November/December 2008
Dear Friends and Ministry Partners,
It is a joy to be able to send out another update in the anticipation that many will be reminded to pray for us. It is difficult, however, to absorb the fact that this is our November/December update!
WHAT DO MOUNTAINS SAY?
If sound waves could be captured and turned into cash, the back seat of our Dodge Caravan would be a gold mine on wheels. While questions exude almost incessantly from the two car seats behind us, every once in a while there is a comment that leaves me wondering whether it was merely the product of a mindless endeavor to fill the void or the genuine outflow of some diligent cerebral activity. Take, for example, this question: What do mountains say? Should you chide the child for being ridiculous or praise him or her for being unusually perceptive and insightful? Before you give your verdict, consider the context: we are driving on one of the top five scenic routes in the United States up from the beautiful red mountains of Sedona, AZ, through the 8,000-foot-high Ponderosa Pine forest and on to the breath-stopping vistas of the Grand Canyon. Regardless of how the question was intended, it immediately brought to my mind the words of Psalm 19. It is a travesty to think that every year millions of people come to gawk at this beautiful scenery, and yet stop their ears as it thunders forth the glory of God.
ON A COVERT VACATION?
Some may wonder if this whole “pre-field ministry” is nothing but a smokescreen to cover for a clandestine, long-term vacation. Well, let me just say, some of it is out-and-out vacationing, pure and simple! Through the generosity of a friend, we were given three free nights in Sedona, AZ (two hours south of the Grand Canyon), that were just fabulous. Our travels have brought their own set of perks (a.k.a. blessings) and challenges (a.k.a. trials). I won’t venture to produce a list for either category, though I will say that Ruth and I often marvel at what a unique (even odd) stage of life we are in. The kids? They think it’s normal to have people take you out to eat in restaurants, sleep in new beds, spend hours in the van and ask, What do mountains say? as they’re scanning the beautiful landscape of northern Arizona.
THE ROAD BEHIND AND AHEAD
We are more than 5,000 miles into our present 8-week-long trip and finally at its most western point—which means we have a long way to go to get
home! By the time it is over, we will have been in 17 churches in Florida, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. God has blessed us with good meetings and many new friends. We are especially grateful to the four new individuals/families who have committed to partnering with us, bringing our promised support to 28% of our target. We have been blessed by my Uncle Bacilio and Aunt Eunice Alfaro who have graciously allowed us to use their home as a base in the Phoenix area. We hope to return home to Spartanburg by the end of November. Plans are still in place for us to travel to France next June to replace my parents in Bordeaux through the end of 2009. We still need more support than we have at present to be able to make this short-term trip, and we would love to reach 100% of our goal before then in order to remain in France in 2010. Obviously, this is a major prayer request. Other prayer requests include the health of our van (which has held up well so far) and especially our own growth in grace during this time of transition. While we all pray, prepare and plan for the future, none of us knows where the road ahead will lead. We can, however, relax in an all-wise, good, and powerful God who has promised to make our paths straight. May God help us all to resist self-reliance and anxiety and to trust wholeheartedly in Him.
In Christ,
Tim, Ruth, Micaiah & Miriam
ITINERARY
November 2 (am) - Phoenix, AZ
November 2 (pm) - Avondale, AZ
November 9 - Gilbert, AZ
November 12 - Queen Creek, AZ
November 16 - Tucson, AZ
November 19 - Albuquerque, NM
November 30 - Cary, NC
December 14 - Greenville, SC
Dear Friends and Ministry Partners,
It is a joy to be able to send out another update in the anticipation that many will be reminded to pray for us. It is difficult, however, to absorb the fact that this is our November/December update!
WHAT DO MOUNTAINS SAY?If sound waves could be captured and turned into cash, the back seat of our Dodge Caravan would be a gold mine on wheels. While questions exude almost incessantly from the two car seats behind us, every once in a while there is a comment that leaves me wondering whether it was merely the product of a mindless endeavor to fill the void or the genuine outflow of some diligent cerebral activity. Take, for example, this question: What do mountains say? Should you chide the child for being ridiculous or praise him or her for being unusually perceptive and insightful? Before you give your verdict, consider the context: we are driving on one of the top five scenic routes in the United States up from the beautiful red mountains of Sedona, AZ, through the 8,000-foot-high Ponderosa Pine forest and on to the breath-stopping vistas of the Grand Canyon. Regardless of how the question was intended, it immediately brought to my mind the words of Psalm 19. It is a travesty to think that every year millions of people come to gawk at this beautiful scenery, and yet stop their ears as it thunders forth the glory of God.
ON A COVERT VACATION?
Some may wonder if this whole “pre-field ministry” is nothing but a smokescreen to cover for a clandestine, long-term vacation. Well, let me just say, some of it is out-and-out vacationing, pure and simple! Through the generosity of a friend, we were given three free nights in Sedona, AZ (two hours south of the Grand Canyon), that were just fabulous. Our travels have brought their own set of perks (a.k.a. blessings) and challenges (a.k.a. trials). I won’t venture to produce a list for either category, though I will say that Ruth and I often marvel at what a unique (even odd) stage of life we are in. The kids? They think it’s normal to have people take you out to eat in restaurants, sleep in new beds, spend hours in the van and ask, What do mountains say? as they’re scanning the beautiful landscape of northern Arizona.
THE ROAD BEHIND AND AHEAD
We are more than 5,000 miles into our present 8-week-long trip and finally at its most western point—which means we have a long way to go to get
home! By the time it is over, we will have been in 17 churches in Florida, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. God has blessed us with good meetings and many new friends. We are especially grateful to the four new individuals/families who have committed to partnering with us, bringing our promised support to 28% of our target. We have been blessed by my Uncle Bacilio and Aunt Eunice Alfaro who have graciously allowed us to use their home as a base in the Phoenix area. We hope to return home to Spartanburg by the end of November. Plans are still in place for us to travel to France next June to replace my parents in Bordeaux through the end of 2009. We still need more support than we have at present to be able to make this short-term trip, and we would love to reach 100% of our goal before then in order to remain in France in 2010. Obviously, this is a major prayer request. Other prayer requests include the health of our van (which has held up well so far) and especially our own growth in grace during this time of transition. While we all pray, prepare and plan for the future, none of us knows where the road ahead will lead. We can, however, relax in an all-wise, good, and powerful God who has promised to make our paths straight. May God help us all to resist self-reliance and anxiety and to trust wholeheartedly in Him.In Christ,
Tim, Ruth, Micaiah & Miriam
ITINERARY
November 2 (am) - Phoenix, AZ
November 2 (pm) - Avondale, AZ
November 9 - Gilbert, AZ
November 12 - Queen Creek, AZ
November 16 - Tucson, AZ
November 19 - Albuquerque, NM
November 30 - Cary, NC
December 14 - Greenville, SC
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