an epic tragedy

The policy of this nation is to allow couples to have only one child.  There are few exceptions (in rural areas or if both the husband and wife are only-children) but it is very deeply ingrained in the hearts and minds of the people so that most of the people we talk to tell us they would never want more than one child.

Maybe it sounds a bit sad but overall a harmless policy?  It's not.  Abortion is SO common.  So cheap.  People (think they) have no other option... they can't afford to pay the fines for another child and they've been brainwashed (that's my word for it, though I admit bias) to not even consider the possibility of a Creator God.

Killing babies in the womb as if they're blades of grass that simply need a trim has inflicted on this society deep wounds.

We recently heard of a leader say that abortion is a sin that is probably more easily uncovered than other sins.  When, in evangelism, 90% of our time can be spent on helping people recognize that they are sinners and need a savior, this sin (and it's scar) can sometimes more easily be found than say jealousy, selfishness or greed.

The horror of it is that this is so accepted, so common, so allll-over-the-place.  My neighbor just told me she's pregnant with a second and not sure she wants to keep her baby. I pleaded with her but I'm afraid to see her again and ask how she's doing...  My fruit vendor was a bit sick last week and when I checked on her this week she told me she had an abortion.  And both of these ladies smile about it with no prick of conscious evident at all.  But oh if they could see!!!

Would you ask for wisdom for us as we want our lives to be a bold witness to the fact that our God creates life for joy in Him.  (our large family stands out everywhere we go)

Ask for wisdom for us to discuss with local friends this restraint put on them and to grieve the corner a few of them feel backed into.  Ask for wisdom and boldness.

Ask for help for us...  How can we address this with our friends?  Maybe we need contacts here...  there are good Christian works that rescue babies.  We are in way over our heads to want to help address this, to know that we MUST be ready with help, with answers for needy friends....  would you please ask the Lord for grace and wisdom and help for us in this?

update on Max

I posted about this possibility last month...  now here's the latest:

Our good friend Max was offered a job here in our town, working for a company that will also employ believers.  We really hope that he'll take the job and get to be influenced in this way, and be near us too so we can enjoy having him over and seize every opportunity opened for us to proclaim Christ to this dear friend too!

creative leads

Would you please ask the Father to lead us, give us wisdom, to salt every conversation we have with our language tutors and friends?  We know that naturally, they are not interested to hear about Christ.  They aren't ready and waiting to study the Word with us.

But we don't want to simply sit back and wait... we want to be pursuing them in prayer, and living lives and speaking words with them that make them thirsty for Christ.

The Good News of Salvation in Christ Jesus is seen as western-tainted filth to these Muslim friends.  Ask that the Holy Spirt would work mightily in our friends lives, hearts, minds, and across the Uyghur people, to awaken them to the Beauty and LIFE offered in Christ, found in his Word.