Here are some highlights from the last few months...
God Provides - Praise Jesus that we finished 2011 on budget! A BIG thanks for all your prayers and financial support.
FECAI Training Program - From November
until June we are doing a big, multiphase training project with the
FECAI staff. This is to help the field staff be more effective, as well
helping the management team plan, execute, and follow-up on a larger
program. The first two phases were effective, and now the supervisors
and field staff are doing needs surveys in the fields to help identify
opportunities for us to serve and to help shape the next phase of
training. Pray for the needs surveys and the training in practical
skills that come next.
FECA Annual Conference - In January we went to Thailand for a conference with the other FECA fieldworkers. It was a great time to connect with them and folks from the home office.
Time with Family - Paul's parents came with us to the FECA retreat to help look after the kids. After the
conference they stayed for a week and we all enjoyed time together at the beach. Then Rebecca's family all came to visit. Ten adults and nine kids (with one more on the way) had a great time. Elijah loved playing with his cousins, and Rena and Sophianne loved watching all the kid-action going on around them. Rena and Sophianne were able to celebrate their first birthday with family!
conference they stayed for a week and we all enjoyed time together at the beach. Then Rebecca's family all came to visit. Ten adults and nine kids (with one more on the way) had a great time. Elijah loved playing with his cousins, and Rena and Sophianne loved watching all the kid-action going on around them. Rena and Sophianne were able to celebrate their first birthday with family!
Rena's Feeding – We've had a series of illnesses in the family since November. Most have been normal childhood (or adult!) sicknesses, but it has been wearing and stressful at times – especially when we've had to go to the doctor. Most seriously, Rena is having an ongoing feeding issue. She eats little and sometimes it takes her more than an hour to eat that. She has only gained one pound in six months and her blood test showed that she is anemic. It has been very stressful for me (Rebecca). It takes a lot of emotional and mental energy. Please pray that Rena eats better and that we would find the right treatment for her. I have been learning about grace for myself in this. Five months ago my intuition said she was anemic, but I didn't pursue it. It's been hard not to be hard on myself for not getting her the help she needed sooner. Please pray for me and for Rena.
Mashi Mandali - We've scheduled a number of training events with our local church denomination. Paul did the teaching at the pastors' training last year, and we're glad that it has turned into an ongoing opportunity. The next event is the Women's Conference, where Rebecca is one of the speakers. Pray for her preparation: that Jesus would speak to her, and that we would be able to find good, uninterrupted blocks of time.
Our house fellowship at Christmas
Grant Participants - We had the second retreat of the organizations who are participating in the grant we received from First Fruit. It was a good time of going deeper spiritually and opening up and sharing with each other. We were thankful for the group of leaders that we have, and for the great projects they are undertaking. Some highlights from the reports include a home and vocational skills center for HIV positive ex-prostitutes; three projects working with slum children; gospel-sharing adult literacy classes; training for pastors in Bhutan, Assam, Bihar, and Nepal; a training DVD, and training to equip rural churches to impact their communities.
Being a Team - The other day another American couple saw us at the local tea shop. "Are you on a date?" It was 11:00 am, but we didn't have any kids with us, so they knew it was special. "No, it's a team meeting," I replied. They laughed knowingly – they also have small kids. To get any focused time together we have to get out of the house. (We're thankful for a good nanny to stay with the girls and Elijah was in pre-school.) Being a family and a ministry team takes juggling. Before we had kids, it was easy to have our "team meetings" over dinner; now we have to be more intentional. The girls have turned one and we're out of that tiny-baby stage, so we're trying to get more time together to pray, plan, and have "adult conversation." Pray for our team times together, that they would be rich in encouragement, vision, and hearing from Jesus. Also, pray for consistently good individual prayer times (overcoming tiredness and interruptions!) and that we would draw our strength from Him.
