Jan 2007
Wednesday group growing
2007/01/30
Last Weds., A-ho (Susan's husband), Siau-chong, and
Seann joined our ladies group (Susan, Rena, June and
I). Susan made a great lunch, and we watched a movie.
A-ho didn't really join in watching the movie or in
the discussion, but overall, it was a very warm
atmosphere. People really seemed to enjoy themselves.
This week, we will try it again. This time, however, we will be looking at a Bible story and discussing it. Please pray that everyone can make it, especially A-ho and Siau-chong. Pray that Siau-chong and A-ho can build a good friendship. There was a slight misunderstanding last week. Pray that it would not cause a problem in the group.
This is just the seedling of another house church. Pray that we, the believers in the group, will have wisdom to know how to run the group.
Thanks for your prayers on behalf of our Taiwanese friends!
This week, we will try it again. This time, however, we will be looking at a Bible story and discussing it. Please pray that everyone can make it, especially A-ho and Siau-chong. Pray that Siau-chong and A-ho can build a good friendship. There was a slight misunderstanding last week. Pray that it would not cause a problem in the group.
This is just the seedling of another house church. Pray that we, the believers in the group, will have wisdom to know how to run the group.
Thanks for your prayers on behalf of our Taiwanese friends!
June begins her own group!
2007/01/21
Hi, Friends. Here is some more fuel for prayer. As
you may remember, June returned to Chiayi in early
December after Olivia's death. She immediately
returned to the ladies Bible study, and recently she
and I have started meeting 4 mornings a week for
prayer and Bible study. She has an incredible thirst
for the Word. Her understanding of the 2 Timothy 2:2
principle as well as church is awesome, and
definitely something from the Lord. She is like a
sponge that just soaks in the Word. She has a fire
for evangelism as well as establishing groups and
churches that her people feel like they can belong
to. I think she has great potential for leadership.
She and I have been talking about how to change the ladies group into more of a house church. It just so happens that Susan's husband has been at the Bible study the last two weeks. He doesn't participate, but sits in the kitchen and listens in. So, Susan asked if Seann could come next time so there is another man there with her husband, A-ho. So, this week, Seann will join us and may even bring Siau-chong along. June has some good ideas on how to transition the group, so, in the future, we will be trying some new things. Please pray for this group. It would be great to have something going before we head home for home assignment this summer with June being the primary leader of the group.
Also, June will be starting her own group this coming Tuesday afternoon. She has invited two employees from the restaurant as well as a customer to meet together for discussion about Christianity and prayer. She is very excited about this. At first, she asked me or one of the other missionaries to join her. However, I encouraged her to do it on her own, and I would support her on the sidelines. No need to ask foreigners or strangers into the group when these ladies already have a relationship, and June already has an idea of what she wants to do with the group. Please keep this new group in your prayers. Pray for June to have wisdom and discernment and a real reliance on the Lord. Pray that I would be a help and encouragement in the background.
Finally, there are some difficulties for June that you can lift up to the Father. Her son, who is in the first grade, has been having a lot of trouble in his new school here. The teacher constantly scolds him and has hit him a couple of times. Most of the time, it's not for bad behavior, but because he does things slowly (eating, writing characters, etc.) or because he doesn't get 100% on his tests. He has started wetting his pants at school, which only makes things worse. He really needs attention, and June needs wisdom about how to help him. Seann is going to start spending time with him regularly to give him that extra attention and serve as a role model for the boy.
June has also gotten some resistance from local Christians who tell her she is too young or not educated enough to have her own Bible study or to even evangelize to people. She is standing firm in her faith and her understanding of the Scriptures, but it has been a bit discouraging for her. Please pray that she would stay the course and cling to her faith in the Lord and in His Word.
Without your prayers, people like June would have no opportunity to hear the Gospel, much less grow in their faith in Him.
"In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now." (Phil 1:4,5)
She and I have been talking about how to change the ladies group into more of a house church. It just so happens that Susan's husband has been at the Bible study the last two weeks. He doesn't participate, but sits in the kitchen and listens in. So, Susan asked if Seann could come next time so there is another man there with her husband, A-ho. So, this week, Seann will join us and may even bring Siau-chong along. June has some good ideas on how to transition the group, so, in the future, we will be trying some new things. Please pray for this group. It would be great to have something going before we head home for home assignment this summer with June being the primary leader of the group.
Also, June will be starting her own group this coming Tuesday afternoon. She has invited two employees from the restaurant as well as a customer to meet together for discussion about Christianity and prayer. She is very excited about this. At first, she asked me or one of the other missionaries to join her. However, I encouraged her to do it on her own, and I would support her on the sidelines. No need to ask foreigners or strangers into the group when these ladies already have a relationship, and June already has an idea of what she wants to do with the group. Please keep this new group in your prayers. Pray for June to have wisdom and discernment and a real reliance on the Lord. Pray that I would be a help and encouragement in the background.
Finally, there are some difficulties for June that you can lift up to the Father. Her son, who is in the first grade, has been having a lot of trouble in his new school here. The teacher constantly scolds him and has hit him a couple of times. Most of the time, it's not for bad behavior, but because he does things slowly (eating, writing characters, etc.) or because he doesn't get 100% on his tests. He has started wetting his pants at school, which only makes things worse. He really needs attention, and June needs wisdom about how to help him. Seann is going to start spending time with him regularly to give him that extra attention and serve as a role model for the boy.
June has also gotten some resistance from local Christians who tell her she is too young or not educated enough to have her own Bible study or to even evangelize to people. She is standing firm in her faith and her understanding of the Scriptures, but it has been a bit discouraging for her. Please pray that she would stay the course and cling to her faith in the Lord and in His Word.
Without your prayers, people like June would have no opportunity to hear the Gospel, much less grow in their faith in Him.
"In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now." (Phil 1:4,5)