We are so grateful for the coordinated labors of senders/ prayers supporting us and working with us through prayer and encouragement as we work together to see churches planted among Uyghurs. Unity like this is essential in this fight!
And unity on the ground is a great need to lift up to the Lord as well. Would you please pray that the Lord would use the workers that are on the ground here together to support, sharpen and encourage each other? Sometimes we go at the work in very different ways and unity is hard to guard, but it is essential!
Recently, there have been differences discussed for opinions on ministry strategy, views of how to teach the Bible, whether we should start sharing with U friends from missionary methods that have been devised from select verses in the Quran, and when and how to train up locals for leadership in the one-day Uyghur church.
Please ask the Lord to give us wisdom according to his word to proclaim His truth clearly as we ought, and to be united after the one battle cry: to proclaim Christ crucified.... and see Him rightly praised! Pray with Jesus from John 17, and with Paul from Colossians 1:1-14.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
watched and unwelcome
I wrote a little while ago about a low spot for us here. Since then (mid Feb?) the Lord has been so gracious to give us one great answer: The thesis paper that could have loomed over my husband for years has been adjusted (the requirements) and he should be able to finish, with Sovereign help, in the next 3- 4 months. But we've still been battling the blues and there's been one cloud hovering darkest.
A while ago my husband met with a local friend that he travelled with in a Uyghur area not too long ago. They were in the most densely Uyghur area of the Uyghur province... probably within a days drive from the Afghan border. And my husband just heard from this local friend that after he left that area, this local friend and his family were questioned and pressed to "betray" what this foreign friend of theirs was doing.
My husband was legit.... traveling on behalf of the company he's begun that is completely legal by government standards. But the local authorities pegged him as an missionary (what other foreigner travels here, speaking the local languages?) But he was unwelcome.
The friend also told my husband that several of the men that were their "tour guides" or drivers in that area were plain clothes police men.
We don't live inside the Uyghur province but we are pressing our way there in every way (language, business, friendships) and this kind of news hurts, discourages. Would you pray that the Lord would lift our eyes and hearts, give us dreams and vision of what He will open doors for, of where, how he will lead and protect us, protect the work? Sovereign protection and provision is needed for us to ever be allowed to be in Xin Jiang (the U province) and for the local believers we hope to see teems of in years to come, the local believers we would love to be a part of training theologically so that they might lead their own flourishing church among the Uyghur people for God's praise!
A while ago my husband met with a local friend that he travelled with in a Uyghur area not too long ago. They were in the most densely Uyghur area of the Uyghur province... probably within a days drive from the Afghan border. And my husband just heard from this local friend that after he left that area, this local friend and his family were questioned and pressed to "betray" what this foreign friend of theirs was doing.
My husband was legit.... traveling on behalf of the company he's begun that is completely legal by government standards. But the local authorities pegged him as an missionary (what other foreigner travels here, speaking the local languages?) But he was unwelcome.
The friend also told my husband that several of the men that were their "tour guides" or drivers in that area were plain clothes police men.
We don't live inside the Uyghur province but we are pressing our way there in every way (language, business, friendships) and this kind of news hurts, discourages. Would you pray that the Lord would lift our eyes and hearts, give us dreams and vision of what He will open doors for, of where, how he will lead and protect us, protect the work? Sovereign protection and provision is needed for us to ever be allowed to be in Xin Jiang (the U province) and for the local believers we hope to see teems of in years to come, the local believers we would love to be a part of training theologically so that they might lead their own flourishing church among the Uyghur people for God's praise!
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