptist of Central Florida 30-60 hearing impaired. We have an interpreter to sign for the deaf.

21st A-Z Winter Haven Christian School (19 participants) & special tour for Church of the Palms Sarasota (senior citizen group)

22nd A-Z Christian Home Educators (41 participants)

22nd Gary speaks in the evening to the Cub Scout Troup at 1st Baptist of Orlando

25th Our 24th wedding anniversary

28th Crusaders Christian Home School group

Yes, it’s very busy and we are deeply grateful for your prayers!

Missions Conference, January 27th - February 3rd

2008-01-24T20:43:00.000-08:00

Sunday Morning Worship Services
8:00 , 9:30 & 11:00 am

Rev. Dana Ostby is our featured speaker at this year’s missions conference. Dana was a church planter and seminary student at the Evangelical Theological Seminary of Indonesia (ETSI) from 1984-1987. Dana returned to California in 1987, to marry Sue, a missionary to Thailand and a fellow Biola missions major. After completing masters degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Dana and Sue returned to Indonesia with OC International. Dana taught New Testament and missions on the islands of Java, Sumatra and Bali. Dana helped found the Indonesian National Research Network and JP23 missions network, now known as the Indonesian Peoples Network. Sue has been fighting a rare form of Parkinson’s Disease since 2004, when the Ostbys returned to the US. Today, Dana is a special assistant to the president of OC International and serves as part-time missions pastor at Grace Bible Church in Arroyo Grande. Dana and Sue have three missions savvy and surfboard crazy teenagers: Karis (17), Nicko (15), and Alisha (13).

SCHEDULE OF SPECIAL EVENTS DURING THE CONFERENCE

Sunday, January 27th @5:30 pm, Ministry Center

Missions Dinner, $5/person, $20 max/family

Space is limited, Childcare provided after dinner (0-5 yrs.)

Monday, January 28th @6:30 pm, Ministry Center

Ladies Salad Supper w/ Ann & Esther Wright

Contact Debbi at 543-2358, ext. 118

Friday, February 1st @6:30 pm

Missions Movie Night - We will be showing the movie "Amazing Grace"

Rated PG, Munchies provided! Limited childcare available, contact Travis Hasson at 544-2682.

Growth Groups are open to all this week!
Come, enjoy a more intimate time with one or more of our missionaries. To ensure enough seating & for directions, please RSVP to the Growth Group host. Call the church office for more information re: Growth Group schedule.

Dr. Danny Martin, our Pastor of Vocation and Missions, will be speaking on February 3. He is founder and President Emeritus of Mission to Unreached Peoples in Seattle and Ambassador-at-Large for Tentmakers International, the tentmaking arm of the World Evangelical Alliance. Danny is continuing to serve last year’s speaker, Rev. Peter Xu, in the training and placement of Chinese missionaries who will serve as tentmakers throughout Asia as part of the Back to Jerusalem movement. Danny’s Ph.D is in Vocational Counseling and he has assisted thousands of believers in discerning God’s will in their lives. Danny spends 4-6 months per year in Asia, training and placing Asian missionaries.

So, please come join us for a fun week meeting our missionaries and seeing how God is working at Grace and Beyond.

Overton Update

2008-01-15T09:13:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your prayerful partnership with us as we serve the Lord together in Russia. We pray that your holidays have been blessed by worship, family and reminders of God’s great love.

Tonight, January 13th, Jim will be flying to Siberia. His travels will take him to Krasnoyarsk and the Russian Republic of Khakasiya (nearly the geographic center of the Asian continent).

The main goal of the trip is to support church-planting missionary efforts. During his travels, Jim will be visiting with two PIONEERS misson teams and with local Russian Baptist leadership.

Jim will be dressing warmly because the January temperatures in Krasnoyarsk and Khakasiya are constantly sub zero.

Connected with these events, we are asking you to say a short prayer for us right now and as often as you think of us between now and January 23rd (when Jim returns).

Here are our prayers requests:

Safe travels
Good health for Jim & for Ruth and the kids
Wisdom regarding leadership decisions
Pray also about the question of our long-term residence in Russia. This year Russia is changing its law on foreign residence. Many missionaries (including us) are uncertain if they will able to receive the new style residence permit (something like an American "green card").

Thank you for your prayers and partnership with us as we are seeking and serving the Lord and His kingdom.

Warmly,

Jim, Ruth, Ben, Greg and Leeza Overton

Willis Newsletter

2008-01-08T14:18:00.000-08:00

Dear Partners in the Gospel,

We have had another boy! His name is Joshua James Willis. He was born early in the morning on September 7th. He weighed nine pounds even and was twenty-one inches long. The labor took over 24 hours but he came out fine with no problems or health concerns. We are very thankful to God for a healthy baby boy. As you can imagine our parents were very happy about their new grandchild. They came to the hospital and were there the entire time. We even brought Wade and he was able to see Josh in the nursery. He pointed his finger at Josh and said, “What’s that?” and we all smiled and said “That is your baby brother!” He may not have understood what that meant back then, but now he knows that he is not alone anymore in our family. He has really taken it well and even kisses his brother on the head now.

As for Tricia, she made a great recovery from the delivery and was doing fine until a disc ruptured in her back. We immediately had to call an ambulance to come and take her to the hospital because she could not move. Once we arrived at the hospital, the doctor took an MRI which showed us that a large piece of her ruptured disc was pressing up against her spinal cord cutting off nerves and causing severe pain. She had been in a car accident about three years ago and really injured her back. Now it seems as though this injury had gotten worse. So she had to go through having a micro-surgery on her back to take the piece of disc out. Now Tricia is doing much better. Although she is still going through a lot of pain, she is slowly recovering. She cannot do any lifting or bending over to carry the children. So what this means for me is that I am caring for her and the children full-time until she heals. It will take another four to six weeks before she has recovered from this. In the meantime, I am learning what a difficult job mothers have. It is quite a challenge and I ask for your prayers. Now I can understand and appreciate all moms everywhere.

At this time, I am also preparing for a trip to Siberia, Russia in March. In Siberia, we will be taking a group of about 15 men and women to do a follow-up conference in a place that already had one of our teacher training conferences. It is very important to keep in contact with all of the teachers who receive our training so that they can be encouraged and strengthened with additional training. In this way over the years, discipleship can take place and leadership qualities can be developed even further. Our work in this area of Russia is increasingly becoming more and more important as we are seeing many things changing politically in the Russian government. So we may only be able to train these teachers for a little while longer. While God is holding open the doors in Russia, we need to take every possible opportunity to help the people in Siberia. I ask for your prayers as we help them in this time of need.

For those of you who are reading our newsletter and you are not currently partnering with us, we ask that you would consider giving to our ministry on a monthly basis. Or you may desire to give an end of the year gift to our ministry. Please call the church office to find out where to send your gift. Thank you for considering this.

Please continue to pray that Tricia will make a full recovery from the back surgery and injury that she has had.

We love and appreciate you all. You are making our ministry and our family needs possible with your partnership and prayers!

Love,

Bob, Tricia, Wade, and now Josh!

Nadolski - After Election Suffering in Kenya

2008-01-08T12:03:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends,

Last week, the people of Kenya voted for their president. As it turns out, the incumbent pushed throught the election results and the opposition is fighting to get a fair count on the voting. The police and military control the streets, shooting indiscriminantly, stopping any kind of truck traffic.

I've talked to several people in Kenya, including all of the LWI partners. All of them tell the same story:

- it's not safe to go in the streets
- there is no food or supplies
- there is no fuel for the vehicles or generators
- no generators means no water is being pumped from the wells

Below is a newsletter I just received from Kenya. Please read it and get an 'eye-witness account' and please pray for the people of Kenya.

People in Kenya are sharing the little they have with others who have less. If you want to donate to the people of Kenya, please check with the church office.

God bless you, John

Saturday January 5, 2008

Mombassa, Kenya

What do you do when the lines reach 300 people in front of you and you don’t know if you are going to get into the grocery store? My friend Clive & I had been to several stores and we could not find milk, bread, and many other basic things in any store. The petrol stations where closed for 3 days because there was no fuel. Thieves came to the house next door a few days ago, but the guard happened to see them before they broke in and sounded the alarm. Riot police are surrounding the police station a block from our house to protect some of the people inside.

The Bible speaks that there is going to come a day when a man will work all day for a loaf of bread. What do you do when you have money and there is no bread to buy? We have heard of these kind of things happening in other countries of Africa, but never before like this in Kenya.

On Wednesday I was able to buy a few hundred dollars worth of maize & flour after begging & pleading that this is for people who do not have anything.

Yesterday, we moved early before the demonstration rally, to some areas that people are really hurting. We only had problems on the Malindi Road near Kisanuni when the people started motioning for us to turn around, so we did. We found out later that the people were rioting and police shot and killed one person. We were able to go around the problem through Nyali and on out to Bamburi where we found the pastor on his knees praying in the church. The presbyters were able to get the food to other pastors & friends. They were so thankful for the little we could bring. I have received several SMS's of thanks from Maritini, Bakoli, Likoni. Some do not have anything in the house. Shops have been closed and there is no bread, milk, cooking oil, kerosene, available. We were able to beg at one petrol station to get enough diesel to keep going.

Today the planned demonstrations failed in Nairobi and Mombasa after the police moved in with tear gas. Again I went to buy what we could this morning and took supplies to the church in Kisauni. Next I went by the house of a Muslim friend and give him some maize. We also took charcoal that cost three times the normal price.

One Muslim friend who lives across & near the Likoni ferry told me he was up all night protecting his property. There is a bar (owned by a Kikuyu man) next door to his house and the people came to burn it three separate times. They had to be alert because the fire would spread even to their house.

Two different pastors called me & said it is so good to be alive this morning. We thought we were going to die during the night. Shops were being burnt all around us.

Another pastor has left his family here in Mombasa & traveled up country to Molo. His family had to leave the area because of the burning of houses.

As we were leaving the house yesterday morning, a Baptist pastor came to the gate and said we lost everything last night and we don’t have any food or anything. He said they even stole our mattress. We were glad we had just been able to get some food and clothes to help him a little.

Another man who works for me at times called and said they did not have anything in the house, so we were able to help him also. He said that they had organized the men in his area to protect the property with bows and arrows and panga’s. They told the police to please stay out, we will not kill the thieves, but will bring them to the police station. The night before the looters had broken into many of the shops and took everything. Another Kikuyu friend who had a hardware shop lost everything and all his wielding equipment.

Please pray for peace to return to Kenya.

Petersons’ Prayer Guide - January 2008

2008-01-02T08:11:00.000-08:00

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind….Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-38

As we begin a new year, I want to learn more of what the above verses mean and have them worked out practically in my life. I’ll be praying the same for you.

Well, Christmas has come and gone for another year. I hope yours was as enjoyable as ours. It was lovely to be able to get together with friends we don’t often get to spend time with during the year. We spent Christmas day just as a family, and it was fun and relaxing. I enjoyed having everyone’s help in the kitchen. Gary did a great job of cleaning up afterwards too. (:

We asked you to pray for our contacts with teachers and neighbors. There were some good interactions with quite a few of them, and I trust that we can make time during the year to build on these. Pray especially for our relationship with a Muslim family who live nearby.

Both of our kids were able to work for part of the holidays, so are grateful for the income that brought to them.

This past month we were surprised by an offer from supporters of a substantial gift to help us in our ministry. We both felt that a more reliable vehicle was the highest priority right now (our latest acquisition has some problems that we can’t easily or inexpensively fix, but it has proved to be a good temporary solution). God put it together for our friends to purchase a car for us from another Wycliffe couple who are soon returning to the field. Praise the Lord with us for this amazing provision of a 1998 Honda Accord that we pray will serve us for many years.

December was a great month for Gary. Tons of kids come through Wycliffe and the feedback was most encouraging. One of the many highlights came during the “Christmas Around the World” program. 441 people took part in it over the two days. Though it was primarily aimed at Christians, a Boy Scout troop showed up on Saturday (saw the ad in a paper). From their answers to Gary’s question, “What is the true meaning of Christmas?”, it was obvious they didn’t know. But before the day was over, they heard a clear presentation of the gospel. He had a chance to follow up with several of the Scouts afterwards, too – wow! There was even a Buddhist lady from Asia who was thrilled her kids learned about the true meaning of Christmas. She said all she and her kids knew of Christmas since coming here was what her kids learned in public school. We pray that God will continue to speak to all those who came. Thanks so much for praying!

January schedule – so far. No doubt there will be more groups coming than are currently scheduled.
7th – School and college resume for the kids.
10th – Josiah turns 17
11th – A-Z Adventure - Cornerstone home school group
14th – Church of the Palms seniors group
17th – A-Z Adventure - Regency Christian Academy
18th – A-Z Adventure - Christian School & a Home School Group
24th - A-Z Adventure - Two different schools
25th - A-Z Adventure – Two different schools
25th - Robyn’s birthday
29th – WordSpring is a local polling place for the 2008 presidential primaries. It’s a 12+ hour long day for most of us. Pray we will be a witness to the community as they come in. We can’t directly talk to them about our ministry unless they specifically ask. Last election, out of 1,100 voters, over 200 did ask, so we got to share with them.

May God’s richest blessings be on you in this brand new year of 2008.

Warmly in Christ,
Robyn & Gary Peterson

Overton Ministry Report - Merry Christmas

2007-12-28T08:51:00.000-08:00

Ruth and I send you our warmest Christmas greetings from Moscow, Russia. Though far away, we are remembering you and appreciating you in our hearts. Thank you for your prayerful and material support of our ministry this year. As we serve the Lord together we are actually participating in essence of Christmas.

THE MEANING OF LIGHT AT CHRISTMAS
In a foretelling of our Savior’s birth the prophet Isaiah wrote, “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land will have the light shine on them.” (Isaiah 9:2)
In Moscow’s northern climate, December is a time of great darkness. It is a time when one can really feel the heaviness of fallen humanity and a time when you can actually feel a great hunger and craving for light. I understand now, more than ever, why European church fathers choose to celebrate Christ’s birth during the darkest days of the year.

LIGHTING UP RUSSIA

This year, through your support and encouragement, we helped the Russian Baptist Union to send out 600 short term summer missionaries. This is an increase of 400% over last year’s summer outreach. After making a map of the ministry locations and sending churches, the thought occurred to me, that this map is starting to look like a Christmas tree!

We are very thankful to the Lord for His blessing. Still, Russia remains to be a country with less than 1% evangelical believers. Besides secular atheists and nominal Christians, many of Russia’s other citizens have never heard the gospel in the context of their Asian, Islamic and Shamanistic cultures.

As we look forward to 2008, we continue to trust the Lord for the privilege of partnering with you in spreading the Light of the Lord’s gospel. We are remembering you fondly and praying for God’s blessing and protection in your life.

Jim and Ruth Overton

Christmas Greetings from the Dudecks

2007-12-26T14:56:00.000-08:00

We want to wish all our friends a merry Christmas today from our home in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. We are grateful to Jesus Christ our Lord for giving us another good year serving Him. We thought we would just share a few items from the year.

John has spent the year working on a computer project at SIM International. Pam worked as receptionist for a law firm, but health problems led her to quit after six months. Jennifer is now in her last year of high school.

In June John and Jennifer went to the International Conference on Computing and Mission, held at Taylor University in Indiana. This is a conference for people who work in information technology in mission organizations, that John attends each year. This year Jennifer went along, and was able to visit Taylor's Campus. She is now applying to Taylor to attend next year. Pam's sister Paula lives not too far from Taylor, so Jennifer will be able to visit her aunt.

In July Jennifer went to an engineering camp for high school girls at Virginia Tech. It was helpful in clarifying her interests in the various fields of engineering. She now is thinking she wants to take a major at Taylor called New Media, which is an interdisciplinary program bridging computer science, art and communications.

In November John and Jennifer attended a father-daughter summit conference put on by the National Center for Fathering (http://fathers.com/). We were greatly blessed by the communication that it opened up between us and we highly recommend it for all fathers and daughters.

In January and February 2008 Jennifer will be part of a robotics competition that her high school is entering. The students have six weeks to create a robot that accomplishes certain tasks, and then enter it in competition against robots from other schools. John plans to participate as a parent mentor. There are about a dozen people from industry mentoring the students. It will be an intense effort, and should be highly educational for all sorts of skills needed when working on projects in the real world.

We would appreciate any prayers you can give for Pam. She is suffering from insomnia and related effects, and we have been unable to find a doctor that can get to the bottom of it. Sleep medications are becoming less effective, and she is only getting a few hours sleep each night. Through all of this we sense God at work in our lives to mold us more into his likeness.
We wish all of you the best in the coming year.

John, Pam and Jennifer

Hello From Nairobi - December 2007

2007-12-18T09:44:00.000-08:00

Over here, they say ‘Jambo’

It’s been two weeks and I'm doing fine. So far, I traveled to the northern desert and made sure that they installed the water treatment system for Turbi, a small town near Ethiopia. It sure was sad to hear the story.

In the spring of 2006, the neighboring tribe attacked Turbi, starting at the elementary school. Over 25 kids were killed by machine gun fire, especially the 7th and 8th grade boys. It wasn’t really clear if the boys were trying to defend the school or if they were targeted. The raiders swept into town and killed a total of 75 people before the local townspeople got organized and drove them off. The government rebuilt the school and the new school motto (see photo) is: ‘Endure the Pain to Embrace the Gain’

It was sad to visualize all of the pain and killing. I got choked up as I took the pictures of the school and the kids. I tried to reach out to the kids by spending time with them, flying a kite, etc.

We finished installing the first water-treatment unit, but we’re still waiting on parts for the second unit. I am going to try to find a way to get the unit installed next week. Either way, I plan to travel home starting December 18th.

Thanks so much for your prayers.

God bless you – so that you can be a blessing to others during this Christmas season.

John

God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.

It's real encouraging to see all the answers to prayers for this project. Here's a few answered prayers:

- The first water-treatment unit was put together when I got to Kenya and the vendor pulled a senior technician off his vacation and sent him and jr. tech to Turbi to install the reverse osmosis unit.

- I rode with the technicians, Guy and Archer. There were three of us in a small Toyota Hilux. All three of us sat in the front seat for the 13 hour drive to Marsabit. It took so long because the small truck was low to the ground and we couldn't go fast over the washboard roads. - plus time to change the flat tire (the jack was in the tool box under the entire load).

- The small truck unsuitable to drive to Turbi so I decided to hire a lorry to haul the supplies and water tanks (see picture)

- God provided a guardian angel through a 'chance' meeting in Marsabit. I was coming out of the local cafe for breakfast and I started talking to one of the local guys. Long story short: he worked for a church-planting ngo and he introduced me to Joseph, the pastor planting an evangelical church in Turbi. Joseph introduced me to the former District Counselor and the Chief (both of whom happened to be in Marsabit). The counselor found a lorry driver, arranged the price and we got loaded.

- I took Joseph and his partner to the Bible Society and offered to buy Joseph several bibles for his church. Joseph and his partner told me that they were on the way to Moyale to graduate 59 pastors. I felt convicted to buy bibles for these new pastors so I asked if they had bibles. 'No'. So I bought bibles (and study guides) for these new pastors and some for Joseph. I really didn't expect anything in return. End of story? "No." Joseph was so touched by my gesture of giving the bibles, that he spent the next four days working with us in Turbi, helping us organize the project. He was a HUGE help.

- The original generator at the site doesn't work. About a month ago, the chief borrowed a trailer-mounted generator, but that didn't work either. The technicians got the trailer-mounted generator working, but the battery didn't work. So, Joseph and I went to the local army/police camp and talked them into 'loaning us a battery'. The army guys adopted us, especially after they found out that we were providing drinking water. So, they came over to our site several times to check our progress and to make sure we didn't need anything. (I bought a good, replacement battery when I got to Marsabit and arranged with the former District Counselor to have it taken to the Turbi well.)

- The water treatment unit was installed and worked well (dropped the TDS from 4050 mg/l to 370). BUT, we were getting ready to close up and a plastic clamp broke on the sand filter. We tried to fix it, but the super glue wouldn't hold and reducing the pressure didn't help. So, we shut it down, locked it up. We will send replacement part when they install the second unit.

- On Sunday morning, we were still in Turbi, no vehicle and we needed to get to Marsabit. God provided another guardian angel. As it turns out, Kenya’s president was in a nearby town on Saturday. On Sunday morning, several vehicles came through Turbi on the way to Marsabit. I pleaded our case with one of the drivers and he agreed to take me, the heavy tool box and one of the tech's from D&S. Wouldn't you know it - they were CID security cops on assignment to protect the president. I couldn't ask for better security.

- As it turns out, we stopped a couple of times on the drive back to Nairobi, but this time, we were helping others: a petrol tanker that lost it's spare tire from the pony trailer - busting the discharge valve and spraying gas everywhere (The technicians offered advice, but the drivers were trying to plug the pipe with clothes and plastic bags. We didn't help with the gas, but we did find the tire and returned it to them). Later we found a Suziki SUV that broke all of it's engine mounts on the road going to Marsabit, within 50 km of Isiolo. - bad, bad road for a little vehicle.

It hasn't been an easy trip and I have enough scars and sunburn to show it, plus 35 hours riding cramped into the front seat with two guys and no a/c, no shocks, and washboard roads.

Our next step is to ship/install the RO unit in Bubisa. Right now, there are still some missing parts. Some of the parts are due to arrive early next week but some of the parts aren’t scheduled until the end of the week and that means I’ll go home without the project finished. Please pray for wisdom, through Christ Jesus.

We serve a great God. Answered prayers have been a HUGE encouragement on this trip. Please keep praying for us.

December Wright Stuff

2007-12-11T15:09:00.000-08:00

Hello, praying friends, To make a long story short, this morning we’re sitting on the patio drinking our coffee, on the edge of the California desert, a few miles from the Mexico border; watching birds flying south, enjoying the warmth shooting out from that sun rising above the fence over yonder.

Ok, the longer version. One of Ann’s goals during this home assignment had been to update all her nursing licenses and certifications and to work a bit in a hospital to get familiar with current practices, procedures and technology. She’s attended quite a few workshops and courses, taken bunches of exams, paid lots of fees, but has run into a solid wall of non-interest at the hospitals. We were not aware that the hospitals here are requiring US experience within the past two years. She’s missed that by a decade or so, so her efforts have been frustrated. However, there is this one desperate hospital on the Mexico border willing to take a chance and let her work some hours. One aspect of home assignment is that housing is, by nature, fluid and this time we really don’t need to be in any location in particular. So, here we are in the desert, getting re-acquainted with Spanish while Ann works a bit at this hospital. The cost of living in the states easily depletes our resources. Health Insurance premiums alone cost us more than our total living expenses where we were, so the extra income is welcome.

We’ve found a nice furnished house, and are looking forward to the girls’ break from college, and having Christmas together. We’ve been here a day, lots of setting up and reconnoitering to do. We hope to get involved with a church that would desire to engage in our current work in Southwest Asia.

We’re still plenty busy with updating our prayer network’s contact info. We’ve been blessed with an extensive group of people praying with us, but it’s hard to keep close contact. We appreciate your prayers regarding this goal. We are trying to go with email over snail mail as much as possible.

Esther and Laura are winding up their terms, with final exams and papers consuming them these days. Laura has been settling in well at Irvine, liking her major, getting involved with Campus Crusade, enjoying the college experience. We appreciate your prayers for her new endeavor.

After exams, Esther is planning to withdraw from Biola for a while, return with us to the field, before resuming her studies in the states. We’re excited about having this time together.

Before we moved, we spent several years in Chehalis, Washington, a town currently a topic on your news channels. Massive flooding is devastating many people. Most disheartening to us has been the news about our good friends, Brad and Meg Gregory. The sheep/cheese farm they’ve been operating the past few years has been taking off, but now it’s gone, most of the animals drowned, buildings washed away. They managed to get out with their children and some clothes. The farm was showing growth and they have been so hopeful. Flooding is normal there, every few years or so, but this time is apparently so much worse. While we were living up there we witnessed a major flood and we well remember helping our friends, Craig and Dianne Pittenger, clean up their ice cream business after it was drowned. The business recovered enough in recent years that they were able to just complete a remodel of the building but it’s under water again. We ask your prayers for the many people brought low by this event. Our church in Chehalis have long been faithful supporters of our ministry, this flood has affected all of them somehow.

As we take advantage of our opportunities to speak, please be praying for our ability to communicate the needs of the people where we serve in Southwest Asia and that people will join us in this ministry. We don’t have much time left in the states and we welcome any opportunity to speak. If you or anyone you know would like to have us speak to a group, please talk with us.

Joe and Ann
Call anytime while we’re in the states, 408 368 2477 or 2473

Steffens December '07 newsletter

2007-12-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

CHRISTMAS
Two of the greatest miracles of Christmas are first, that God became a man in the person of Jesus Christ (Immanuel, God with us) and second, that Jesus came to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21 & 23). “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” was John the Baptist’s response when he saw Jesus approaching him (John 1:29). We trust that as you celebrate the holidays, you remember these two great miracles of Christmas and that you have personally received Jesus Christ as your Savior.

CAMARMA
Thank you for praying about the newly-elected mayor and other city officials. I, Ned, have personally met most of them and they seem to be very open to a continued, good working relationship. I am able to continue the adult English classes through the city hall adult education. Please continue to pray for a growing relationship with the new mayor and other city officials.

MINISTRY
During the fall, we had two “celebration” services in Camarma. We also had our annual Thanksgiving outreach dinner on Dec. 1. In recent months, we have come into contact with two Spanish families who live in Meco where our co-workers, Mark and Kay Johnson, live. These two families are interested in seeing an evangelical church started in the Meco/Camarma area. A mid-week cell group has started with them and several others in Meco. Please pray for the start of a cell group in Camarma and for future plans. Lord willing, we anticipate a 6 to 12 month home assignment in the states starting in the summer of 2008. Our exact plans are not sure yet, but we do hope to see many of you during that time.

ENGLISH
A group of 11 people from a church in Northern Ireland (same church that sent a group in 2005) helped us put on two English camps from July 16-20. In the mornings, we had 121 kids (ages 3-11 years old, mainly younger ones) and in the evenings we had 13 adults. There was a closing program for the kids’ camp on Friday, July 20, and a closing program for the adults’ camp on Saturday, July 21. Some of the people from the work team shared their personal testimonies at the Saturday evening closing program. Please pray for continued contact with the kids, the kids’ parents and the adults from the two camps. I, Ned, have started adult English classes again this fall. There are two classes of 10 students each. Some students are from previous years and the rest are new this year. I will be offering the extra Spanish/English Bible reading time to the students soon. Please pray for many to be interested in participating and for our growing friendships with the students.

FAMILY
Sarah is now in her second (and final) year in nursing school and continues to live with Joanie’s parents, north of Boston. Michael is in his second year at ERAU (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) in Daytona Beach, FL and is an RA (Resident Advisor) on campus. Timothy is in his senior year at ECA and is in the process of applying to colleges for next fall. We were in the states from July 25 to August 22, living with Joanie’s parents in Peabody, north of Boston. We were all together for about a week before Michael returned to ERAU. Timothy did most of the driving as he now has his learner’s permit.

WEBSITE
Thanks to Timothy, our computer guru, and a web design class he had last year, we now have a website. Please visit it at www.steffensinspain.com and let us know what you think.

PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING
- The start of a good relationship with the new government in Camarma.
- Cell group started in Meco.
- Two great summer English camps with group from Northern Ireland.
- Our time in the states last summer.
- Sarah, Michael and Timothy having good starts in school.
- A good Thanksgiving outreach on December 1.

PRAYER
- Monthly “celebration” services in Camarma.
- The beginning of an evangelical church in Camarma.
- Creative ways to get people interested in small, spiritually-oriented discussion groups.
- The new Camarma mayor (Luis Angel) and city council members as they form a new government and how we relate to them.
- Plans for our home assignment starting next summer.
- More monthly financial support.

Ned & Joanie Steffens

Apdo.33

28816 Camarma de Esteruelas

(MADRID) Spain

011-34-91-886-6380

njsteffens84@yahoo.com

www.steffensinspain.com

TEAM
PO Box 969
Wheaton, IL 60189
630-653-5300
www.TEAMworld.org

Ray Albrektson's Prayer Letter

2007-12-04T14:04:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends:

Here's a little quiz for you: What film has been seen by more people than any film in history? Obviously it is the JESUS film, with more than 5 billion viewings and translated into more than a thousand languages. A few years ago a risky decision was made to make a "special" version of the JESUS film—one created to help women connect more quickly to the gospel story. The result is Magdalena: Released from Shame.

The idea was simple: create new scenes for the existing JESUS film that focus on Jesus' relationship with women, then weave them into a cohesive whole that would require much less translation than a complete film. Magdalena was the result: a re-telling of the story of Jesus from the point of view of Mary Magdalena, who described her own journey from shame to forgiveness, and in the process, discovered her own value to God.

Where did I come in? Many months ago, I received a phone call from the film's production office. They wanted the film to be as historically accurate as possible. A group of biblical scholars had been brought on board to provide guidance on everything ranging from pottery design to furniture layout. But the production team was unable to evaluate the conflicting opinions of these scholars! My task was to review and evaluate all input and serve as the "scholarly advisor" for the project.

The result is impressive! Of course, it isn't perfect. I begged the producers to opt for "dirtier" sets and to design costumes that didn't look as though they had just come out of the wash, but to no avail. There are minor architectural errors. But at least nobody wore their Casio watch on the sets! Yes, you can find one in the original JESUS film if you know where to look.

Although it has not been released in the US, it is already making a great impact on women. In much of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, women are treated as second-class citizens, or even property. This film seems to especially touch the hearts of women in those regions. Already we've heard amazing reports, such as the Muslim country that had banned the JESUS film but actually asked for special showings of Magdalena!

After Christmas, my travel schedule gets truly hectic. I'll be teaching in Japan (teach IBS), Guatemala (ISP conferences), and Indonesia (teach Church History in Ph. D. program) just for starters. My travel budget has been hit very hard by the shrinking dollar and rising cost of air-fare . . . please consider a special gift (payable to Campus Crusade for Christ) if you would like to help. Either mail it to me (101 Channing St., Redlands, CA 92373) or click here. Thanks for all you do--I appreciate you!
Ray & Kathy Albrektson

http://www.albrektson.com/

Jen Peet's Update

2007-12-04T10:49:00.000-08:00

In need of a Savior
Halloween in Isla Vista is unlike anything else. This year for Halloween we wanted to provide a place for both students in our movement to go to and also a safe place for party-goers to come and rest and be cared for. Our “Halloween Haven” looked much like any other party in Isla Vista that weekend on the outside. But instead of alcohol, we had water bottles and hot chocolate and a fire pit to keep warm. It was so much fun to see our students enjoying each other while at the same time caring for and engaging with the many others that came. God was at work that night. It the midst of so much darkness, the Gospel was shared and new friendships were formed.

To give you a little more of a picture of what really goes on, I will do my best to recount a story from the night. As I was sitting by the fire pit, I noticed that a girl nearby had just fallen and appeared to be very intoxicated. She was with her sister and both of them were not feeling very good at all as I held the one girls hair back while she threw up. A couple of guy students and I offered to take them to a station that is set up for those who are severely intoxicated so that they are not taken advantage of. All we wanted to do was help them and sadly they didn’t want help. As they stumbled away, all we could do was pray for them. One of the guys simply said at that moment, “I wonder if this is how Jesus feels sometimes. He wants to help us and he says he offers us life that is so good, but instead so many of us turn away and walk right back into our sin.” The three of us just stood there after he said that just thinking about the life that Jesus offers us. He is SO GOOD!

Fall is here. . .
Isn’t it fun to see the leaves changing colors? I love this time of year and the colors it brings!
A few weeks ago we had our annual Fall Retreat. Over 130 students came with us for an amazing time of community and growing in the Lord.

On Sunday morning we spent a short time sharing about the weekend. One student, Cliff, shared with tears in his eyes, that this was the first time he had ever experienced real love and care and friendship from people who called themselves Christians. Cliff at this point, as far as I know, does not have a relationship with Jesus, but he continues to see more and more of who Jesus is. We are all praying that he comes to know Jesus as his own. What a neat moment that was for me to hear him share. God is definitely at work in his life and the lives of many others.

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it abundantly.” John 10:10
God offers us so much. God offers us so much. Now just take a moment from your busy day and just sit in the fact that Jesus didn’t come just so that we could get through each day, but so that we could be used by Him and have abundant life in Him.

Jen Peet
39 Sonoma Ave
Goleta, CA 93117
jen.peet@uscm.org

Petersons' Prayer Guide - December 2007

2007-11-30T10:16:00.000-08:00

“…Yet a ruler will come out of you (O Bethlehem), one whose origins are from the distant past…. He will be highly honored all around the world. And He will be the source of our peace.” Micah 5:2,4b & 5

There is something so very special about this time of year. I love the decorations, the music, the special gatherings and events, the holidays and time to look back and look ahead. My prayer for you, along with myself, is that in the midst of the busyness, we will enjoy some precious, private moments with our God to adore Him, to thank Him, and to listen to Him. What an amazing, incomparable God we have!

Last month I mentioned that we were trying to plan a little vacation. I want to thank those of you who prayed that God would work out the details for us. We found an unbelievable deal on a hotel in Clearwater and were able to spend two nights over there. Friends gave us free tickets to go to Disney World as a family – a really fun day! We had Thanksgiving here at home and several friends joined us for parts of it to help celebrate Gary’s birthday as well. There was time for some shopping, watching some good movies, and taking a boat ride to see dolphins playing in the waters of the Gulf. We packed a fair bit in, and thoroughly enjoyed this time out as a family. Thank You, Lord!

In the midst of everything else, we did a big push and managed to get our patio roof replaced before our building permit expired on the 13th. It’s a good feeling to have that job completed!

Thank you too for praying for Gary’s full schedule last month. There were a lot of great contacts made.

One of the biggest events on his plate for the coming month is a first for the Wordspring staff. They’re calling it, “Christmas Around the World” and are inviting the community to come and experience Christmas from a cross-cultural perspective. It will be a Public Relations event, and there could be as many as 800 guests. Gary will be heavily involved in preparations and on the days it is being held (Dec. 14-15). Please pray that there will be a good response from the community, and that it will open doors for future involvement with Wycliffe. Pray that the staff will be flexible and work well together as a team.

There are school groups coming for a program on Dec. 4th & 6th. Gary will also assist with orientation for new Wycliffe recruiters on the 6th, and will be giving the morning tour on the 7th and 18th.

For the rest of December he will be the main person on call for special tours, filling in where needed most and responding to inquiries. Last December we had many guests around Christmas, and we hope we will have many this year, too. A lot of tourist attractions in Florida (except the major ones like Disney) have had a downturn in visitors this year, partly due to the price of transportation. Wycliffe has been affected, too. Though we’ve had many more kids and youth for our Education program this year, our regular visitor numbers have dropped off some.

We have a tradition of giving small gifts and cards to teachers and neighbors at this time of year. Please pray that God will use these efforts to shine His light and love in the lives of those we touch. Pray that we’ll be sensitive to the opportunities He brings our way and that we’ll do a good job of pointing people to the Reason for the Season.

Please join us in prayer for the people around the world who will be hearing or reading the Christmas story in their own language for the first time this year. Pray that God will speak powerfully and lives will be changed as they encounter Him and His great love for mankind. Pray, too, for missionaries who are working overseas and who are separated from their loved ones during this season. It can be a lonely and difficult time for them.

We’re so grateful for your invaluable prayer support during 2007. May the blessings of Jesus be on you and those you love as you celebrate His coming and as you live out His life in the year ahead. Robyn & Gary Peterson

Praise God from Whom all Blessings flow!...Nancy Pryor

2007-11-27T13:36:00.000-08:00

Dearest Friends, November, 2007

It’s our prayer and hope that your Thanksgiving celebration was one filled with the joy of family and a spirit of gratefulness to the Lord. This holiday was a mixture of food, fun and jet lag as I just returned from 3 weeks in Mongolia late on November 20th. What an incredible trip with the International School Project to the third largest city in Mongolia, Erdenet. The city is located just 250 miles south of the Russian border and was covered in snow. A novel sight for this Southern Californian!

Over 650 teachers attended between the two conferences and the response to the information given was very positive. Over 98% in attendance said that what they had learned would be very useful in their classrooms and that they gained much needed encouragement as teachers. My interpreter, Tuya, asked me during the second week of conferences, “Nancy, would you say for me special prayer for Jesus?” In all my years of sharing Christ with others, I’ve never had someone come to me and ask me if I could pray with them to receive Christ. What a joy and privilege to lead this lovely young woman to the Savior and to see her very destiny and life change. Tuya went home that evening and talked for a long time with her good friend, Oona, about her decision to trust Christ and change her worldview from Buddhism to faith in the one true God.

Just two days later, Tuya brought Oona to the hotel and led her friend to Christ through the translation of a simple prayer of faith. Praise God, she said that she just can’t stay quiet about Jesus and desires for her husband and children to come to trust Christ, too. Already a multiplying disciple!!! Please pray for Tuya, Oona and their continued growth in Christ. The good news is that the New Life Teachers Movement with Campus Crusade for Christ, Mongolia will be following them up!

In 1990, there were only about 10 known believers in all of Mongolia. Billy Graham said that it was the last closed country on earth. The gospel of Christ has been faithfully taking root in this barren land. There are an estimated 40,000 trained disciples for Christ in the country today and that number continues to grow. This is truly a place where you can witness the “first century” church. The Mongolian believers that I met are truly committed to the Great Commission and are trusting the Lord to take the good news of salvation to every nation where Genghis Khan once ruled. At one time, the Mongolian Empire ruled 3/5 of the known world, so these believers have a big vision. Pray for them. What a privilege to have been able to serve alongside these men and women of great faith.

Boxes of Love...20th Anniversary…changing lives one box at a time!

Twenty years…125,000 + boxes…500,000+ lives impacted with the gospel and love of Christ…thank you so much for praying for the outreach this year. We were able to pack up 5,000 Boxes of Love on Saturday, Oct. 29th just before I left for Mongolia. Over 75 ministries came to help “make and take” their boxes and then used the boxes to reach out to thousands of people in need in their communities. It is always a joy to be able to serve the urban church by getting into their hands resources that will bring a touch of compassion to those in need at this time of Thanksgiving. Soon I will find out from the ministries the extent of their outreaches and let you know of the countless families that were impacted with the love of Christ through this project. The Lord provided so many wonderful donations that we were able to stretch our boxes from 3,000 to 5,000 and thus bring a touch of Christ's love and forgiveness to many more families in need this Thanksgiving than was originally projected.

Dan is doing well and continuing to teach through the gospel of John. He continues to mentor several men from the church and especially is enjoying discipling a man from Tehran , Iran who recently came to Christ an is now attending Plymouth.

Thank you all for your continued support through the years. Your generosity enables me to receive medical benefits and a small salary, but most of all keeps me out in the “fields of harvest”. I so appreciate all of your faithfulness through the years. If you have any year end giving to do, please consider the ministry that God has given me through Campus Crusade. (my account number is 0041641) Your investment is eternal and far reaching…both here in inner city Los Angeles and to the outermost parts of the world.

Blessings abundant, Nancy Pryor

Peterson's November Newsletter

2007-11-27T11:46:00.000-08:00

Gary here: You just never know who will walk through your doors. I’ve heard that expression many times at Wycliffe—even said it a few times myself—but this autumn we’ve had some of our most amazing visitors. It started with a phone call from a colleague. “Gary, we have some special guests showing up at WordSpring in 30 minutes from _____ (country name withheld for security purposes). Can you give them a tour and tell them about our work? They know nothing about Bible Translation.” “I’m available,” I replied. Two+ hours later the two men (leaders in the underground church) thanked me again and again and said how much they had learned.
Pray for long term results from this visit.

A week later a colleague, Chris, was to lead the regular 10am tour of Wycliffe. This day no one showed up. She was about to go back to her desk when our visitors center received a call
from someone saying they were on their way, but running late. Chris felt compelled to wait. Eventually 3 Americans and 3 Romanians showed up. Ironically Chris and her husband first got interested in missions after a trip to Romania. It turns out that the three Romanians were gypsies, commissioned by the King of the gypsies to visit Wycliffe and see if we would come
and translate the Bible for his people. He had become a Christian and wanted his people to have
God’s Word in their language. They said there are around 4.8 million gypsies in Romania and 8.1 million throughout Europe speaking many different distinct languages. These are just two stories from the thousands of visitors we’ve had this year, and you have had a part in many of them through us. If you haven’t seen the WordSpring website yet, please check it out: www.wycliffe.org/Wordspring.

I am enjoying my new role as Youth and Young Adult program director at the Wycliffe USA headquarters. We’ve been running our 4.5 hour A-Z mission education program for elementary school kids for several years now, but we haven’t had anything “official” for older students until recently. As word is getting out, we are having more students come to our new “Mission Encounter” program for middle schoolers to College age. It has been a blast to watch them get excited and make comments like “I thought this was going to be a boring field trip about the Bible, but it was a lot of fun—and I learned something too!” Now that’s what we like to hear. In one month alone we had visits from over 200 college students from all over the mid west and east coast. These were hand picked student leaders with groups like the Navigators, Campus Crusade and Campus Outreach. I have no doubt we’ll see some of them in the future joining us in Bible Translation.

Robyn here: Esther had a successful first semester at Trinity College of Florida* and returned in August to continue her preparations for ministry. She is grateful for a part-time job in the college office to help with expenses. She loved the chance to be a part of a team from the college that did a 10-day mission trip to Costa Rica during Spring Break. Using Spanish again was a highlight, and she enjoyed the ministry to women and children. She is really enjoying her studies and fellow students.

Earlier this year Josiah led a Truth Project small group study for 14 weeks. It was a stimulating experience with some 20 participants (youth and adults). He took his leadership role very seriously and did a great job. He expects to continue taking new groups through this thought-provoking, worldview curriculum in the years to come. He also had a special opportunity to attend a 10-day National Student Leadership Conference on US Policy and Politics in Washington DC this past summer. That was a great learning experience! He was excited to meet Florida Congressman, Dave Weldon, during the conference. It’s been fun to see Josiah discovering his passions and interests. He is now a Junior (11th grader) in the International Baccalaureate program. He looks forward to getting his drivers’ license soon.

In May we took on the daunting project of reroofing our house. With a lot of help from friends, we managed to get most of it completed before we left on a 5-week trip. We drove over 9,000 miles and had some wonderful reunions with ministry partners, relatives and friends we hadn’t seen for 4 years or more. The kids traveled with us and it was a rich family time as we shared the experiences and visits together.

My mother was diagnosed with bladder cancer 5 years ago. When tests showed that it had become a lot more invasive and aggressive, and other health issues were a concern, I found it difficult to be so far away. We decided that I needed to return for a visit, to help her and to assess her needs. I left on July 25th and spent a month with her. It proved very timely because she got results that necessitated some big decisions. I was also privileged to help my sister, Jenny, who had a baby boy while I was there. Mum decided to have radical surgery to remove her bladder rather than letting untreated pelvic cancer run its course. She had it on September 21st, and I returned for another month to support her through the ordeal. Apart from some relatively minor complications, she has done really well and is making a good recovery. I’m grateful that Gary and Josiah were willing to have me absent again for this length of time. Gary’s mother came over from California to help out while I was away.

On November 15th, I will officially become a US citizen as I go through the oath ceremony. Thanks to those who have prayed me through this process and helped to make it possible financially. It will make any future overseas assignments a lot easier. I will also be able to retain my Australian citizenship.

Thanks to those of you who write to us. We cherish your friendship! We have seen God at work in so many ways lately, and He has used many of you, our friends, as channels of blessing to us. May you continue to experience God at work in and around you in the coming days.

Love in Him, Gary & Robyn Peterson

* Working with Wycliffe, we often see people wanting to get involved in missions who have large college loans to pay off. This makes support raising a real challenge. Esther has had to take out a loan to help with college costs (though we’re grateful that she has received some scholarships). She has plans to go into missions after college, and we would love to see her graduate without the burden of financial debts to pay off at that stage. If God lays it on your heart to help with this, we would love to hear from you.

Home: 4418 Lake Trudy Dr. • Saint Cloud, FL 34769 USA
Email: Home: gary-robyn_peterson@wbt.org • Office: gary_peterson@wycliffe.org
For Finances:
Wycliffe Bible Translators • PO Box 628200 • Orlando, FL 32862-8200 USA
Wycliffe Bible Translators • 70 Graham Rd. • Kangaroo Ground, VIC 3097 AUSTRALIA

Wycliffe Office Closings

2007-11-21T18:13:00.000-08:00

The senior leadership of Wycliffe USA has made the decision to close four of the six remote offices around the U.S. by the end of August, 2008. This month will see the closing of the first of these four offices. We will be traveling to Dallas to help oversee the final details. For the next year, Fred’s responsibility continues to remain the same as he helps each of the managers with the myriad of details required in closing an office. The closing locations and dates are: Dallas, TX (November), Atlanta, GA (February), Temecula, CA (May), and Portland, OR (August). Most of the personnel will continue with their current assignments by working out of their homes. Thank you for praying!

Marilyn continues to enjoy working in Wycliffe’s Children Communication department. She is currently working on several projects including a children’s prayer journal. Another project is learning a software program called InDesign. Please pray for understanding and perseverance.

Nadolski Ghana Trip Report

2007-11-20T09:43:00.000-08:00

Thank you so very much for your prayers, especially while I was in Ghana. The focus of the trip was to organize a pump repair program for the people of northern Ghana . At the end of August, there were tremendous rains in the area. Local people say that there were two or three days of intense, non-stop rain and the rains produced tremendous floods. The local people don't remember this level of flooding, even the older people don’t remember such high flooding. The rains and floods destroyed a lot of buildings and damaged/contaminated a lot of the local wells.

I was in Ghana , working with Rev. David Donkor, Living Water International’s local partner. Our goal was to set up a program to repair and decontaminate hand pumps in the area. In addition, Rev. Donkor brought up four lorry loads of food, clothes and medical supplies. We passed out the supplies to the villagers, and these villagers lived a 20 to 30 minute drive outside of town. I didn’t see a local church in the whole area. The local pastors and local Salvation Army organized the food and clothing give away. It was a blessing to see the Salvation Army in action. They were right there, shoulder to shoulder, passing out the food and clothes. In the evening, they showed the Jesus Film to the villagers. Over 85 people came forward and the Salvation Army organized discipleship training for these people, including giving a bible to the adults. After the training, the Salvation Army may start a church with this new group of believers. While in the northern area, I saw a couple of the Rotary tents being used as emergency shelters. It was neat to see Rotary in action.

Living Water International plans to repair 50 or more of these wells and hand pumps. It makes me proud to be able to help these people. At the same time, I am humbled to see what little we do when the people of Ghana have their houses destroyed by the rains and floods.

We also want to thank you for your prayers for Marcia while I was gone. She didn’t sleep much, staying up late and getting up early. But, she stayed busy and she’s healthy. So, that’s good.

I’ve attached a few pictures to give you a flavor of the need in Ghana and what LWI is doing to respond. Please let me know if you have any questions or if you want more information.

God bless you, John (and Marcia)

Peterson's Prayer Guide - November 2007

2007-10-31T16:11:00.000-07:00

Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, for He is our God. We are the people He watches over, the sheep under His care. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving. Psalm 95:6-7, 2

This month we have much to thank the Lord for. One of the biggest things on my list is Gary. This year his birthday falls on Thanksgiving Day! We hope you have plenty on your list to thank God for, too.

I am thankful for the opportunity to be with my mother during and after her surgery. When I left, she had made a lot of progress in her recovery, and I was very encouraged with all the support offered her from our church, relatives, neighbors and Wycliffe friends. Please continue to pray as she heals and adjusts to the changes in her body. As much as I enjoyed being with my Aussie family and friends, it’s great to be home with my family again! I missed them so much. We have a new appreciation for each other. I’d be grateful for your prayers as I try and catch up on all that I wasn’t able to do while away. There’s a lot of correspondence to tackle! Please be patient with us.

A letter from the Immigration Service requests me to appear for the Naturalization Oath Ceremony on November 15th. On that day I will officially become a US citizen. It will be quite exciting to be able to vote in the next election!

As you will see by looking at Gary’s schedule for the month, it’s going to be a busy one! He is already feeling like he needs a break, and we’ve been looking to see when we could take one. At present we’re thinking we could take 5 days as a family vacation from Nov. 21- 25th. Please pray that we can find a good place to go. If we just stay home, I know we won’t really get the kind of complete break we need. It will need to be somewhere not too far away, and not expensive.

If you’re wondering about our newsletter, it is still not done. We hope to edit and finalize it soon so we can get it in the mail.

This month we are looking forward to visits from 2 families from the Northwest who support our ministry. Pray that we’ll be a blessing to these special people who help make it possible for us to be involved in this work.

Here’s the schedule. As always we are so grateful for you prayers! Ask God with us for prepared hearts and eternal fruit from these great opportunities.

November
1st - 75 Home-schoolers will visit Wordspring.
2nd - Program for 53 students from a Christian school
6th - Special tour for leaders of the National Coalition of Men’s Ministries (Promise Keepers, Man in the Mirror, etc.)
7th - Teach a missions class at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando
8-9th - Man a booth at the Florida Christian Schools Convention
9th - International Day of Prayer event at the office (Robyn will attend)
10th - Program for an AWANA club visiting Wycliffe
10-11th - Esther is bringing 20 or so students from her Bible College to spend the night, then Gary will give them a special tour of Wycliffe/Wordspring on the 11th. We need to work out accommodations for everyone!
13th - Program for a Christian elementary school.
16th - Program for 30 students from a Home school co-op
17th - Tour for ladies from a Women’s Shelter (One of their staff used to work with Wycliffe).
19-20th - Man a booth at the Association of Christian Schools convention.
21–25th - Family vacation?
22nd - Gary’s birthday/Thanksgiving Day
27th - Program for high school students from a Christian school
29th - Program for 30 Home schooled students

Robyn for the Petersons

Ray Albrektson's Email Prayer Letter

2007-10-25T13:14:00.000-07:00

October 24, 2007

(Staff homes threatened in S. California wildfires)

Dear Friends:

The fire season is upon us here in the California Southland. The dawn today brought a red sky, oceans of smoke over the mountains, and the throaty drone of fire-bombers. Our patio furniture was covered with dust and ash. I haven't heard from my colleagues who live in the heart of the mountains: Running Springs, Blue Jay, and Crestline and—despite the ubiquity of the internet and cell-phones—I can't find out if their homes have been burned or spared.

This terrible week in California, when hundreds of thousands have had to flee to shelters not knowing if they will return to their homes or only ash, reminds me of the loss of our home in San Bernardino's Panorama Fire. We had just moved to California from campus ministry in Indiana. Josh was 2 and Laurie was 5. I was studying for my Hebrew final exam in a few weeks. In less than an hour what began as a beautiful (although fiercely windy) day had become a smoky inferno. The row of homes across the street had suddenly metamorphosed into gigantic torches. We grabbed the children* and drove blindly away before the fire-storm consumed our entire neighborhood—the North Park area—284 homes in all, including ours.

This picture gives you an idea of what we returned to a few days later—a forest of chimneys in a burnt-out neighborhood. We saw charred turkey carcasses in the street, as it was almost Thanksgiving and most of us had birds in the freezer. Our house was nothing but ash and twisted metal. Laurie's prized pretend-makeup set had evaporated; my handmade computer (a Heathkit H89) was a puddle of glass. Josh's "Rex the Wonder Horse" had been in the back yard, but had melted into a little heap of red plastic all the same.

As time passed we realized how gracious God had been. He had merely lightened our load to make the move to Southeast Asia easier. We met new friends who opened their hearts to replace many of the material things that had burned.

Dr. Bright used to say, "Wear the cloak of materialism loosely," and we often reflect on the lessons we learned as we passed through the fire.

Our prayer is that God would spare our friends, and that all affected by the fires would open their hearts to our merciful God, looking to Him to meet their needs in a terrible and trying time of their life.

I'm sorry to report that the November ISP trip to Omsk and Kurgan, in Russia, has been postponed until late Spring. It seems it was just about impossible to get our team from one city to another in order to do two convocations! The best option--taking the train--actually involved a detour through Kazakhstan, complete with visa ramifications. On the bright side, however, I'll be home for Thanksgiving and my birthday!

Ray & Kathy Albrektsonhttp://www.albrektson.com/
Considering donating to my ministry? [Click here]

* As we threw the kids into the car, I noticed my scuba gear in the garage. I quickly loaded a filled tank (with regulator already attached) into the car according to the theory that the driver should remain conscious to ensure the ultimate survival of the rest of the family. After all, isn't that what they say in airline safety briefings? "Take care of your own oxygen mask first, then help others." Of course, it didn't prove to be necessary, but I'll never live it down . . . .

Nadolski Prayer letter

2007-10-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

Pray for John Nadolski on his Living Water trip to Ghana, West Africa:

I ask for your prayers. Please remember to pray for me on the dates below (or others), and I will be praying for you, too.

Recent rains in Ghana has caused severe flooding and this flooding has contaminated many of the wells and damaged many of the hand pumps. Pastor David Donkor, LWI’s partner in central Ghana, has asked LWI to help repair these wells. John is going to Ghana to develop a plan of action to get the work completed.

Specific prayer needs:

- As always, pray for Marcia.

- We will be working in northern Ghana, an area dominated by Muslim and animistic people. John has been asked to preach. It’s a humbling and exciting opportunity to share the love of Jesus in word and deed.

- According to the report from David Donkor, there are over 100 wells that need repair. Please pray that God will provide the funds and people to repair these wells.

10/26 John leaves Houston and flies to Accra, Ghana
10/27 Arrive in Accra in the evening. The team will travel a couple of hours before settling in for the night.
10/28 Church, worship, rest and site seeing.
10/29 Make arrangement to travel to northern district.
10/30 Drive to northern Ghana, seven hour drive
10/31 – 11/3 Meet with minister and district chiefs to learn how to work with government teams to fix the wells and hand pumps.
11/4 Church, worship, rest, and site seeing.
11/5 – 11/9 Work with LWI crew to repair some of the wells/hand pumps.
11/10 Return to Accra, nine hour drive
11/11 Church, worshi and site seeing.
11/12 Arrive home in Houston

AFRICA PARTNERS - The Graingers

2007-10-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

“ We are seeking to win the Congo and other neighboring countries for Christ. We are seeking to disciple the nation of Congo. We are seeking to raise up laborers for the harvest fields who will go where Christ has not yet been preached, both within this nation’s boundaries and beyond. We are seeking to train the growing ministries into the future.”

This is the heart cry of our African leadership in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire and now referred to as Congo-Kinshasa). Despite incredible obstacles, they are believing God to bring spiritual restoration to this war-torn nation. God is raising up men and women who will be the foundation of future spiritual generations. This former Belgian colony, ripped by civil war, is a country ripe for discipleship and the equipping of spiritual leaders. This is the focus of The Navigators, and our African leader-ship have asked me to lend a hand. But I need your help to get there!

The Navigator work in Kinshasa began in 1983. Today, led by Congolese Claude Kalinga and his wife Vicky, The Navigators in Africa ministers to university students, churches where staff are effectively training pastors and key laypersons, business and professional people, and the community. But today’s ministry has not come without great cost. Since 1997, Congo-Kinshasa has been torn apart by ethnic strife and civil war. In 1999, the team’s ministry center was broken into and ransacked by soldiers. An American Navigator missionary and Congolese staff member Jacques Bula Bula were arrested and accused of spying for the U.S. government. They were imprisoned for two weeks, and Jacques was severely beaten. For the next two years, The Navigators had no place to meet, leaving the team without a secure and viable base for operations…so important in a city where transport is difficult and where a physical identity lends important credibility to the organization. Since that time, Africa Partners was able to assist the team in acquiring a new location. In need of much repair at the time, it has been vastly improved through the tireless efforts of the team. But more remains to be done.

Despite their suffering and hardship, our African leadership remain committed to reaching the nations. The Navigators in Congo-Kinshasa now have a ministry in the neighboring Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) which is led by Jacques Bula Bula. Unfortunately, the civil conflict in Congo-Kinshasa spilled over into Congo-Brazzaville. War, corruption and mismanage-ment have left both these countries in ruin.

This situation seems hopeless but, God is in the business of rebuilding and restoration. The book of Nehemiah recounts a time when the nation of Israel was in a similar situation. Jerusalem was in ruins. A band of men and women who had survived the exile returned to Jerusalem seeking spiritual restoration, only to find themselves facing a city in ruins, famine and an enemy who would rather see them dead than restored and the city rebuilt. They were in the midst of a spiritual battle; their circumstances were jeopardizing the spiritual future of the nation. The situation seemed hopeless. But the story does not end there! God provided the people and resources they needed to rebuild the city and in turn brought about the reforms needed for spiritual restoration.

Claude and Jacque face similar obstacles. They too are in the midst of a spiritual battle. The effects of years of war, corruption, and mismanagement jeopardize the spiritual future of these nations. It looks like a hope-less situation, but the story is not over. God is still in the business of spiritual restoration, and he is using men and women like Claude and Vicki and Jacques and Emérance to lay the spiritual foundations. But they need help.

As Claude and Jacques look to the future, they have asked me to help them set up an infrastructure for the ministry to position themselves for future expansion. Having mentored the Ivory Coast ministry through this process, I know how debilitating and demoralizing the lack of effective support systems are to leaders and staff. For example, how do you function when electricity is unreliable, malaria takes the place of the common cold, it takes four hours to cash a check at the bank, and you have to walk two miles to an internet cafe to check e-mail?

In addition to helping them wade through legal, administrative and technical issues, I will evaluate the renovations needed on the ministry center in Kinshasa. The center currently serves as a meeting place for conferences, retreats, and Bible studies and provides secure housing for staff in transition and guests. We will also look at the income generating potential of the facility.

Tammy and I are committed to helping our African leadership across the continent become better equipped to reach their countries for Christ in the midst of poverty, corruption, HIV/AIDS, and political and social instability. That means addressing the reality of life in Africa alongside the deep spiritual needs, but we cannot do this without your help.

I leave for Congo-Kinshasa and Congo-Brazzaville on Oct. 8 for 3 weeks. The countries are ripe for disciple-ship and the equipping of spiritual leaders. An effective infrastructure will enable these ministries to provide the spiritual training that is so desperately needed. I will help our leadership begin building support structures and teams to address that need. The trip will cost $3,554. Here is the breakdown:

Airfare $2,644
Visas 350
Food & lodging 500
Passport Photos & docs 60
$3,554

In addition, we have been running behind in our support and need $3,000 to cover our ministry expenses for the year. This brings the total we need to raise to $6,554.

Will you prayerfully consider a special gift of the Lord’s leading to help me get to Congos and to help our ongoing ministry in Africa?

Tammy and I want to thank you for considering this and for your partnership with us. Thanks too for your friendship. We couldn’t be involved in this challenging ministry without your support and friendship.

Yours for building His kingdom in Africa,

Michael and Tammy

P.S. To give, make your check payable to The Navigators with the following note on the memo line: “Grainger’s #115543”. You can mail the check to the address below. Thank you for your prayerful consideration.

Michael and Tammy Grainger
8162 Cooper River Dr
Colorado Spring, CO 80920

Peterson's Prayer Guide - October 2007

2007-10-02T09:16:00.000-07:00

"I am the One who answers your prayers and cares for you. I am like a tree that is always green; all your fruit comes from Me." Hosea 14:8

Many of you have inquired about Gary's headaches recently. The results of his blood tests were normal. He's had several chiropractic treatments, and the headaches have certainly lessened, though they're not gone yet. We've wondered if it may be sinus related, and may still have the MRI done in October after I return and our new health insurance year begins. We're very grateful for the improvement and for your prayers!

In the week prior to my mother's surgery, we realized that neither of my sisters was going to be able to be with her for the surgery. My sister, Jenny's new baby was very sick and was hospitalized, and several others in the family were also unwell. I felt it was important for one of us to be with her, so we changed my tickets and I left on the 18th, a week earlier than planned, for another month. I arrived in Melbourne the day before the surgery. All went as hoped, and my mother is now recovering in a ward of the hospital where I trained as a nurse many years ago. I am staying in Mum's apartment, and taking the train to the hospital each day to be with her. She is doing well, and may be home in a week or so. Though we don't enjoy being apart again, we know this is part of honouring and caring for Mum in this critical time in her life. I return on October 17th. We are grateful to Gary's mom, who flew out from California to be with him and Josiah during this time.

Our washing machine died just days before I was leaving. It was second hand when we got it 18 years ago, so I guess it was entitled to die some time. But we weren't looking for things to spend money on and were a little peeved at the timing of this event. After doing some research, and almost deciding on a new machine, we ran out of time before the store closed. The next day, as Gary was out for his morning run, he found a washing machine and drier on the side of the road in our neighbourhood. We found out they were working and free to the taker, so we lugged them home. After cleaning them up, we tried a load of laundry and they worked just fine. So praise the Lord with us for His timely and unique provision. He is indeed our Jehovah Jirah!

My US citizenship application was accepted after my interview last month. I will be able to go through the oath-taking ceremony and get my papers in January. Praise the Lord this didn't interfere with my ability to travel at this time. *Note, I will still retain my Australian citizenship.

September has been a busy month for Gary with the start of the new children's A-Z program at WordSpring and the launch of his Mission Encounter program for youth and young adults. He has also been a host at the Scripture Award Celebration with this year's recipient being Chuck and Cynthia Swindoll, and at the New Testament Celebration where 13 recently published New Testaments were dedicated. That means another 13 language groups will have the true Christmas story this year. Now that's worth celebrating!

October 6th Gary and his colleagues are running their first education programs on a Saturday. They're hoping that church youth groups that can't make it during the week will take advantage of this first Saturday of the month offering. They also have groups booked almost every Thursday and Friday through October. Gary also has some speaking engagements throughout the month. Pray that he gets the preparation time he needs.

One exciting opportunity took place this past week. Gary is often asked to do tours for special guests that come to visit, and loves to do it when he's available. Often he gets a day or even a week's notice. This day he got 25 minutes. Two key men from the house church movement in a major unnamed country were coming to visit. One was a key pastor and the other a theology professor in their training program. A local pastor and his wife from their country who live and minister here in Orlando accompanied them as interpreters. Gary was told they knew nothing of our work and little of the minority language groups in their country. Bible translation would be new to them. Time was limited, and everything would take longer because of interpretation, so he had to choose his words and illustrations carefully. As they visited different displays and talked about different issues, the interest seemed to grow. Several times the local pastor got so excited that he gave Gary a hug and said "Wow, this is so encouraging and amazing!" They were given a list of all of the languages in their country that need a translation. Gary challenged them to take up the work of Bible translation in their country so that their minority language groups won't have to wait so long to get the Scriptures in a language that speaks to their heart. Pray that God will use this encounter to help expand the work in this country where there are over 100 languages needing Scripture.

More encouraging encounters happened this past month. Gary was stopped by one of his department's long-term volunteers. She drives 160 Km/100 miles two days a week to work at Wycliffe. She said, "There is someone here who has been asking to see you." She proceeded to take him to the room where Wycliffe's new recruits were having lunch. Upon entering the room, a tall young man, sitting next to his wife, stood up and gave Gary a big hug. "Do you remember me from that "Total It Up" program (a 5 day mini linguistics course) that you helped lead in 2004? That made a huge impact on my life and led me and my wife into Wycliffe." The volunteer staffer who brought Gary to him, who also did that course said, "Yes, and he's one of the main reasons I'm here too." Wow! You prayed for him during that course in 2004, and standing before him were the answer to your prayers!

The next day Gary was stopped at the clinic desk where volunteer doctors come to serve Wycliffe members. The hostess welcomed Gary with a big smile and said. "You know my husband and I are here because of you." Before he could ask how that was, she said, "Do you remember giving our seniors group a tour earlier this year and talking to us personally about how Wycliffe needed volunteers? We sold our place, bought a trailer (caravan) and now live here in the trailer park. We have so enjoyed working here!"

Thank you so much for praying! As you can see with my mum and through the incredible contacts Gary has, God is answering your prayers and making a difference.

Peterson's Progress - September 2007

2007-08-31T09:20:00.000-07:00

The Lord rescues the godly; He is their fortress in times of trouble. The Lord helps them… He saves them, and they find their shelter in Him. Psalm 37:39-40

God has indeed been a fortress and a shelter for us this past month. Thank you so much for holding us up in your prayers! We look back and can see God’s fingerprints all over the place! We can never thank you enough for partnering with us in this invaluable way.

I returned from Australia on Saturday night (August 25). My body clock is still mixed up, and I’m not sure I’m all here at times, but it is good to be home! The time with my mother was precious and timely. It meant a lot to her to have me with her for some key medical appointments. The check-up of her bladder cancer revealed that it has aggressively infiltrated the muscle layer. That led her to further tests to see if it had spread to any other parts of her body. Thank God, it is still contained. In consultation with her doctors and family, Mum has decided to go ahead with radical surgery (removal of the bladder and all her reproductive organs) as soon as possible. Her overall health is not good, so this is a risky operation. However, the alternative is not good either. At least one of my sisters plans to be with her when she goes in for this 4 hour surgery on September 21st. They plan to do it under an epidural anesthetic. At this stage, I plan to return to help her for a few more weeks when she gets out of the hospital, probably around 2 weeks after the surgery. Some money has already been given to us to help with the cost of this second big trip. Gary’s mom has offered to come over from California to “look after” him and Josiah during my absence. Your prayers will be appreciated once again as we have this time apart.

My “little” sister had a baby boy while I was there. What a special gift from the Lord it was to be invited to be present at his birth. My sister, Kathy, surprised us when she decided to come from the other side of Australia for a brief visit while I was there as well. Various other friends there blessed me in many different ways, from providing me with a bed and rides to and from the airport, to hosting an Open House for me so I could see a lot of friends at once, thus not shorting my time with Mum.

Esther returned to Bible College without a car, and seems to be coping okay so far. She surprised me by coming to the airport to meet me on my return.

Gary has been dealing with headaches almost constantly for the past month or so. He is now awaiting results from several tests to see if we can figure out what’s causing them. An MRI will be next if nothing shows up from the blood work. He has continued to work, but has felt tired and had a hard time focusing, as you can imagine. Please pray for healing and for wisdom as we work through this. We are planning to take a two night get away to spend some time together and get some rest this coming weekend (Sept. 1-3).

Josiah’s summer job came to an end, but now soccer season is about to start, so he can continue earning money as a referee on Saturdays. He’s made a good start to 11th grade.

We’ve recently found out that our second car, in which we’d hoped to install air-conditioning, and a functioning speedometer, isn’t worth it. It has been suggested that we just sell it and buy something that already has air-conditioning. Once again, pray for wisdom in this, and the Lord’s provision.

We didn’t manage to get our newsletter out before I left, so we will be working on that next. Also, I have received a summons for my interview for US Citizenship on Sept. 5th. We’re not sure how long after that I’ll go through the swearing in ceremony, but pray that it won’t be awkward timing with my trip to Australia coming up as well.

We would appreciate prayers for the following upcoming events:

9th We begin our small group again after a break over the summer.

10th Gary speaks to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at our local high school to launch the new school year.

17th Gary teaches a Perspectives class here in Orlando.

21st Mum’s surgery

25th Bill Bright Awards Banquet. Gary will be a part of the Wycliffe team hosting it.

27th A special Scripture celebration at the Wycliffe office. Gary will be a greeter and give tours to special guests.

Another colleague has recently joined the WordSpring education team to work with youth, so Gary has some help. Pray for them as they learn to work together, maximizing each other’s strengths.

News from the Dudecks - August 07

2007-08-14T10:33:00.000-07:00

First let me start this with an urgent prayer request. Pam has been having discomfort in her head for several weeks, and today it was so bad I had to take her to the local Urgent Care center. Her blood pressure was very high, and she apparently has a sinus infection. Pam wanted to go to the mission doctor a couple weeks ago, but he is no longer taking appointments. She has an appointment with another doctor, but that is still three days away. This brings up the need in our local SIM mission medical office here in Charlotte for at least one long-term doctor. Our current doctor has retired, and the mission has so far been unable to find a replacement. Please pray with us, as this situation is impacting a lot of people.

Our life and ministry has been fairly uneventful lately. I continue to work on information technology projects at SIM International. I'm working on something called the global eDirectory, which should be important in making the mission administration function more efficiently. Progress has been slow but positive.

Pam has been working since March as part-time receptionist in a law office in uptown Charlotte with three Christian attorneys. As you remember, Pam finished the paralegal program at the community college last year, and this job is sort of a foot-in-the-door position. But she still needs to move into a better paying regular paralegal job.

Jennifer will be starting her senior year of high school in a couple of weeks. This summer she has been busy with several different camps. In June she went with me to the International Conference on Computing and Mission at Taylor University. In July she went to a two-week engineering camp for high school girls at Virginia Tech. After that she went to BigStuf, the high school beach camp that our church sends our young people to, in Panama Beach, Florida.
Last week Jennifer was at Camp Cherith, the Pioneer Clubs camp, where she completed a three-year program called Campers In Leadership Training. They had a special graduation ceremony for the three high schoolers completing the program. They hold the camp at Clemson University, about a 2-hour drive from Charlotte. Pam and I took a vacation day Friday to be there. In spite of being a week of record-breaking high temperatures, it was a blessed time.
We are grateful for the growth in Jennifer's life. Jennifer has natural aptitude for engineering, art, and writing. She is interested in studying computer science. While at Taylor she got a campus tour, and is very interested in the college, though we are still exploring colleges. Others being considered are NC State, UNC Charlotte, and Vanderbilt. Another possibility would be my alma mater, California Polytechnic in San Luis Obispo. But California is a long ways from Charlotte! Thank you for praying with us for Jennifer's college career.

We'll have to write about our French-related ministry another time. We would love to hear from any of you. If we aren't using your best E-Mail address, please let us know.
Much love, John, for Pam and Jennifer

John Dudeck
jdudeck@zenia.simcsg.sim.org
Charlotte, North Carolina

Petersons’ Prayer Guide - August 2007

2007-07-31T10:31:00.000-07:00

The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. Isaiah 58:11

Breaking news! On July 25th I’m heading to Australia for a month. I have mentioned my mother’s health quite often in recent letters, so you may have guessed that I have been quite concerned about her. It has been hard to be on the other side of the world with her going through so much. After praying and getting input from others, we feel it would be good for me to go and spend some time with her. She is thrilled that I’m coming and already has plans for me to help her with various things. It just so happens that my sister, Jenny, is expecting a baby while I’m there! She has requested that I come up and help for several days after the birth. (They also have a toddler whom I have yet to meet!) They live on a dairy farm about a 4 hour drive from my mother’s home. Mum should be having another cystoscopy while I’m there and that will tell us how quickly her cancer is moving. Please pray:
- for safety in travel on the 27 hour trip and as I drive on the other side of the road
- that I would stay healthy as I adjust to cold winter weather
- that I would be a blessing to Mum
- that Jenny’s baby would make a safe entrance into the world.
Pray also for our family as we have this, our longest separation ever. Esther will have returned to college before I get home, but we’re glad she will be here to help while I’m away. Josiah starts school the August 20th. I get back the 25th. We’ve had some offers to help with the cost of the trip, for which we are most grateful!

Before I leave, we want to get our newsletter well underway. Pray for Gary as he gets it sent out without my help. We are looking forward to the arrival of some Australian relatives (the Hoses) July 22nd. They will be here for a week.

Josiah made it home safely from his National Student Leadership Conference. Thanks for your prayers. It was a fantastic learning experience for him! He is currently at a weekend retreat with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and was looking forward to being with other Christians after having been with many non-Christians at the conference. He will be a leader in the Christian group at his school this coming year. Thank You, Lord, for these opportunities for our son.

Last month we asked you to pray for wisdom as to what to do with Esther’s car. We had it checked and the repairs needed were much more than the car was worth, so we have parted with it. We don’t have the resources to replace it, so unless the Lord has some surprise in store, we are discussing how Esther could adjust her life to live without a vehicle. It would mean us going to pick her up from college any time she comes home (a 4 hour round trip each time we pick her up or take her back). She would also have to depend on others to transport her to church, activities, and to the store when needed, and she would no longer be able to work at Chick Fil-A. She has accepted a part-time job in the college office as a recruiter, and could increase her hours there to make up for it. She wanted to continue have a “normal” job in the community for the sake of interacting with the real world. Anyway, pray that God will work things out for her best and His glory with these new circumstances. Thanks!

Both the kids have found part-time summer jobs, and that’s working out pretty well. I’m actually glad they’re not full time as they will be a bit less tired when they return to school this way, and they have time to do some things with friends. Esther is working at a fast food place, and doing several other odd jobs. Josiah has just started doing book-keeping and data entry for a tree service company belonging to a friend of ours. It could be a long–term job if he can keep up once school resumes. We’ll see.

Gary has hit the ground flying back at the office. It seems that word is getting out that Wycliffe has a program to offer school-aged groups, and they are coming in thick and fast! One day this week there were three groups that came to learn and be exposed to the work of Wycliffe. They expected 33 people, but it turned out to be almost 80! Gary is responsible for the development of a program for older students, but he works with all ages at different times. He is really enjoying this role and getting a lot of positive feedback about how he connects with kids as well as adults. We’re glad he can work in this area of gifting.

As always, we are extremely grateful for your prayer support with all that is going on. God bless you for all you do!

Answered Prayers from Nadolskis

2007-06-07T13:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much for your prayers as I worked on the LWI project in Marsabit, Kenya. Here’s a quick summary of the trip. I hit the highlights by spelling out the word MARSABIT.

Many people going without water, pasture, electricity, phone … people going without basic living needs.

Arid –I spent a couple of weeks living in the desert, but the Gabbra people spend a lifetime. I’ve seen these people walk 10, 20, or even 50 kilometers to water. The deserts north of Marsabit are hot, dry, barren, and windy. The last time it rained in the areas was in December so it’s really dry. Also, the wind almost never stops blowing. Please continue to pray for the Gabbra people.

Results – We finished two dams and built pads for three water tanks. All together, the dams and tanks will provide over 2,000,000 gallons of storage. These dams/tanks will fill up once or twice a year, extending the grazing by several months. That’s a pretty good thing.

Sun, Sand, and Snakes. I saw plenty of all of them. The only shade at the work site was under the truck flatbed.

Apples – as well as grapes, strawberries, and other fruit. You can’t get these fruit in Kenya and I sure missed them.

Blessed – I was blessed by the people of Marsabit. Though they had almost nothing, they always shared, even if it was only a meal or some tea.

In Christ and through Christ. This winter, I took a course at the local bible college. One theme that went through the whole semester was our need to do everything ‘in Christ and through Christ.’ (Book of Colossians) This trip help cement the teaching because I really had to rely on God to provide for my daily needs, including food, safety and health. One example is a simple trip to a bank in Nairobi. I needed to exchange some money at the bank and I really was concerned that I would be a target for robbers after walking out of the bank. I tried to get someone to go with me but for many reasons, I walked to the bank by myself. As I was walking, I saw a guy from the guest house at the local gas station, and he volunteered to give me a ride. God had provided this guy as an ‘angel’ to take care of me. In my mind, this was an answer to prayers and it really made me appreciate all the prayers that you lifted up for me.

Tribes. People in Kenya focus on which tribe they belong to. It makes a big difference to these people and they will fight turf battles to protect the rights of their tribes.

The prayer list is just one of the ways I stay connected with all of you. Marcia and I really appreciate your prayers. Again, thanks for your prayers and all of your encouragement.

God bless you, John and Marcia

Update from John Nadolski, May 21

2007-05-25T08:25:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
Thank you for your prayers, calls, and emails. I am doing well and really enjoyed the 2nd graders. Their teacher had been hurt in a car accident and when she was feeling better was in another accident. Both times she was rear-ended and the other guys were at fault. Pray for her healing. Here is an update from John that I got tonight. I only added a couple of comments. Thanks again. Love, Marcia

Y’all are doing a mighty job keeping me covered in prayer and I truly appreciate your prayers and the answers to these prayers. Here are some examples:

- First week in Nairobi: I spent the week in town, meeting with partners and buying supplies for the trip. It seemed that I found everything I tried to buy and that’s unusual for Kenya, even for a big town like Nairobi. Usually, the shop owner tells me that he will get it tomorrow and that really never happens. But, on this trip, everything was available when needed. It felt good to have this success, but my partner decided to hold off on getting the supplies. This was a big lesson for me – trust God and not trust in my own understanding.

- Seeing God’s bigger picture: Sometimes things change and you wonder why. The issue with the supplies is one of those things. But, I did get a glimpse of the total picture when I got to northern Kenya. My partner had enough supplies to get started and the bull-dozer was there, waiting for me to lead the way. So, it all turned out for the good. PTL.

- Life at Camp: Imagine going to a windy area of northern Arizona and pitching a little tent against the wind. That’s the main camp. I have a cot and it takes up about half the tent. I can store most of my stuff under the cot and that gives me some room to sort out supplies for the day. Camp is no picnic, but it’s OK. You can imagine the food (beans, rice and ugali) and the conveniences (or lack there of). But, you go on.

- Life at the worksite. It’s a bit more rustic at the worksite. Take away the tent, the cot, but add porridge for breakfast. You crawl under the flat-bed trailer to get shelter from the sun and we sleep on top of the flat-bed trailer to get off the desert floor at night. There are five of us: the dozer operator, his assistant, two guys from the Kenya security forces and me.

Praises:
- project(s) are going well:
o One dam finished and the other one almost finished. I am really satisfied with the success on the second dam. It’s big, strong and will store a lot of water without eroding away.
o Dozer scooped out the area for two of the cement tanks. They brought supplies and they should start them this week.
o One cement tank is closer to being done. Three or four other sites picked out to repair/rehabilitate cement tanks.
o No sunburn, no snakebites, no malaria. I’m feeling well. I talk to Marcia often and she’s in good spirits and good enough rest.
(I, Marcia do get to talk to John for about 10 -15 minutes at a time.)

Prayers:
- This is the last week of teaching for Marcia for this school year. She’s been substituting for a 2nd grade teacher at Oyster Creek Elementary School because the teacher was involved with a bad auto accident. Marcia’s been there for over six weeks and she’s bonded with the kids and co-workers. Please pray that Marcia has opportunities to show the love of Jesus to these precious people. (I finished teaching today for the year. I enjoyed the staff there a lot.)

- I’ve had one day of rest in town and now I had back to the field, to the construction site. Please pray for my health and safety. Also pray that I will be able to share the love of Jesus to these precious people. (All of the work crew members are Christian.)

- I’m sliding behind on my other LWI projects. Some of the project schedules are critical (at least in my mind). Please pray for wisdom on these other projects – and the time/strength to follow up when I can.

- Please continue to pray for peace in this area, through Christ.

I review the prayer list often and I pray for you, too. God bless you and keep you safe in the palm of his hands, John

Ron & Cyndie Hamley Russian Itinerary

2007-05-23T14:01:00.000-07:00

Pray for them as they travel and minister:
May 23 4:07 pm Depart SLO; 5:08 pm Arrive San Francisco
6:55 pm Depart San Francisco;
May 24 3:00 pm Arrive Frankfurt, Germany; 8:10 pm Depart Frankfurt
9:35 pm Arrive Vienna, Austria; 11:10 pm Depart Vienna
May 25 4:05 am Arrive Krasnodar, Russia; Stay in Krasnodar
Meet Team Members
May 26 Travel to Maicop - Team orientation and training.
May 27 Rest Day - Team orientation and training. Meet Interpreters
May 28 Conference - Presenting Dream Maker curriculum
May 29 Conference - Dream Maker curriculum
May 30 Conference - Ron and Cyndie present Effective Family Lecture
May 31 Conference - Spiritual emphasis, Inductive Bible Study
June 1 Rest Day
June 2 Travel to Novorossiysk
June 3 Attend Russian Orthodox Church? Meet Interpreters
June 4 Conference - Presenting Dream Maker curriculum
June 5 Conference - Dream Maker curriculum
June 6 Conference - Ron and Cyndie present Effective Family Lecture
June 7 Conference - Spiritual emphasis, Inductive Bible Study
June 8 - 9 Rest Days - Possible Tour
June 10 Travel to Krasnodar
June 11 5:00 am Depart Krasnodar; 6:05 am Arrive Vienna
June 11 - 16 Visit Vienna and Salzburg, Austria
June 17 11:10 am Depart Vienna; 2:35 pm Arrive Was/Dulles
5:51 pm Depart Was/Dulles; 8:02 Arrive Los Angeles
10:40 pm Depart Los Angeles; 11:44 pm Arrive SLO

Working with interpreters, our team will share Biblically based curriculum on ethics and morality with Russian public school teachers using a many-faceted approach. We hope to share the Christian world view and how it relates to society and the Biblical basis for morals and ethics. We pray the teachers will recognize the Bible as an authentic and personally relevant document. The goal of our trip is to share with the teachers the ISP curriculum called DreamMakers. Through interaction in small group settings we will share this curriculum designed to help teachers deal with the problems of drugs, alcohol and sexual issues their students may face. Cyndie and I have been asked to present a lecture on the Effective Family.

In addition, each teacher will view and receive a copy of the Jesus Film to show in their classes. At the end of the conference we will show interested Russian teachers how to start their own Bible Discussion Groups.

We covet your prayers so that by His grace, God will fill in all the gaps. Please pray that God will overcome the language and cultural differences (even among our team members) so that we may form bonds of genuine friendship. Pray that God will prepare the hearts of the Ukraine teachers and draw them to himself. Pray also, that we all remain safe and healthy so that we may fully participate in the conference.

May God be glorified.
Ron and Cyndie

Nadolski Update for May

2007-05-22T13:46:00.000-07:00

I realize that we haven’t sent a newsletter for a few weeks. I want to give a brief update on John and his trip. He has a satellite phone that he uses when he wants to call me or the Living Water office. It is nice to actually hear his voice. The project is going well. They are finishing up the second dam and they only need to make five. He is currently staying at the dam site, so he and the rest of the crew are sleeping on the bed of a flatbed truck that hauls the dozer. He said he saw a group of people with camels stop to use the dam’s water storage area. He thought it was so neat to see that this was a good location and the people in the area will use it. A few of the people he is working with speak English, so he can communicate with the group somewhat. He is healthy and safe. God is so good. Back in Sugar Land, John is leading the Men’s committee and was recently asked to be a deacon at our church.

Steve is on his last week of the semester which is finals week. He has exams on Monday, Tuesday, and 2 on Wednesday. He is also working as aquatics coordinator for the county this summer instead of being a lifeguard. This means he is already working and trying to help make sure the pools and beaches are adequately staffed for the summer. He seems to be enjoying the job. He is also helping teach a Sunday School class every other week. Steve is still doing some activities with the Morro Bay police department. He still wants to be a cop when he grows up.

Phil is living in Longview, Texas which is four hours north of Houston. We see Phil about once a month if he has a meeting in the Houston corporate office. Phil enjoys his job. He travels lots with it. He is a field engineer for CUDD Energy Services, who is spending lots of time in the field. Currently, he wants to buy a house. He has only started to look at what is available.

Tim and Marissa are doing well. Tim is still working at Synergetics and Marissa is finishing her PhD program. They are about done remodeling their house. They recently tackled their only bathroom. They do most of the work themselves. We will see what happens when Marissa finishes her program.

I have been busy substituting for a second grade teacher who was in two different car accidents. School ends on May 24th and most of the students think that the learning should be done now. I have been enjoying the assignment and the students. The days can be long, but it fills my days especially while John is gone. I will be going to California for a week to visit Steve and some friends in June. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone. I enjoy the work that I’m doing at our church, too.

This is a snapshot of what is happening in our lives now. Let us know how you are doing and how we can pray for you. May God bless you abundantly.

Love, Marcia

Steffens' May Update

2007-05-17T15:02:00.000-07:00

Dear friends and prayer partners,

We would like to begin sending an email update to our churches and supporters to supplement the quarterly newsletter that we now send by regular mail. We anticipate that it would be about once a month. This is the first attempt.

Praise:
- As a result of a tract distribution that we did in the town of Camarma during Holy Week, we met a couple, Paco and Ana. They are a couple in their 60's with 5 grown children and have been believers for several years, but recently had not been going to church regularly. We've started a mid-week Bible study with them and they also are going to church with us on Sunday. They also desire to see a church start in Camarma!
- A good celebration service in Camarma April 21.
- Thanks to frequent flyer miles, our son, Michael is with us in Spain for most of May. He starts a summer job in Tennessee on June 2.
- We invited Ned's English students into our home for a merienda (afternoon snack) during Easter week. We gave each one a copy of the Jesus movie. It was a good time together with them and several others who came.

Prayer:
- For the people who came to the merienda to watch the Jesus movie and be impacted by it.
- Preparations for a work team from Northern Ireland who will help us put on English camps in Camarma during July.
- Michael is taking the DELE exam May 11. It is a Spanish language exam for non-Spaniards. - City elections in Camarma May 27. The Lord has given the evangelical community in Camarma grace in the eyes of the local government. Please pray that it will continue. It is interesting, our landlord is running for mayor.
- Ned had been meeting with a young man, Roqueta, for almost a year for a language exchange and Bible reading. He started a new job Feb. 1 and as a result we have not been able to consistently meet together. Please pray for aregular time for us to meet.
- Summer plans for all of us.

God bless you,Ned & Joanie Steffens

Peterson's Prayer Guide - May/June 2007

2007-04-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God’s help live in joy. For the Lord hears the cries of His needy ones…Psalm 69:32-33a

We were able to find a place to stay for our little Easter getaway. It was an enjoyable, relaxing time together as a family. We discovered a lovely, little Greek community (Tarpon Springs) near where we stayed, and we really enjoyed exploring it one day. We also spent a day at the beach, although it was unseasonably cold. It still feels like a vacation when you can just be there. The down side was that we lost Gary’s palm pilot at some point; a significant loss to him.

The Corporate Fun Run went well, and Gary beat the time he’d been aiming at for himself, so was quite pleased. There were some changes in the plans for the Mission at the Airport and they didn’t end up needing Gary’s help. He did have some FANTASTIC interactions with various groups and individuals visiting the office. He also felt that the devotions he gave at the Upward soccer outreach went very well. God inspired him with the topic and he was able to stay under the 5 minutes allotted him! Pray, as always, that eternal fruit would be borne through these encounters.

Recently Esther brought 5 of her fellow students to spend the night here and visit the Wycliffe and Campus Crusade headquarters the next day. Gary enjoyed showing them around. Esther has been pushing hard to finish her college semester well. She received excellent grades on some recent assignments, so she’s on the right track. She’ll finish final exams this week and move home on Saturday, May 2nd. Thanks for praying for her summer plans. She has decided to go with us on our road trip to the NW, then hopes to find a job close to home for the 6 remaining weeks before the new college year commences.

Josiah is also on the final push for his 10th grade year. He’s done an excellent job of leading the Truth Project. May 7th will be the last session for us. The blessing of this wonderful curriculum is also continuing in another way. Josiah told a friend from our church about it and ended up paying for her to attend the training with him. She and her husband have now begun their own group with 8 men from a Christian alcohol and drug rehabilitation program. It’s exciting to think of the impact it could have on their lives!

We are putting plans together for our re-roofing. We hope to tear off two layers of shingles this coming Saturday (5th), and put on the new ones the following Saturday (12th). We have a few offers of help but could use more. Please pray as we put the details together, get permits and supplies. Pray for safety as we work and no rain on the work days.

Our van broke down last week, and with its high mileage, we were reluctant to pay for the repair. In God’s providence, we have just been given a much lower mileage Toyota Corolla, but it too is in need of some work. Gary can do most of it, but his time is short at present. Pray for wisdom in all of this, and thank the Lord with us for His provision. We are also very glad that Esther’s car is finally running properly!

On May 9th I will accompany Gary to speak at a missions banquet in Sarasota, FL (3 hrs. away). Pray that God will speak powerfully through Gary’s message at this event.

May 14-15th Gary will give a special tour/talk to a group of seniors at the office then leave for Las Vegas to teach a Perspectives class that evening. He is excited at this opportunity as he loves the curriculum. Pray that God will use him to accomplish His purposes in the students there.

We heard the news just this week that my mother’s bladder cancer has progressed and she is probably going to require chemotherapy. She is to have a CAT scan on May 17th to see if the cancer has spread to other organs. Please pray for us as we consider what God would have us do in response to this.

May 21st is Josiah’s last day at school. On May 22nd we hope to begin our drive out to the Northwest, visiting friends, relatives and supporters along the way. It’s approaching fast, and we still have a lot of details to work out. Due to the timing of things, I decided to make this Prayer Guide to cover June as well. We’d be very grateful for your prayers while we travel. Please pray for our preparations, good timing of our visits in each place so we can see the people we want to see, (It’s been 4 years since our last trip this direction), safety in the many miles of travel, no mechanical problems, good fellowship and refreshment for us as a family, and that we would be a blessing to all along the way. We need to find someone to take care of the house during our absence. There is a good possibility, but it isn’t confirmed yet. Josiah will be attending a National Student Leadership Conference on US Policy and Politics in Washington DC from June 23 – July 2nd. We’ll drop him off there on the way home and he’ll fly home when it’s over. Please pray that God will use this experience as He desires in Josiah’s life.

If you want to contact us while we’re gone, we’ll have Gary’s laptop with us, so you can send e-mail to gary_peterson@wycliffe.org. We hope to be back home by June 25th.

Thanks for standing with us in all of this! - Robyn & Gary Peterson

Peterson's Prayer Guide - April 2007

2007-04-04T16:08:00.000-07:00

“Man looks up, and God looks down: Our eyes meet, and we are, in the twinkling of an eye, made partakers of the divine abundance…the full pours itself into the empty, and the empty receives the full.” Quote by Horatius Bonar, a Scottish pastor in the 1800’s

What a wonderful time of year this is! I love the delightful Spring weather, the new life in the garden, and Easter, with all its depth of meaning for us who believe. May our time of remembering Christ’s ultimate sacrifice be a catalyst for renewal of our love for Him and commitment to His purposes for our lives.

Here’s Gary’s Schedule for April:

4th and 13th – Face to Face Missionary Encounter – sharing with guests at Wordspring.

14th – special tour/share time with a visiting youth group.

18th – New Testament Scripture dedication service.

19th – 5 Kilometer (3.1 miles) Orlando Corporate Fun Run. Gary and 18 other Wycliffe runners will join 5,000 other runners for this race. It’s a great way to let the community know we’re here. Gary is recovering from an injury, so his dream of running a personal best has been replaced with being happy just to be able to run and represent Wycliffe.

20th – Mission At The Airport school field trip day, Clearwater, Florida. School kids from the area are invited to see & hear about Wycliffe’s aviation arm, JAARS, and go for a ride in one of their planes or helicopters. Gary will be sharing with the kids & teachers.

21st – It is being advertised in churches throughout the area and will be open to the general public.

28th – Gary will be giving devotions 5 times throughout the day for Upward Soccer at our church here. This is a sports outreach ministry and many of the families are not regular church attendees.

Esther had a very positive experience in Costa Rica. She sends out her own letters and has a “My Space” web site with photos if any of you are interested in keeping up with her more personally. (http://godslittlerocker19.spaces.live.com). Her car is continuing to have problems, so Gary plans to go over and swap cars with her soon so we can get hers repaired. We’re hoping it won’t be an expensive job! Please pray for Esther as she makes plans for her summer too. She has several ideas, but nothing is very clear yet, and it’s approaching quickly.

Josiah has been particularly busy with school lately. He seems to be dealing with the tyranny of the urgent. Pray that he’ll learn better how to stay on top with steady work instead of last minute rushes. He wrote to our local congressmen last month in hopes of getting financial help for his summer conference, but hasn’t had much response so far.

We really need to replace our roof soon. You may recall that we were talking about it last spring. It can’t be put off any longer. We received a good tax refund, so plan to use that to launch the project. We need to do some research and hope to do the work ourselves (to save $) with the help of friends. At this stage it looks like early May before we’ll have some time. We are planning to set off on a 5 week road trip on May 22nd, though, so this won’t leave us much time to get it done. Please pray for all the details to come together.

We are in need of a break, and have decided to go away for 4 days over Easter (Thurs. – Sunday), since we won’t be having small groups that weekend. We’re still looking for a place to stay (camping or an inexpensive hotel) towards where Esther is in college so she can join us for some of it. We look forward to visiting the church she’s involved with on Easter Sunday.

The “Just Walk Across the Room” campaign our church is doing is really good. We have had a lot of contact with neighbors again lately, and are praying for sensitivity to the Spirit as we relate to them. We want so much to be a light in this community. Members of our small group have some big needs right now, too. We’d be grateful for your prayers for wisdom as we support them.

Thanks again for standing with us. Robyn, for the Petersons

Costa Ricisima! - Esther Peterson

2007-03-29T17:54:00.000-07:00

Wow, how can nine days be so significant? Over spring break I went to Costa Rica on a mission trip with a group from my Bible College. It was absolutely wonderful! Before we even got there we missed a connecting flight from Miami and had to take a later one. Because of this God gave me the opportunity to witness to a guy sitting next to me, in Spanish! He didn't accept Christ, but I know I planted a seed and it was an amazing experience. I think back to all the times in Argentina when I couldn't speak Spanish well enough to help much in evangelism, but by the grace of God He helped me learn!
I am continuously amazed at the beauty and creativity displayed by God in the world and people he created. You can see in the pictures (on my space: http://godslittlerocker19.spaces.live.com) it was another little glimpse of Heaven. We spent our time in Jaco, on the West coast (home to Central America's largest brothel), working with a missionary family that graduated from our same college. We got to participate in their church services, one which meets on the basketball court of a tiny elementary school, and one that meets at a super fancy, expensive resort. During the week we worked in a slum called "El Cartel." It's a neighborhood full of drugs, prostitution, and abused women and children. We ran childrens meetings and a very special Bible study for the women, reminding them that no matter what they have done, or what the rest of the world thinks about them, they are loved and valued by God. On the last day, we painted the women's nails, something they never expected from us. It was very special for all of us. We also did a prayer walk for the city.
Our team was a wonderful group of crazy and committed Christians and I was so blessed by getting to know them more. The missionaries we worked with inspired and taught us. I was reminded that I'm not going to Bible college to get grades and a degree, but to learn and develop godly habits. I believe that what I learned in this week will make me a better student for the rest of my time at college. God is great! He also allowed each of us to be able to use our specific gifts in the work, be it singing, sewing, speaking Spanish, organizing, etc. I used a lot of things I learned in Argentina: dramas, songs, and most importantly, Spanish! On our day off we got to go waterfall jumping and splash around in the beautiful beach.
The country and city really captured my heart and I would love to go back some day. I'm believing with the missionaries that out of the children in that little slum will come pastors and missionaries who will change their culture for Christ! It was an honor to have a small influence on their lives. I want to thank all of you who prayed for me and supported me financially for this trip! I would say I've grown more from that trip than I have from all of my classes so far. It was a special blessing to be able to be a part of it. Praise God! He is so amazing! He deserves all of the glory for everything that happened!!!
Much love and gratitude to all of you, ~Esther~

Nadolski Newsletter

2007-03-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

Howdy Y’all from Sugar Land, Texas.

We want to update you on all the happenings in our lives. Sugar Land is nice this time of year. It is not real hot yet. It rains often enough that we don’t have to water the lawn very often. The nights cool off so that it is comfortable to sleep. God is good.

As you probably know John leaves for Kenya on Friday. He will be there about three weeks. He has several different projects that he will be monitoring and meetings to attend while he’s in Kenya. He has been active with our local church heading up their Men’s Ministries, teaching some of the Wednesday night Bible Study lessons, and co-teaching a Sunday School class. He has also been taking a class one night a week. Recently, he attended the Grace Church Missions Conference in San Luis Obispo, California. It was nice to reconnect with our friends and to spend time with our youngest son, Stephen.

Marcia has been substitute teaching almost daily, but several times it’s for half-day. She enjoys the challenge that each class can bring. In addition to the teaching school, she is on the Women’s Committee at our church. She has had the opportunity to be one of the teachers for the Wednesday evening bible study, help in the nursery, and teach Sunday School when needed. We have enjoyed having some friends from Wyoming (Al and Darlene Lesco) stay with us for a few days. It was WONDERFUL. We enjoy the company. You can visit, too. Texas is a lot warmer in the winter than most places in the United States.

Tim and Marissa are doing well and seem to be enjoying married life. Tim is still doing the same thing which is designing tools for eye surgery. Marissa’s working hard on her PhD program. In their spare time they are remodeling their house. They recently put up new siding and replaced the windows. The next project will be redoing the bathroom.

Phil is doing great. He has settled in Longview, Texas. He is enjoying his job and is learning all about the oil industry. Phil is working as a field engineer. Recently, he saw a blow-out (not a flat tire). A blow-out is when the pipe breaks off and comes flying out of the drill site at an extremely fast rate of speed. He was the one who shut down the blow-out so it couldn’t start a fire. He is traveling a lot. On one of the trips which was 9 hours of driving, he fell asleep at the wheel. God was so good. He only had a minor accident from this incident. Thank you for your prayers and for Phil’s guardian angel.

Stephen is currently in his junior year at Cuesta College. He is studying Business and next semester will start Columbia College to finish on his Bachelor’s degree. He is working part-time at a local skate park, too. This summer he will be working as the aquatics coordinator for the county. This means that he’ll oversee the guards and coordinate their schedules.

We would love to hear from you. Stay in touch and let us know how we can pray for you.

March 2007 Newsletter from the Gunns

2007-03-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

Hello from Utah! March 2007

Ministry Update
Our whole family attended our annual Christmas Conference in Portland this year and helped put on several aspects of the conference. Miriam helped lead several seminars for women and I (Rob) was on the prayer team, which involved staffing a special room where students could come and quietly reflect or pray about what God was teaching them. We also took written requests to pray for and were there to pray with anyone who needed it. It was a special time and many students seemed to really benefit from this little oasis from the 500+ people attending.

Jessica and Ethan love going too, and got to participate in a prayer “journey”, and other activities along with the students... Jessica even got to do a special skit with other staff kids in front of the entire conference!

In January a group of students from Biola traveled to our campus to do a joint outreach with our group. The goal: to break down some barriers of mutual hostility and foster some honest dialogue with LDS students. It went very well and we are trusting God for where it might lead. One LDS institute teacher even invited me to speak in his class sometime-unheard of!

In February, we did our annual Winter Retreat – the theme, Using your gifts in a Superhero way. Miriam created an experiential time where there were 20 stations with questions designed to challenge thinking in terms of gifts and relationships toward one another and God. In addition to enjoying a different kind of time with the students, we brought our kids and several of their friends (and the guide dog, Sentinel) along. We love exposing our children to the faiths of young people whom they look up to.

During our weekly meeting, Rob has been teaching a survey of the Old Testament and has enjoyed it very much. I am also co-leading a study of the Sermon on the Mount with one of our student leaders and continue with the guys in the group one-on-one. As always we encourage students to reach out to others by several means. On March 26 we will be showing the film End of the Spear on campus. As you know, Mormons have a large missionary effort, and we hope this powerful story of Christian missionaries will lead to some fruitful discussions about real faith.

Please Pray:
1. For fruit from the Biola visit, especially if the opportunity to speak really occurs.
2. For a good turn out for End of the Spear, and resulting chances to share Christ.

Update: Thank you for praying for the students we mentioned in our last letter who were considering joining the LDS church. At this time, neither one has pursued it and the guy has broken up with his Mormon girlfriend! We praise God for that, but please keep them in prayer-they are still vulnerable at this time in their lives!

Family News

In January, Jessica underwent surgery on both feet for some extra bones in her ankles that have caused her a lot of pain. She missed school for a week, then, a wheel chair for a week, then crutches. She is walking fairly normally now, but still cannot run and with soccer season immanent we are thinking she may miss this season. It has been hard for her but by-and-large she has handled it well without much complaining.

Ethan is doing great in school; he recently brought home his first 100% spelling test! He is very busy with AWANAs and got a trophy at the Grand Prix for design!

Please Pray:
1. For the spiritual battle for our children’s hearts- For example: Jessica’s soccer coach has practice right in the middle of AWANAS. (But in God’s grace, she can’t go anyway because of her feet!)
2. That we can keep up a good balance with home life and ministry.

Thank you for your faithful support!

The Gunn’s ~ 1627E 1700N, Logan, UT 84341 ~ 435-753-0280 ~ Mrgunn0072@yahoo.com

Greetings from Utah

2007-03-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

Hello from the Gunns! We enjoy keeping up with Grace through the website, blogs, etc. It sounded like a terrific Missions Conference-hopefully we can attend the next one!

We want to thank the Missions board for their great job in keeping in touch with us. Thank you Stella Nuncio for your wonderful cards and the bulletin!

Grace will always be my home. I rejoice in their homegoing, but am saddened when I hear about John Rogolla and Francis Weatherman and others. We will have a great reunion someday.

God Bless you all

Rob Gunn

Africa Bound - John Nadolski

2007-03-13T11:40:00.000-07:00

It’s been a while since we’ve sent an update and prayer request. Thank you to all that have been praying for us on a regular basis - and to all that you pray on a less regular basis.

At the end of February, John was in California at the mission’s conference for Grace Church of San Luis Obispo. People asked John if he was going to Kenya. At the time, the answer was ‘No’, but a lot of things changed when John got back to Living Water International. You guessed it. On March 16th, John is heading to Kenya and he’ll be gone for about three weeks, working on water projects in western and northern Kenya. It means a lot to us to have your prayers on this trip. (see schedule below and pray for him each day)

We plan to send out an update about the family. The local school district is on Spring Break this week so Marcia isn’t working this week. Feel free to send us your prayer requests and we’ll be glad to pray for you, too.

God bless you and may He keep you safe in the palm of His hands,

John and Marcia

Living Water International trip to Kenya, East Africa (schedule below). I ask for your prayers. Please remember to pray for me on these days (or others), and I will be praying for you, too. Specific prayer needs:

- As always, pray for Marcia. John will be away for several weeks and Marcia normally
doesn’t sleep well when he is gone.
- There’s some friction between the different partners and this friction may lead to better
working relationships or worse problems. Pray that the Holy Spirit work on the hearts of those involved and that they respond wisely, through Christ.
- John will be working in two different areas: by western Kenya by Lake Victoria and in
northern Kenya by Ethiopia. Pray for spiritual growth of the Kenyan teams.

Dates/Activity
3/16 John leaves Houston and flies to Nairobi
3/17 Arrive in Nairobi, late at night
3/18 Church, worship, rest, and site seeing.
3/19 John meets with partners in Nairobi to discuss some problem areas.
3/20 Meeting in Kisumu (by Lake Victoria) with World Vision, CARE, and others.
3/21-3/24 Survey area and meet with school leaders involved with next round of drilling.
3/25 Church, worship, rest, and site seeing.
3/26 – 3/31 Work with partner in Marsabit to build water tanks and water dams – to help spread out water supply and stabilize grazing pressure.
4/1 Church, worship, rest, and site seeing.
4/2 Return to Nairobi and meet with government officials and other partners.
4/5 Fly from Nairobi to Houston
4/6 John arrives home.

Costa Rica Bound - Esther Peterson

2007-03-13T11:07:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! Just a quick note to let you all know that I am going to Costa Rica. There is a team of eight of us from Trinity College who are going down to help a missionary who is a Trinity graduate. We don't know much specifically about what we will be doing there, but we believe we will be working with kids and youth. I have been giving the team some Spanish lessons and teaching them some dramas and kids songs that I learned in Argentina. We will be leaving on March 3 and returning on the 12. I would appreciate prayers for our health and safety, spiritual protection, team unity, and that God would allow us to be used greatly by Him to bring Him glory in Costa Rica!! Thanks again to all who have given! I have nearly all the money I need for the trip. I also wanted to present a need in case God speaks to any of you about getting involved in the ministry of a friend of mine. In Argentina I met an amazing woman who is even shorter than me who has been trying for years to go to Cameroon as a missionary. God has finally made it possible and she is leaving March 3 for South Africa, but is still missing the money for the flight from there to Cameroon. She believes it will be about $700 US. I have started supporting her a small amount monthly because she's so awesome and I want to be involved in her ministry. She's in need of more support because the church in Argentina doesn't have very many resouces from which to give. If any of you feel a touch from God and are interested in supporting her with a one time gift for her trip or on a regular basis, please let me know. I can get you in contact with her and let you know how to send gifts for her. Her name is Daniela Larroca. I pray God's blessings on everyone recieving this e-mail! May God surprise you all with his amazing love and may you experience the abundant life He came to give you!! Much love in Him ~Esther~

Peterson's Prayer Guide - March 2007

2007-03-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere. Ephesians 6:18

Aren’t you grateful that God gave us specific instructions as to how to fight the spiritual battles we face? He reminded us that our battles aren’t against people, and has made His weapons available for our use. Josiah and I have been memorizing Ephesians 6:10-20 recently and it has been a great reminder to us. May all of us be faithful to put on our armor each morning and gain victory in our battles.

Thanks for praying for Gary and his ministry opportunities. He shared with several hundred students, teachers, and parent-chaperones who came to visit in February. Word-Spring attendance has been way up for December – February. Gary had some incredible divine appointments this past month. The Perspectives classes he taught were a mix. The first two went really well, and the last one was very hard. But God had some things to teach him through that, so good has come from it. We usually mention some of the groups and tours he knows about for the coming month, but there are so many that come on short notice that we decided not to try and list them. Please ask God to help him and the team to be sensitive to the Spirit as they meet the folk who come, and that the visitors would be impacted through what they see and hear.

Sunday, March 4th I’ll accompany Gary down to Lantana, Florida to share at a mission conference at Maranatha Bible Church. He has spoken there several times in the past. Pray we’ll be a blessing and that God will orchestrate our contacts and conversations. Pray for safe travel as we drive the 6 hour round trip that day as well. It means an early start and late finish.

Gary was unable to run the half marathon last month and continues to have trouble with a calf muscle. Pray for healing and that he won’t become discouraged. He is cycling for exercise instead for the time being.

Praise the Lord with us that Esther is now employed part time and that she’s really enjoying her job at Chick Fil-A (a fast food restaurant chain owned by a Christian who doesn’t open on Sundays). This allows Esther to attend and serve in church on Sundays.

Praise that Esther got to help at the Child Evangelism booth at the Florida State Fair. She had the opportunity to lead a number of kids and a family to Christ. She was pretty excited about it as she shared with us what she saw God do. Her car wouldn’t start on a couple of the cold mornings we had recently. We’re going to visit her on Saturday (Feb. 24th) and hope that Gary can find any problems and fix them. She is taking mid term exams right now. She’s begun teaching Spanish to the 6 other team members who are going to Costa Rica for the mission trip during Spring Break (Mar. 3-11). Her finances for that are almost complete. She would be grateful for your prayers for the trip: safety, health and the preparation of hearts – for the team and for those they’ll be ministering to.

Josiah has been accepted to attend a 2 week “National Student Leadership Conference” on US Policy and Politics in Washington DC in June/ July. This is quite an honor and we are grateful that he received $1000 in scholarships. He still needs to find another $1000 to cover the costs. His referee job will help, but we’d like to find some local business sponsors as well. Pray that this will come together and that God will use it to help prepare Josiah for his future.

Gary’s Mom is experiencing some unexplained dizzy spells that make her sick and unable to function from time to time. Please pray for her as she deals with this.

My Mum has just completed 6 weeks of treatment for her bladder cancer. We were also relieved to hear that a reason was found for her deteriorating eyesight, and that it was treatable. Please pray the medicine will be effective and her sight will improve soon.

Allergy season is here! Pray we’ll stay healthy and able to keep functioning as we deal with them. Gary had several days off work with a bad cold last month, and we’ve both been feeling rather tired lately.

I am feeling overwhelmed at times with all that needs to be done. I want very much to get our home office cleaned out and organized better. Getting rid of old files is hard to keep up with. Then there are finances, taxes etc…and the e-mail that has piled up in my inbox again… Pray that I’ll know where to focus each day and see good progress.

Our church here is about to launch a 4 week campaign called, “Just Walk Across the Street”. As small group leaders, we’ll be pretty involved in facilitating it within our group. Pray that God will grow each of us in our heart for evangelism and that we’ll put feet to what we learn and become more effective in our witness to those around us.

God will not forget your part in this ministry! Thanks again, from the bottom of our hearts for all that you do on our behalf.

Robyn, for the Petersons

John Dudeck coming to California

2007-02-13T10:58:00.000-08:00

I will be coming to California from February 17 to March 6 to visit with the churches and friends who support us in our missionary work, whether by prayer or financially. I hope to rekindle old friendships, make new friends, and share with you about the work that we are committed to. It will just be me coming on this trip -- my wife, Pam, and daughter, Jennifer, won't be coming. I would love to meet as many of you as are interested in getting together. There will be several opportunities in various meetings, or if you would like to get together one-on-one, please get in touch.

Here is my itinerary:
Sat Feb 17 - arrive in LA.
Sun Feb 18 - Sonlight Fellowship at FEFC. Afternoon get-together at the Westerfelds.
Mon Feb 19 to Fri Feb 23 - available for one-on-one visits in LA/Orange/Riverside/San Diego counties.
Sat Feb 24 - arrive in San Luis Obispo.
Sun Feb 25 to Fri Mar 2 - Grace Church SLO missions conference. Available for one-on-one during the daytime.
Sat Mar 3 - arrive in El Cajon.
Sun Mar 4 - Shadow Mountain Church.
Mon Mar 5 - available for one-on-one in San Diego/El Cajon.
Tue Mar 6 - return to Charlotte NC.

If you would like to get together during any of the one-on-one times above, please drop me an email right away, as I am planning my schedule now and don't want to miss any of you.

Blessings, John Dudeck, Charlotte, NC
jdudeck@zenia.simcsg.sim.org

Another trip to Africa - Mike Grainger

2007-02-06T10:51:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I leave for another trip to Africa. I will be gone about one month and traveling to three countries - Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Kenya. I will be going as part of a team focused on helping our African leadership become better equipped to reach their committees for Christ in the midst of incredible hardships.

I will be the point person for French speaking Africa on the team. We will invest a lot of our time at the outreach medical clinic in Burkina Faso, dealing with issues ranging from evangelism and follow-up to management and equipment maintenance. We are seeing people come to Christ but there are areas of the infrastructure that need to be shored up and strengthened.

In the Ivory Coast, we will be helping prepare the ground for the launch of several business initiatives. These initiatives are designed to enable key people in the ministry demonstrate the transforming power of the Gospel as productive members of their communities.

In Kenya, we will be meeting with ministries leaders from across the continent to look at linking our resources with the opportunities God is giving us to advance the Gospel in Africa.

Africa is incredibly blessed by abundant natural resources and no continent has been more responsive to the Gospel. Yet, nearly half its people live on less than $1 a day, what the World Bank terms ‘extreme poverty’. The devastation of AIDS is felt everywhere; tribal conflict shatters society; widespread corruption inhibits development…the challenges seem overwhelming. Why, in the midst of such wealth and spiritual interest, is so much of Africa haunted by tragedy?

While there are no simple answers, this highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive, holistic practice of discipleship: discipleship that roots the transforming power of the Gospel deep within the soul, resulting in a new way of life and a new worldview. Its fruit is liberating and includes reconciliation, forgiveness, a rejection of immorality, and a commitment to ethical practices and justice in society. Lives being transformed by the Gospel—lives “rooted and built up in Him” (Colossians 2:7)—radiate the power of Christ and are building blocks in the transformation of nations.

There is hope for Africa – Lives being transformed by the Gospel. I believe these meetings and interaction that my colleagues and I will be engaged in are very strategic to seeing this kind on transformation take place. However, nothing of eternal significance will be accomplished without God’s intervention. I feel very inadequate for this task and would covet your prayers. Here are some things that I am praying for this trip.

Prayer Guide

Ask God to give us unity of heart and mind and clear vision with out African brothers- John 17:21
Ask God to give us his mind as we seek to serve our African staff in these projects and provide appropriate leadership - Ps 32:8
Ask God for a spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, revelation, and knowledge and we work together (different languages, cultures, worldviews) Isaiah 11:1-3
Pray for Spirit led times that will serve to enhance our partnership in the advance of the Gospel – Ecc. 4:9-12
Pray for safety and good health
Pray that God would watch over Tammy and the kids and that his peace would guard their hearts and minds – Phil 4:6-7

Blessings, Michael

The REAL Adventure Begins - Esther Peterson

2007-01-30T10:53:00.000-08:00

Hi again everybody! Guess where I am? I’m home in Florida!!!! I guess that’s not such a surprise. I’ve been here for about five weeks. After the last time I wrote you guys I left my beloved base in the city of Corrientes and headed down with some of my teammates and most of the base staff members to the conference in Buenos Aires. It was for all the YWAM bases in the five countries of the Southern Cone of South America. I thought it would be a nice time, but I was wrong. It was an incredible time, (apart from the heat and lack of sleep)! We met people there from all over the place and had some great speakers, workshops and worship times.
By the end of the conference, I still didn’t have confirmed plans for the next six days before my flight and I started freaking out, really wishing my mom and dad were there to work everything out for me. But God was faithful, and it worked out better than I could have imagined. All of us five foreigners from my DTS went down to Mar del Plata, a famous touristy beach five hours away, and while my crazy American guy friend stayed down there in a hostel, the four other girls and I stayed an hour bus trip away with a friend from the YWAM base and his mom. They spoiled us rotten! They fed us tons of food, let us use their washing machine, burned tons of CD’s of photos on their computer, and gave us presents to remember Argentina. It was a really special and blessed time.
The other American, Alex, left first, then the girls from Bolivia and Peru returned to their homes by bus. Last of all Johanny from Venezuela and I left at 1:00am to take the five hour bus trip back to Buenos Aires, arriving at the airport at 7:00am. We spent the whole day at the airport. Johanny left at 6:00pm and I left at 10:10pm. It was a long day at the airport. After a stopover in Washington DC, I was back home with my family. I had a lovely vacation, catching up with people and celebrating the holidays.
Wow, this really was the most incredible time in my life. I had a lot of amazing experiences I never would have dreamed of. I learned Spanish and the Tango, I made friends with people from all over the world, and God taught me a lot of things about Him and about myself.
· I learned that God’s love really is unconditional and unchanging.
· I learned that when God tells you to do something (many times through your spiritual leaders) and you don’t think you can do it, just do it anyway.
· I learned that God makes and keeps his promises and that He uses us just the way he made us.
· I learned that we can fight the enemy’s temptation by taking our thoughts and feelings captive.
· I learned that to build friendships you have to make spending time with people a priority, even when you may not understand much of the conversation.
· I learned that God loves all countries equally, that America (or Australia) are not better than any other countries in the world, and that you can’t judge the people of a country by their country’s history or government.
· I learned that I can hand wash my clothes, take a 10 minute shower three times a week, sleep in a sleeping bag on thin mattresses for four months, and…
· Many, many other things!!!

And all of this was because of you guys!! Your financial support, your prayers, and your encouraging e-mails are what got me through and brought me safely back from this amazingly blessed time. I can never thank you all enough!! Every time I received a check or heard that someone was praying for me, I was just amazed that I have so many people that care about me so much. I am so blessed by God! I now want to do my best to pass on this blessing to as many people as possible.
I also want to take this opportunity to encourage EVERYBODY to do a Discipleship Training School! It would be so awesome if every single Christian did one. It’s like our spiritual boot camp. They have them all over the world, including America, Australia, and England as well as numerous second and third world countries all over the place. There are DTSs with special focuses as well as Crossroad DTS for people over 35 or those who may have families and/or careers. They’ve even had 70 year olds so it’s open for everyone! So tell your brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins, children, grandchildren, parents, neighbors, friends, and churches about them and look into them for yourself. You can find more information and search for DTS at the Youth With A Mission website: www.ywam.org .
So what am I doing now? What they say in YWAM is that when your DTS ends, your real DTS of life begins. I just finished my second week at Trinity College of Florida. It’s a really little (280 students total) Bible college near Tampa. Right now I’m headed toward a major in youth ministry. I’m enjoying college life so far! God has already blessed me with some great friends, which was something I was worried about and prayed about a lot. I have a lot of work for my classes but at least it’s mostly just reading and writing, no more math! After visiting a number of churches I think I’ve finally decided where I’m going to connect and I’m really excited about that. It’s called Highest Praise Family Church, and some parts of it remind me of my YWAM base in Corrientes.
I have a few things you could keep in prayer for me. One is that I need to get a job soon to pay for gas and to start paying for my insurance and cell phone bill, new expenses that come with living away from home. I also need God’s help in managing my time. And I would like to spend most of this next summer in California, but I really need to seek God on that for confirmation.
And last, but definitely not least, I’ve decided to go on the Trinity mission trip to Costa Rica over spring break (March 3-12). It sounds perfect for me because they’ll be working mainly with kids and youth, the two groups I really love, and I’ll get to use my Spanish! I’m really excited about the possibility. It is coming up really soon and the cost is estimated at around $700-$800. If anyone is able and feels God’s call to give a donation towards this trip I would appreciate it. To receive a tax deduction you can make a check out to Trinity College of Florida and specify that it is for the Great Commission Missionary Fellowship. Otherwise you can send cash or check to me at my parent’s address: 4418 Lake Trudy Dr., St. Cloud, FL 34769
I also would love to have people committed to pray for me and the group every day while we’re on the trip so if you could commit to doing that, please let me know.
Well, I can only thank you all for coming on this incredible adventure with me over the last seven months. I may continue to write every now and then to share life’s exciting moments. I’ve also made a Window’s Live Space that you can check out at www.godslittlerocker19.spaces.live.com.
All of God’s super blessings to each and every one of you! You rock!!!! In Christ, Esther Peterson

Peterson's Prayer Guide - February 2007

2007-01-30T08:31:00.000-08:00

Be earnest and disciplined in your prayers… Continue to show deep love for each other. Manage well the spiritual gifts God has given you so that God’s generosity can flow through you.

1 Peter 4:7-8,10

Esther at College

We have felt so supported in prayer over the past month as we’ve heard from a number of you telling us you were praying about our big decision regarding the future. Thank you for standing with us at a time when we really needed that partnership. It meant so much! We had promised our colleague, Sunny, that we’d try to give her an answer by mid January. It was an interesting process as we sought to discern God’s voice and leading in this big decision. We were very drawn to the job in some respects, but it became clear to us that this is not the right time for us to make such a move. There were a lot of things that God brought to our attention and we had valuable input from some people whom we highly respect. So we were able to come to a place of peace that we’d heard God on this and agreed to tell Sunny that we wouldn’t be coming. If you want to hear more detail about how we came to this conclusion, feel free to contact us, but it would take quite a bit of paper to document it all! We are excited to be able to dig in deep again here and know that we’re in the place that God wants us to be for this season of our lives. Thank you again for walking this journey with us.

Gary has had some wonderful and exciting opportunities in his role at Wordspring this month. The few items we wrote on the last schedule ended up being multiplied many times with new, last minute interactions with groups and individuals. Please continue to pray that Gary and his colleagues will be flexible, available and sensitive to God’s Spirit as they interact with all kinds of people who show up at the Wycliffe facility. Here is his known schedule for February:

2nd Special tour for students from Grace Evangelical Seminary
4th, 5th, 6th, 7th Teaching Perspectives Lesson 5 in Jacksonville, Gainesville,
Ocala & Orlando.
9th Tour for a school group
13th & 15th Promoting Wycliffe at Asbury Seminary
20th Another tour for a group visiting Wordspring

Gary’s foot problem was solved by replacing his running shoes, but he has since had problems with one calf muscle and hasn’t been able to run for a week or more. He’s riding a bicycle to stay in shape and still hopes to be able to run the half marathon on Feb. 4th.

Esther seems to be settling in well to her new life at Bible college. She’s making friends, finding her way around the campus and the town, connecting with several churches, and getting into study routines. She still needs to find a job that will fit her schedule and help to cover her costs (car, phone, incidentals…). We’ve been able to talk on the phone most days, which has helped all of us in this time of adjustment, and she’s already been home for one weekend - a bit different from when she was in Argentina! A missionary group on her campus is planning a trip to Costa Rica during Spring Break, and Esther would very much like to be a part of that. They’ll be ministering to youth and kids, and it’s a Spanish speaking country - all things that she loves. If you’d like to know more about it or would like to be part of her prayer or financial team for that trip, please e-mail her at: star-E19@juno.com

Josiah has begun his new Truth Project small group. He has put a lot of time, money and prayer into this already, and the first meeting (here at our house on Saturday nights) was very well attended! We haven’t seen him in a leadership role like this before, and we were very proud of him and convinced that God has His hand on Josiah and this effort. Please keep him (and us!) in your prayers as he leads this over the next 13 weeks. We’re conscious that we’re entering enemy territory and we need spiritual protection. Pray too that those attending will learn the things God wants them to as they go through this curriculum.

Both of our mothers have had some health crises in the last few weeks. We are grateful that things have settled down somewhat. My mother is in the midst of localized chemotherapy for her bladder cancer back in Australia. The last lot caused serious discomfort, so she’s not looking forward to the next three treatments. Please keep her in your prayers especially on Tuesdays when she has this. I know she would be very grateful.

On February 25th we will celebrate 23 years of marriage. We are so grateful to God for bringing us together and for the happiness He’s given us through these years.

Peterson's Prayer Guide - January 2007

2007-01-04T16:19:00.000-08:00

“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for Me in earnest, you will find Me when you seek Me.” Jeremiah 29: 11-13

Happy New Year to you, our invaluable prayer partners! We pray that 2007 will be a year in which you will grow to know and love our Lord even more, and you will see Him work powerfully in and through you.

Praise God, our daughter arrived home safe and sound at the expected time. We have thoroughly enjoyed having her around for these few weeks and hearing more about her experiences. She had the chance to share her adventures with about 20 interested friends at our church on Dec. 27th and was blessed by their commitment to continue to pray for her. Now we’re gearing up for the start of her college career. Please pray for all of us in this next transition. She’ll move into the dorm on Jan. 4th.

Mom Peterson has been with us for Christmas and New Year. We’re so grateful for our time together. She would appreciate your prayers for her journey back across the country on January 4th.

You must have been praying for our encounters with neighbors as we delivered our gifts on Christmas Eve. We had some very positive interactions, particularly with the Muslim and Hindu families. Pray that we’ll make the effort to be deliberate in our contact with them in the days ahead.

The potluck I organized at Josiah’s school went well, despite the small turnout. Gary did a great job as emcee, and I think all who attended really enjoyed the interactive, cultural things he did to help everyone get better acquainted. Josiah will turn 16 on January 10th. We thank the Lord for a son who loves Him and has chosen to walk in His ways. Pray for continued blessing on his life as he studies, in his relationships and as he makes decisions about the future.

Gary has decided to train for a half marathon at the end of this month. Please pray that he will be free from injuries and able to achieve this goal. Right now one foot is giving him trouble.

We sent out a special prayer request last month regarding a new invitation we’ve received to join the Asia Area staff in the Philippines. With everything happening this month, we haven’t felt ready to make a decision. Our colleagues in Asia would like to know soon if we will accept this new assignment. Pray that Gary and I will take the time needed and that our spirits will be quiet enough to hear clearly from the Lord. We’re very grateful that you are praying with us at this time.

Here are a couple more scheduled events to pray for:
Jan. 1st.& 2nd. Gary does the introduction and anthropology classes for Total It Up (the 5 day taste of translation and literacy course).
10th. New Testament dedication at Wycliffe.
24th. Gary gives a tour to a Christian school.
25th. My 45th birthday!

Peterson's Prayer Guide - December 2006

2006-11-30T11:44:00.000-08:00

Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Don’t forget to pray for us too, that God will give us many opportunities… Pray that we will proclaim His message as clearly as we should.” Col. 4:2-4

Thanks for your prayers regarding my US citizenship application. I found the document that I was missing and was able to finish and submit it on Nov. 10th. I especially want to thank the friends who offered to cover the cost of this. It is now completely paid for and we wait for the processing (possibly more than a year, we’re told). I’ll let you know when it’s all official!

We have appreciated the opportunity to talk to Esther by phone several times this past month. She should be back at the YWAM base in Corrientes (where she started) now, being debriefed and going through her graduation from the DTS. We are so grateful to all who have prayed for her during this time. God has done a lot in and through her! The whole team will travel south to Buenos Aires to attend a conference in early December. When that is over, she will spend a few days with new friends in that area before flying home (via Chicago!) on Dec.15-16th. We look forward to having her here for about 3 weeks before she begins college about 3 hours drive away on the Gulf coast of Florida. Please continue to keep her in prayer as she travels, says good bye to the friends she’s made down there, and then readjusts to life in the US. In light of her time there, she is re-thinking what courses she should take when she starts college. Please pray as she makes these major decisions.

Josiah really enjoyed the Truth Project training he attended (http://thetruthproject.org/). All those who went through it were encouraged to choose a group of others to train to also teach this Christian worldview curriculum. He has quite a few people in mind to invite. Please pray that those God wants to do this would be available and make a serious commitment to participating.

Our newsletter hasn’t happened yet. It seems to have been a very busy month and we haven’t done anything on it since I last wrote to you. This coming week looks pretty full for me, but I would like to make a start on it and really work to get it finished and in the mail before Esther gets home.

We ended up spending Thanksgiving with some local friends and had a lovely time getting to know them better. I was able to pull some surprises on Gary for his birthday too, with the help of friends from our church. Attending an International Car Show in Orlando was part of the fun, and it seemed he really enjoyed it.

Gary already sent you some of the results of your prayers for his ministry opportunities. Thanks for your part in all of this! He also had a great response at the ACSI teacher’s conference last week. He has some follow-up to do now.

His schedule for the coming month is lighter.
Dec. 1st He attends the Osceola County Chamber of Commerce breakfast. He’s still new to this and struggling to make contacts.
7th He will be sharing with a home-school group visiting the Wycliffe center.
10th He’ll be speaking in a missions class at another colleague’s church.
Pray that he can make some progress with the e-mail that has piled up. Pray for some more good opportunities in the community to tell people about Wordspring, and that some will come and visit. So far he hasn’t seen a lot of this fruit for his efforts (although it seems God has been using him in other ways he hadn’t expected!)

I am part of a parent support group for the students in Josiah’s school. I have taken on the responsibility of organizing the annual international potluck dinner for the students and their families on December 2nd. Please pray that I will do this well and it will be a good time of building relationships with other families. I’ve talked Gary into emceeing the event.

We look forward to welcoming Mom Peterson for two weeks with us over Christmas. Please pray for a safe flight for her on Dec. 19th, good health and a wonderful visit.

Each year we give a gift to our kid’s teachers and to our neighbors for Christmas. As we write the cards and go out to deliver these gifts, please pray that the love of Christ would shine through us and point people to Him and the real meaning of this special season.

Our small group completed a short DVD course on the HIV/ Aids crisis in Africa recently (along with other groups in the church). It stimulated a lot of discussion on what practical ways we could make a difference. We are writing a proposal for our pastor here and would love to see the ideas turn into something concrete that would make a lasting difference in this tragic situation. Please pray that we’ll be sensitive to God’s leading and obedient to what He shows us.

Gary has been invited to take part as a trainer in a Leadership Matters course next summer. He did the training himself about 7 years ago. It is put on by an organization called Intermission Training Alliance (www.leadershipmatters.ws) and there is a growing demand for it around the world. We are starting a fund for Gary’s travel for this. There are several possibilities of locations and details that need to be finalized in the months ahead. Please pray for this process, Gary’s preparation and the finances needed for the travel involved.

May the Lord bless you with His peace and joy as you celebrate again Immanuel, God with us.

Yours in His great love, Robyn for the Petersons

John's back home - Nadolski update

2006-11-28T11:00:00.000-08:00

I traveled up to Marsabit (northern Kenya) at the end of last week and I met with David and BJ. They are missionaries with the Anglican Church of Kenya. David has a PhD from a Big 10 school and BJ is a veterinarian (trained at UC Davis). These guys do not receive salary from the church. Rather, they do some big water/animal husbandry projects and then use the extra income to pay for expenses when they don't get a salary. They are real strong in their faith (both of them are missionary kids) and strong in their love for the local people.

We traveled to three Yaa's (villages where the chief and elders live). We got back to Marsabit on Tuesday morning, in time for me to catch a flight back to Nairobi. I couldn't stay longer because David and BJ wanted to drive to Nairobi and buy supplies for the project. Since they were leaving and my work in Marsabit was done, I was free to come home early.

I got back to Houston on Thursday afternoon - in time for some turkey and pie. IT IS GOOD TO BE HOME.

Thanks to everyone for your prayers. I am convinced that your prayers were effective - even to the point of letting me do six weeks worth of work in three weeks.

Please know how much we (Marcia and I) appreciate your prayers, calls, cards (thanks for the many birthday cards and cards for Marcia).

A dear friend from Sheridan, WY read that I was touched by the new church in Western Kenya. He read that I gave some money to the church ($80) and he pledged to match the money. Please let me know if anyone else wants to give to this church. (It's amazing. They can build the whole structure for about $1,000. The concrete floor is extra.)

Feel free to give us a call as you can. We'll love to hear from you.

John (and Marcia - who's catching up on her sleep)

"Do not grow weary in doing good for at the proper time, you will reap a harvest if you do not give up." Gal 6:9

Update From Rona

2006-11-20T13:42:00.000-08:00

Dear Grace Church Family,

It’s hard to believe it’s already been three months since my arrival in Spain. What a whirlwind of emotions and spiritual lessons! As Stella Nuncio can tell you, Dan and Lisa Leatherwood are a very dedicated couple who have been working in a hostile and closed environment here in northern Spain for the past seven years. The Roman Catholic church is such a strong presence here that it’s hard for evangelicals to get a foothold into the community, especially in small cities like Tafalla (pop. 12,000). The storefront ministry the Lord has given them was opened just under one year ago, and is located on the main street of the city. Many people walk by it every day but few venture in. It’s an all-purpose facility where we hold Sunday services, a Wednesday night women’s bible study, and English classes. There’s also an extensive library of books, both in English and Spanish, covering themes as diverse as children’s literature, personal/spiritual growth, religion/philosophy, marriage, and parenting. Even some great American novels like Moby Dick and Red Badge of Courage are included among this diverse selection.

When I first arrived on August 23, I was whisked from the airport in Bilbao to their home in Artajona (about 2 hours southeast). I stayed in their spare room for the first four nights, and then joined Lisa’s mother Elizabeth for a six-night stay at a Dutch-operated “albergue” (inn/hostel) on the Camino de Santiago. These Dutch evangelicals use this as a ministry outpost to try to witness to the pilgrims who walk this arduous 500 mile trek from southern France to the west coast of Spain. Camino means “way” and the intent is to point them to THE WAY, our Lord Jesus Christ. Pilgrims are offered a Gospel of John printed in their own language (Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, English) and shared with briefly during our dinnertime together. Although a lot of hard manual labor on the part of the staff, it was a truly memorable experience and one I’m not likely to forget.

I started taking care of two brothers (Javier, age 9-1/2 and Alvaro, age 7) on September 4. Their mother works as a radiology technician at a hospital in Tafalla and she needs someone to be with the boys during their two-hour lunch break, from 1-3 p.m., each school day. I give them lunch and then English lessons, both reading and writing. The boys are a handful and each day brings new challenges. Please pray for the salvation of Arantxa and Joakim, the parents, as well as the boys.

I’ve also cataloged all the books in the library so that there’s a computerized database. And now I’m working on a checkout card system so they can start sharing these books with members of the church family as well as those in the community. The Lord has blessed me with computer skills and administrative work experience, so I’m a “natural” for this job and I’m blessed to be able to help them in this way.

The English classes I’ve been teaching so far are mostly either one-on-one or have two participants. I teach teenagers mostly but also a couple of adults. The students here are required to learn both English and Basque (this is one of the four Spanish Basque provinces) and the teenagers are using these classes as a way to improve their English skills from a native speaker.

Our church is small and consists mostly of immigrants from countries in Central and South America. It’s been wonderful to worship with such a diverse group and to be made aware in a very personal way of just how great our God is, and to be reminded that He is worshiped throughout the world by people of many tribes and tongues. It’s a joy to sing praise songs that we sing at Grace, but to sing them in Spanish with my brothers and sisters here in Spain!

We had an early Thanksgiving celebration after church on November 12, with 17 people attending. Dan did all the cooking! He made turkey, stuffing, biscuits, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, jello mold, and apple and pumpkin pies. What a feast! It was a wonderful opportunity to share a typically American holiday with our church family and at the same time be reminded of how thankful we all are to be saved by our Lord Jesus Christ. I was reminded of how unique a situation this is when I saw four people talking to one another—one from Guatemala, one from Chile, one from Ecuador, and one from Cuba. How amazing and wonderful this is!

The Lord has been using this time to teach me many lessons about dependence. He has proven Himself to be all-sufficient for my needs, and in my times of loneliness I am continually reminded of His love and grace. I want to thank you for your prayers for me and for the folks here. It has been a real blessing to hear from many of you via email or letter, and I am truly grateful for your part in this ministry and outreach.

My email address is ProfessorRona@yahoo.com or letters can be mailed to me care of Leatherwood, Calle San Pedro 14, Artajona, Navarra, SPAIN 31140. Also, I’ve uploaded almost 100 photos from my time here to the following site, so do check it out: http://ProfessorRona.photosite.com/

I will be heading to Turkey in January to serve as guidance counselor at Oasis International School in Ankara. I covet your prayers for that time of service as well as for my remaining couple of months here in Spain. May our God richly bless you in a special way during this holiday season!

Update from John Nadolski

2006-11-16T09:59:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Kenya and I hope that you are doing well.

I am doing well, even as I battle the sinus infection. It doesn't keep me from doing anything. It just hurts.

I went to church today, at a brand-new church. It's about a 40 minute drive from where I'm staying and it was all dirt roads. Car traffic was really light and we may have passed a few cars, but not very many. The local people are building the church, literally from the ground up. Imagine a wood pole-barn. They have the side poles up, and they will put metal siding and metal roof. I expect that they will have a dirt floor until they can afford the cement/concrete. The pastor was sick with malaria and we walked over to his house to pray for him. His house was small and he had six kids. I learned that he was married before and his wife and three of their kids died. They all died within three days so they never had a chance to get to the hospital. The pastor guesses that they died from meningitis.

The pastor walked back to the church with us and stayed for the service. I took some money and paid for his malaria medicine. They work so hard to raise the money for the new church that I was personally challenged to help so I gave some money for the building fund.

I'm scheduled to meet with the local govenor tomorrow and then travel to Nairobi tomorrow night. If all goes well, I will go to Marsabit on Friday. My partner in Marsabit has me booked on a flight with MAF. He said that we will tour the new sites and that we will be 'camping' as we go. He suggested that I buy a sleeping bag as we will sleep on a mat outside under a tarp. He also suggested that I bring along any snacks that I want to eat because he said that we will be eating the local food. I've been told that there's a missionary prayer: 'Lord, I'll put it down; you'll keep it down.'

Please pray that God gives me wisdom, discernment, health, safety and a heart for the people.

Thanks for all of your prayers.

God bless you,

John