End of November 2023 Update

Our Thanksgiving Day feast is officially behind us (although, sadly, not the lingering caloric damage!) Our hearts (like our waistlines) are overflowing with gratitude for the blessings of this year. Truly, "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies." Just as a good recipe should be shared, here is the "menu" of our bounty of blessings.

APPETIZER BLESSINGS…

THANK You, LORD, for the missionaries teaching discipleship as part of their ministries:

· Pastors Carla and Gustavo, Brazilian missionaries, who are setting up a new Learning Center in Cambodia in addition to the one in MaeSai, Thailand, reaching both adults and children for the Gospel with their love and teaching,

· Pastors Jonathan and Pek Lawn Kim, Burmese missionaries, maintaining the Thai Learning Center while their Brazilian leaders are in Cambodia, planting a church, evangelizing, discipling, and nurturing home churches,

· Pastors Tony and Kelly, Californian missionaries, running a group home, managing a Christian book depository, and training discipleship in Cambodia in addition to Thailand,

· Prince Neumaan, Pakistani missionary, training disciples in both Thailand and M_______, teaching English, coaching cricket, developing Burmese youth (and soon to be married!!!),

· Pastors Alex and Kanchana, Malaysian and Burmese missionaries, running medical and discipleship missions into remote areas of M_________. Alex is also supervising and mentoring our newest income-producing project to support the leader, Pastor Songling, and local outreaches,

· All those trained in discipleship, such as RCJC, MayLee, Jay Sein, Noah, and Nuemaan, and so many others, who carry the Gospel message wherever they go in M_______.

· For all these pastors who at Christmas time work diligently to make impossibly limited budgets stretch to cover something extra for kids to help celebrate the birth of our Savior.

MAIN COURSE BLESSINGS…

THANK You, LORD, for the new Haitian church planters in the Dominican Republic:

· Pastor Meremy, Las Tablas Church near Bani, the only Haitian church in this impoverished area, whose chapel was built by the pastor and congregation, and who is persevering despite massive deportation of Haitians,

· Pastor Roges Charles, Mama Tingo Church, in a very poor rural Haitian community, distributing bibles and building slowly,

· Pastor Lucien in La Guayiga Church, whose congregation was also strongly affected by deportation, but is strong on evangelism and rebuilding well. This area was a haven for witchcraft. His wife teaches a sewing course for 12 ladies to help them earn a family income.

SIDE DISH BLESSINGS...

THANK You, LORD, for our Dominican partners and overseers:

· Pastor Jaime, a certified Project Manager, who handles the building of chapels and the mission house, as well as managing the support of DR and Haitian pastors, discipleship training, and micro-loan program,

· Sister Jackie, Jaime’s very capable wife, handles the home, and all legal issues, feeds mission teams, and teaches Kids Church and outreach.

SWEET DESSERT BLESSINGS...

THANK You, LORD, for our Rescue Home Pastors in M________:

· Nan Htike, currently building her new compound close to town, housing slightly over 40 boys and girls rescued from abuse, neglect, or risk of trafficking,

· Victory Children’s Home, whose efforts to become agriculturally self-sufficient are a model for other rescue homes as well as the community.

REFRESHING BEVERAGE BLESSINGS...

THANK You, LORD for the microloan project in the Dominican, which many of you funded, the repayments of which are invested in the next pastor:

· 9 loans of $500.00 are currently in progress, mostly with Haitian pastors: 2 loans for pigs, 1 for sewing, 1 for motorcycle transport, 1 empanada business, 4 clothing businesses.

· Sadly, since the immigration crackdown, the pastors don't dare post pictures of what they are doing in their ministries or their businesses. Many Haitians don’t sleep at home but at the church, or up on the roof, hiding.

FRUIT AND NUT BLESSINGS...

Not the least of the blessings that we THANK You for, LORD, are family, friends, and doctors who have either housed us (welcomingly), fed us (deliciously), encouraged us (effectively), operated on us (skillfully), rehabbed us (lengthily), prayed for us (faithfully), or supported our mission (oh so generously) during this time.

One month post-surgically, what’s Peter up to? Between sessions of PT (going well, thank you!) and bouts at the gym (cardio can’t be ignored!), he’s hunkered down over the computer arranging “planes, trains, and automobiles” to meetings in four countries…God willing. (We are ever mindful that the best way to make God laugh is to tell Him our plans; at the same time, He’s the one putting the desire in our hearts to get back on the field.) We’ll keep on planning until He tells us otherwise!

And me? Oh, well, I’m “making a list and checking it twice,” handling the icepacks, elevation cushions, protein powders, trekking poles, anti-inflammatories, and appointment calendars necessary for recovery, soaking up the chance to be with our Texan kids (who have Amazon Prime!!!) and looking forward to seeing more family and friends over Christmas. Bliss!

For this Bounty of Blessings and a thousand more, LORD, that you set before us, we are profoundly grateful. But most of all, we THANK You for the Gift of Your Son, Jesus, Our Savior. May we daily remember the price You paid.

"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1Cor. 6:20 KJV