I'm sad to see how long it's been since I've updated here.... thank you still for persevering in prayer for the U people by praying Scripture and using the prayer guides linked to in the sidebar. I'm hoping to update those pages too, sometime soon!
You've probably seen in our email updates that we've connected with some good groups on the ground. We're grateful for the friends we practice with on Saturday mornings, kids our kids can play with, and parents for us to connect with. These families, and neighbor families, and our language tutors are the main groups we are praying to be able to move forward in relationship with...
When we came to this country, mis.n.s leadership talked mostly about "friendship evangelism". In more recent years, we are hearing more abut "rapid chu ch planting"..... and frankly, we see some serious weakness/limitations to both of these approaches. We know that hearts set on the Lord can be used even when we're using faulty methods, but we eagerly desire to please the Lord, leaning on and submitting to the Word of God, in how we go about proclaiming his grace among this dear people. Would you please pray that the Lord would give us wisdom and a settled peace with His guidance for us, as we seek to develop real, serving friendships and present not just "seeds" of the Gospel, but present the Word of God itself, invite people into opportunities to engage with the Word of God.... that's where the Lord most powerfully speaks and we want to see Him use His Word to draw people to Himself!
We are also approaching a short, different season.... the transition for our family in the nearly three months ahead, will be many and tiring and no doubt, full of joy too. Would you ask that the Lord would give our kids especially, His peace, for this fast moving time? And ask too, that He would use us to equip and encourage His church to a brighter, hotter flame for mis.sns, worship, and prayer.
And lastly, we ask that you'd pray with us for several marriages around us. Honestly, every single local, believing marriage that we know is strained... some quite seriously. That's not even to speak of marriages of not-yet-believing friends! May the Lord come gently and bring repentance, healing and peace to these relationships, showing His glory in and through His people's brokenness.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
the vital role of YOU
I've had doubts recently. Nothing that captured my mind but thoughts that definitely wandered, unwelcomed, through there. I hardly realized it until I had a chance to meet with a few other ladies to talk.
Swirling in my head: All the pressures against us here! Two (difficult!) languages to learn, a culture that has our type thickly and thoroughly stereotyped as fools and idiots and idol worshippers (worshipping this man Jesus and his mother Mary) and who reviles with disgust at our hollywood lifestyles and our pig-eating filth, and a government who is entirely working against us in every way (remember those posters I wrote about below, the prizes announced for turning in any neighbors who host illegal gatherings?)
I didn't hardly note it in my mind, but when my lips spoke the words with these women, I was embarrassed and ashamed. Yet it was too true to try to take back. "I've thought recently, that maybe we should just pull out of here. Pray hard that the Lord will open wide these doors and then Christ's ambassadors can get back in here and beautifully, boldly proclaim His excellencies with greater freedom."
It was with this group of ladies, sitting together for a quick Wednesday morning visit and some delicious coffee and baked goodness (western food still blesses me best!), where my tears fell as I confessed my frustrations and doubts. And it was in the simpleness of being together where their lives shook me awake to the sovereign goodness of God even here, even now, even with our limitations and hindrances. I left that brief visit assured, re-captured, re-membered by the goodness of God's work and His ways.
Truth is, I was only there because the hostess was my dear friend and she invited me to hear from these ladies who were traveling through. I didn't know them... I just began to hear that morning how they had been sent out by a thriving church that had adopted the Uyghur people for prayer and service over a decade ago. And somehow, hearing how these ladies prayed for my friend, how they had supported her and sent the winter gear her family needed, seeing how they had come to hold hands in prayer and show love and remind us all of God's faithfulness.... I left changed. Profound, soul awakingly encouraged. I felt loved. (Yes, loved by these women who, apart from being joined with me in Christ, were total strangers to me.)
If our God would send in support, these hands and hearts, to simply show us- even stranger me!- His love and recall His goodness and reorient my eyes to see His unseeable yet totally knowable, reliable perfection and faithfulness, then I can keep on going here.
And if my soul feels this gloriously awakened by one morning with these strange women... than maybe, just maybe, my strange life, tucked in with my neighbors' lives over these years, can see transformation too. It is exactly what He said His kingdom is like.
"The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened." (Matt 13:33) The ESV text note mentions the Lord's intent for "hidden permeation" of the kingdom of heaven. That's exactly what we can do here!
Lord amplify your grace as we hide our lives, our love- YOUR love!- into the nitty gritty everydayness- water's out, another bloody lamb slaughtered at our stairwell door, trials and joys- of our community of unreached Uyghur people. Transform the three measures of flour right outside our door.
Friends, please never underestimate the essential part you play in keeping the work going here. Your encouragement is worth more than I can say. Please pray, and then can you even let us know that you are praying?
We are the body of Christ together. Thank you for ministering His love even to us as we seek to love and serve the beautiful lost ones all around us in the darkness.
May the Lamb of God receive the reward for His suffering!
Swirling in my head: All the pressures against us here! Two (difficult!) languages to learn, a culture that has our type thickly and thoroughly stereotyped as fools and idiots and idol worshippers (worshipping this man Jesus and his mother Mary) and who reviles with disgust at our hollywood lifestyles and our pig-eating filth, and a government who is entirely working against us in every way (remember those posters I wrote about below, the prizes announced for turning in any neighbors who host illegal gatherings?)
I didn't hardly note it in my mind, but when my lips spoke the words with these women, I was embarrassed and ashamed. Yet it was too true to try to take back. "I've thought recently, that maybe we should just pull out of here. Pray hard that the Lord will open wide these doors and then Christ's ambassadors can get back in here and beautifully, boldly proclaim His excellencies with greater freedom."
It was with this group of ladies, sitting together for a quick Wednesday morning visit and some delicious coffee and baked goodness (western food still blesses me best!), where my tears fell as I confessed my frustrations and doubts. And it was in the simpleness of being together where their lives shook me awake to the sovereign goodness of God even here, even now, even with our limitations and hindrances. I left that brief visit assured, re-captured, re-membered by the goodness of God's work and His ways.
Truth is, I was only there because the hostess was my dear friend and she invited me to hear from these ladies who were traveling through. I didn't know them... I just began to hear that morning how they had been sent out by a thriving church that had adopted the Uyghur people for prayer and service over a decade ago. And somehow, hearing how these ladies prayed for my friend, how they had supported her and sent the winter gear her family needed, seeing how they had come to hold hands in prayer and show love and remind us all of God's faithfulness.... I left changed. Profound, soul awakingly encouraged. I felt loved. (Yes, loved by these women who, apart from being joined with me in Christ, were total strangers to me.)
If our God would send in support, these hands and hearts, to simply show us- even stranger me!- His love and recall His goodness and reorient my eyes to see His unseeable yet totally knowable, reliable perfection and faithfulness, then I can keep on going here.
And if my soul feels this gloriously awakened by one morning with these strange women... than maybe, just maybe, my strange life, tucked in with my neighbors' lives over these years, can see transformation too. It is exactly what He said His kingdom is like.
"The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened." (Matt 13:33) The ESV text note mentions the Lord's intent for "hidden permeation" of the kingdom of heaven. That's exactly what we can do here!
Lord amplify your grace as we hide our lives, our love- YOUR love!- into the nitty gritty everydayness- water's out, another bloody lamb slaughtered at our stairwell door, trials and joys- of our community of unreached Uyghur people. Transform the three measures of flour right outside our door.
Friends, please never underestimate the essential part you play in keeping the work going here. Your encouragement is worth more than I can say. Please pray, and then can you even let us know that you are praying?
We are the body of Christ together. Thank you for ministering His love even to us as we seek to love and serve the beautiful lost ones all around us in the darkness.
May the Lamb of God receive the reward for His suffering!
public security...
A week or two ago we noticed a crowd gathered at the police station. 20 or so men gathered around posters taped up on the walls. 4-5 large posters detailing the dress and head coverings that are allowed for women: hair covered with a scarf, which is the traditional Uyghur modest woman look, is ok, but no covering over the face (which associates them with staunch Islam). Posters also show the facial hair that's allowed for local men (long beards, which most Han Chinese can't grow, seem to the government to be too Islamic, and therefore are too closely, potentially, connected to separatist/ Islamic terrorist groups).
There are more pictures on these posters of westerners (classic big nose, white skin, foreign suit and tie) passing out small booklets with crosses and locals are instructed plainly not to take, not to listen to any information from such trouble makers. About 1/3 of an average monthly rent will be paid as prize to anyone giving information on any gathering taking place for the purpose of worship or teaching.
If you know this area well, it won't surprise you to hear that many of these posters, taped up all over town, have been torn to shreds. Two months ago, when we first caught wind of these reforms, I nearly cried when I saw my first neighbor who had been forced to remove her face-covering. I'm totally not for ladies needing to hide behind black veils for social or spiritual favor.... but I sure did want to cry for this friend who was forced, rumor has it there were police threats against her family's small grocery store, to dress more modern, acceptably, in the police's eye.
All this is the governments way to keep Islam from striking too deep in people's hearts here and causing terrorist ideals to take root among the people. Yea, that would be a great thing to prevent, but this is a hard way at it... it does not appear to be inspiring peace in the hearts of the people.
And there's more discrepancies, hardships given to one ethnic group over another, and there are big cases that attract big attention and cause great concern. If you have a minute you can read about the professor who was sentenced to life in prison last week in our city.... his crime? As a communist party member he had tried to speak out about the government's weakness in dealing with the political situation in this province. And even elsewhere in China, there's trouble.... across the country from us, crosses are being torn down from churches where they have been allowed to stand for years...
Much to pray for... much to pray for, friends! Please continue standing with us!
Our God is sovereign and we trust His love and His plans for this people, this great nation that He loves. May He accomplish all the good works he has planned for this nation. May He bring peace.... as we know is His heart when the angels proclaimed at the birth of the Son of God:
Peace on Earth, Goodwill from God to man.
There are more pictures on these posters of westerners (classic big nose, white skin, foreign suit and tie) passing out small booklets with crosses and locals are instructed plainly not to take, not to listen to any information from such trouble makers. About 1/3 of an average monthly rent will be paid as prize to anyone giving information on any gathering taking place for the purpose of worship or teaching.
If you know this area well, it won't surprise you to hear that many of these posters, taped up all over town, have been torn to shreds. Two months ago, when we first caught wind of these reforms, I nearly cried when I saw my first neighbor who had been forced to remove her face-covering. I'm totally not for ladies needing to hide behind black veils for social or spiritual favor.... but I sure did want to cry for this friend who was forced, rumor has it there were police threats against her family's small grocery store, to dress more modern, acceptably, in the police's eye.
All this is the governments way to keep Islam from striking too deep in people's hearts here and causing terrorist ideals to take root among the people. Yea, that would be a great thing to prevent, but this is a hard way at it... it does not appear to be inspiring peace in the hearts of the people.
And there's more discrepancies, hardships given to one ethnic group over another, and there are big cases that attract big attention and cause great concern. If you have a minute you can read about the professor who was sentenced to life in prison last week in our city.... his crime? As a communist party member he had tried to speak out about the government's weakness in dealing with the political situation in this province. And even elsewhere in China, there's trouble.... across the country from us, crosses are being torn down from churches where they have been allowed to stand for years...
Much to pray for... much to pray for, friends! Please continue standing with us!
Our God is sovereign and we trust His love and His plans for this people, this great nation that He loves. May He accomplish all the good works he has planned for this nation. May He bring peace.... as we know is His heart when the angels proclaimed at the birth of the Son of God:
Peace on Earth, Goodwill from God to man.
Christianity in China
A very interesting article....
China Christianity @ CNN
Lord build your church! May the harvest for your glory be great, in this great nation!
China Christianity @ CNN
Lord build your church! May the harvest for your glory be great, in this great nation!
Thursday, July 31, 2014
tight times
If you've been tracking with us, you've probably gathered that this is a little bit of a tougher season than we've known before. In other provinces in China there are often more freedoms and less security but this province is a tenser place and these are tenser times.
This BBC article gives a bit more info on the increased security here now. Also, we updated you recently that all of our local U friends who rent a home in the capital city are being required to return to their hometowns to obtain a permission card that will allow them to rent a residence and live in the city. This has been a great hardship for many local friends as they would like to continue with their jobs rather than having to be uprooted for sometimes several weeks in order to get back to their family's roots.... It's been costly both in finances and opportunities for these people. Usually, they've been required to leave pretty nearly immediately... And then, sometimes the permission cards have been difficult to acquire.
All of this means.... Tension.
We've heard that all road travel, train travel, and air travel are equally tight.... road blocks have passengers empty their luggage from cars in order to be scanned just like security at an airport. And because of all these security checkpoints (mentioned in the article) many believers who have had to travel back to their hometowns have not brought copies of the New Testament (which are illegal to have in your possession here) and they've even deleted them from their phone because phones have been checked, scanned as well.
Pray that the Word of God would be planted, as seeds deep into the soil of hearts and minds and lives here. Pray that these precious seeds would not be snatched away!
Thank you for praying for peace in this land. For praying for the authorities who have a difficult job to try to bring peace to this land that is torn with religious and ethnic divisions. Pray for wisdom and humility for authorities. Pray for the peace of Christ for all!
This BBC article gives a bit more info on the increased security here now. Also, we updated you recently that all of our local U friends who rent a home in the capital city are being required to return to their hometowns to obtain a permission card that will allow them to rent a residence and live in the city. This has been a great hardship for many local friends as they would like to continue with their jobs rather than having to be uprooted for sometimes several weeks in order to get back to their family's roots.... It's been costly both in finances and opportunities for these people. Usually, they've been required to leave pretty nearly immediately... And then, sometimes the permission cards have been difficult to acquire.
All of this means.... Tension.
We've heard that all road travel, train travel, and air travel are equally tight.... road blocks have passengers empty their luggage from cars in order to be scanned just like security at an airport. And because of all these security checkpoints (mentioned in the article) many believers who have had to travel back to their hometowns have not brought copies of the New Testament (which are illegal to have in your possession here) and they've even deleted them from their phone because phones have been checked, scanned as well.
Pray that the Word of God would be planted, as seeds deep into the soil of hearts and minds and lives here. Pray that these precious seeds would not be snatched away!
Thank you for praying for peace in this land. For praying for the authorities who have a difficult job to try to bring peace to this land that is torn with religious and ethnic divisions. Pray for wisdom and humility for authorities. Pray for the peace of Christ for all!
Monday, July 21, 2014
that dad...
Thank you for praying for the dad I mentioned recently.... he made it back to his hometown and back to his family again in good time. We are so thankful for them to be together for the very good news that's soon to arrive at their place!
And about the other local brothers I mentioned... we haven't heard any update at all about them. But everyone who we know that was loosely associated with them has been unaffected since that all went down so that seems like a good sign.
We continue to pray for peace for this city, for wisdom for officials and policy makers and security folks... we continue to pray for the peace of Christ to flood into the hearts of these people.
For His glory... by His grace...
And about the other local brothers I mentioned... we haven't heard any update at all about them. But everyone who we know that was loosely associated with them has been unaffected since that all went down so that seems like a good sign.
We continue to pray for peace for this city, for wisdom for officials and policy makers and security folks... we continue to pray for the peace of Christ to flood into the hearts of these people.
For His glory... by His grace...
Thursday, May 22, 2014
trouble
There was more trouble in town today. It's the second attack in a month. Check this BBC post for the this morning's sadness.
We are safe. And we are praying.
Thank you for praying with and for us. Thank you…. I'm feeling needy for more exclusive abandonment to Christ… His call, His leading for us here, His Word and promises to redeem a remnant from this beautiful minority group, and His pleasure to uphold His Word that
He
Will
Work
All
Things
for
His
Glory
and
Our
Good.
Rock Solid….. so may our hope and our hearts be, Lord! Use us for your glory!
We pray for peace and wisdom for authorities and peace and comfort for those suffering and justice, truth and peace for the groups instigating such pain. Bring Your True and Everlasting Peace to Uru mqi!
We are safe. And we are praying.
Thank you for praying with and for us. Thank you…. I'm feeling needy for more exclusive abandonment to Christ… His call, His leading for us here, His Word and promises to redeem a remnant from this beautiful minority group, and His pleasure to uphold His Word that
He
Will
Work
All
Things
for
His
Glory
and
Our
Good.
Rock Solid….. so may our hope and our hearts be, Lord! Use us for your glory!
We pray for peace and wisdom for authorities and peace and comfort for those suffering and justice, truth and peace for the groups instigating such pain. Bring Your True and Everlasting Peace to Uru mqi!
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
two dear girls
Thank you for praying with us for these girls….
1) This young lady is hurting…. her father passed away about a year ago and her boyfriend is far away in Central Asia trying to earn money and she's at home caring for her mom in an oldddd home within city limits that doesn't have running water and only a coal-burning stove. Hard Poverty. She is one of the first serious adherents to Islam that I have met among Uyghurs. Until my discussion with her I would have said that all my Uyghur friends were Muslim just like the Godfather was Catholic….. not a matter of heart religion, but of hearth and home….. Uyghurs are culturally Muslims. But not this one. She loves Mohammad and loves that he cared so kindly for women as to encourage polygamy so that more women can be provided for as wives and not be left unmarried. She's soaking deep in Islamic radio teachings/ podcasts on her phone and articles on the web.
2) my dear "Hannah"- the girl who lived with us last summer… She and "Rob" have, in just the past 4-6 months, become very serious Muslims as well. She told me of wedding ceremonies she was at recently and how they were really Islamic… no pictures, no music, no dancing. This isn't uyghur at all, but it is Islamic. Hannah told me herself that she doesn't think most Uyghurs are Muslims…. they're just Uyghur. (I also made the point that there are even some Uyghur Christians…. but she didn't seem to take that in.) These two are loading Koran apps on all the U students' phones at the university and are pressuring their peers to take up the five times a day prayers…. All this from the couple that never fasted a meal during Ramadan in our home, the couple we never once saw pray the whole summer long. This turn of events could be major discouragement for us…. but we're choosing to cling instead to the promises and testimony of God in His Word. Just like Paul, who was on his way to persecute believers of The Way, these two will have all the more powerful testimony if they will turn to trust in Christ after a season in ultra-strict Islam.
Would you pray with us that the Father would tear open the veil that is blinding their understanding, blinding their sight of Him? He ripped the curtain in the temple top to bottom and we believe he can do it again in giving sight to these dear friends who are trying to see through the black lens of Islam.
the web site...
We knew this would probably come… the web site that has seen more New Testaments downloaded in the past one year than many decades (at least 4) of Bible distribution before now…. this simple, powerful site has been blocked by the Great Firewall (where sites unapproved by the government are censored for internet availability for the masses of people in this country.)
Please pray with us now that a new site/ location can be well established and that the ads on search engines could be rapidly updated to bring people to the new location. Let's continue to pray that many people would hunger for the truth of God's Word and receive the Injil (New Testament) with gladness.
Please pray for wisdom and unity and gifting for the team of people working on the web end of evangelism among the Uyghur people. May they be well equipped and connected and supplied to do their very strategic work…. (and slip it all around the Great Firewall as much as it needs!)
May the Lord continue to draw many people to and feed many people with the truth of His Word!
Please pray with us now that a new site/ location can be well established and that the ads on search engines could be rapidly updated to bring people to the new location. Let's continue to pray that many people would hunger for the truth of God's Word and receive the Injil (New Testament) with gladness.
Please pray for wisdom and unity and gifting for the team of people working on the web end of evangelism among the Uyghur people. May they be well equipped and connected and supplied to do their very strategic work…. (and slip it all around the Great Firewall as much as it needs!)
May the Lord continue to draw many people to and feed many people with the truth of His Word!
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Pray for Abe
We have a friend in town who has just returned from a long stretch back in Xin Jiang. He's a young guy, very well loved and very gullible/impressionable. Spent some time in government discipline for getting mixed in with the wrong group…. of trouble makers. And now that he's back here, he's being bombarded with more news and persuasion to consider: from his Christian friends, and from our friend Rob (his girlfriend stayed with us last summer) who is increasingly radical in his Islamicness.
Oh please join us in praying for "Abe". Pray for a friend we work with here who is close in relationship with Abe. Ask that God would open Abe's heart and eyes to see Christ and that his heart would burn within him when he hears the Scripture explained…. like for the guys who walked with Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Oh that Abe might see and savor and delight in Christ for forgiveness and life and salvation.
And too, join us in continuing to pray for Hannah and Rob…. their recent involvements are heart-breaking and concerning to us. Pray that God would make Islam taste like mud in their mouths, that they would spit it out, and come humbly to Him! Also, would you ask for wisdom for us, especially me (the Mrs.) b/c Hannah has sent some radical Koran quotes that I have confronted her on and it hasn't been easy and there's been the terrible crimes here recently (see the "terrible" post below) that I could talk with her about again, should the opportunity arise…. but oh LORD I do not want to talk about that with her, unless He leads me that I must. Oh God, save her! Save them!
Oh please join us in praying for "Abe". Pray for a friend we work with here who is close in relationship with Abe. Ask that God would open Abe's heart and eyes to see Christ and that his heart would burn within him when he hears the Scripture explained…. like for the guys who walked with Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Oh that Abe might see and savor and delight in Christ for forgiveness and life and salvation.
And too, join us in continuing to pray for Hannah and Rob…. their recent involvements are heart-breaking and concerning to us. Pray that God would make Islam taste like mud in their mouths, that they would spit it out, and come humbly to Him! Also, would you ask for wisdom for us, especially me (the Mrs.) b/c Hannah has sent some radical Koran quotes that I have confronted her on and it hasn't been easy and there's been the terrible crimes here recently (see the "terrible" post below) that I could talk with her about again, should the opportunity arise…. but oh LORD I do not want to talk about that with her, unless He leads me that I must. Oh God, save her! Save them!
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
no clear options...
Friends,
Thank you for praying for us in this time of transition, moving details and stressors and visa conundrums. We feel led towards some good things, but our next steps are really unknown and hard to decipher and hard-pressed against deadlines.
So, we can't share details here, but we need God's leading for how to proceed towards getting a visa there. We have a plan, but what is the Father's timing for when that should start? If we should start now, we still lack funding. What is his provision then? How should Plan A take shape or should we move to plan B? Lord lead us...
If things don't come together, our family will have to leave the country by summer's end…. just to figure out how to get back in there and on the right track! We long to shine his grace as his ambassadors in this hard, dark, needy province!
Thank you for praying….. we know he hears our prayers and will accomplish all that he has planned for his glory!
All, all for his glory, all by his grace,
the prayerfuel folks
Friday, March 7, 2014
terror
Here's what we're writing about. On Saturday, March 1, in the train station in China's southern city Kunming, there was a grievous attack. 29 people died and over 130 were wounded by a team of 8-10 people armed with knives. 2 of the attackers were women. Horrific crime…
China has done well in responding to the attack and publicly accusing "separatists" rather than the ethnic group of those separatists. Pretty sure, if the had slipped up with that accusation, there would be more sparks flying among the minority group of Xingjiang. Friends on the ground there said that tensions have been high, with increased police and military presence on the streets.
Please join us in praying for true peace for Xingjiang. There is a tiny (minuscule) minority among the Uyghur ethnic group that are wrapped up in notions of a free province, and as can be seen, there are some among them who promote violence. But that doesn't mean that every Uyghur is violent… yet that is the stereotype that can arise again, and increase at times like this.
Ask the Lord to protect His people in XJ. Pray for peace for Uyghurs and for safety and justice in regards to the violent groups that promote terrorist actions. Pray for truth in the media. Pray for open doors for the Gospel even in times of tragedy and sorrow and injustice.
Pray for Xingjiang and for Uyghur people!!
China has done well in responding to the attack and publicly accusing "separatists" rather than the ethnic group of those separatists. Pretty sure, if the had slipped up with that accusation, there would be more sparks flying among the minority group of Xingjiang. Friends on the ground there said that tensions have been high, with increased police and military presence on the streets.
Please join us in praying for true peace for Xingjiang. There is a tiny (minuscule) minority among the Uyghur ethnic group that are wrapped up in notions of a free province, and as can be seen, there are some among them who promote violence. But that doesn't mean that every Uyghur is violent… yet that is the stereotype that can arise again, and increase at times like this.
Ask the Lord to protect His people in XJ. Pray for peace for Uyghurs and for safety and justice in regards to the violent groups that promote terrorist actions. Pray for truth in the media. Pray for open doors for the Gospel even in times of tragedy and sorrow and injustice.
Pray for Xingjiang and for Uyghur people!!
PS- if you're interested… Here's a very insightful article translated from Chinese about Western press coverage of the event.
The leader of Xingjiang basically argues that if China's firewall for internet censoring could be better established (with no ways around it) then they'd beat terrorism. That sounds like an argument a kindergartner might make. So, does sin only get going if people can lay hands on a how-to video? Knives don't take any assembly whatsoever...
The leader of Xingjiang basically argues that if China's firewall for internet censoring could be better established (with no ways around it) then they'd beat terrorism. That sounds like an argument a kindergartner might make. So, does sin only get going if people can lay hands on a how-to video? Knives don't take any assembly whatsoever...
transition
Friends,
It's been too, too long since we've updated you here. Stats show that about 1-2 people check in here a day. Oh, I wish it were more! Lord rise up more prayer warriors to lift our hands and to prepare the way in prayer for your work among the remnant of Uyghur people you've prepared for yourself. And Father, help me to be faithful to update well too…
First of all, I hope and pray this will be the last season of our time in China when we will have so very few Uyghurs around us. In late Dec, our two closest friends, Uyghur university students in town, headed back after rushing to take exams early, to be at his brother's wedding. They just returned a few weeks ago for the new semester (Chinese New Year is a long break!). So it's been a low time of Uyghur contact for us…. but a full & brimming season as we've taken care of another international errand and fussed over details for our soon move. We rejoice that in just a few more weeks, we'll be planted in a neighborhood of Uyghurs. We have prayed for this, longed for this, prepared for this for over seven years…. Lord make of us what you desire, use us for your glory in this place!!
So, those two friends…. we are still yearning for their salvation. It seems they are hiding in/ clinging to Islam more than ever. May the Lord give us his bold, true, living LOVE to show and communicate to "Hannah and Rob" when we see them in the next few weeks to say good-bye.
Would you also pray with us for the details of our move? We don't have an apartment there- and right now we don't even know if we'll get one before we pull into town- but we hope so! Pray that the Lord will prepare for us the right neighbors and the right relationships. Pray for our teammates who will also be looking for a new apt…. we hope to live near each other.
And for our right to live there… We want to honor this country and uphold their requirements of foreigners, but man! their hoops for us to jump are many and tricky. Ask the Lord to give us wisdom and grace and favor as we seek to prepare the right way for our work there. These things are mountains that, it feels to me, will take miracles to bring down….. may the Lord open the Red Sea of this province and provide the way for His ambassadors to enter in…
Lastly, about the work we'll do there. Some of that mountain of difficulty is not only red tape on the China side, but funding from the states-side. Would you pray with us for the Lord's gracious, generous provision for this? Also, you can consider if perhaps the Lord might lead you to share about our ministry with others who may want to give too? And maybe you, if He's leading you to give?…. Anyone can give to our account simply by clicking on the PIONEERS logo in the sidebar.
We're coming soon against deadlines (we need to start the application process to register a business there) with funding that we simply do not have yet. Miracles. Pray with us? The Lord can do us and we have nothing apart from Him! And yet, we pray humbly for this, realizing that if funds are not provided, that could be his leading for a plan B for us. We are laid out before the Lord for his provision and guidance. Thank you for praying with us and for us dear friends!
For His glory and our joy in Him~
the prayerfuel folks
It's been too, too long since we've updated you here. Stats show that about 1-2 people check in here a day. Oh, I wish it were more! Lord rise up more prayer warriors to lift our hands and to prepare the way in prayer for your work among the remnant of Uyghur people you've prepared for yourself. And Father, help me to be faithful to update well too…
First of all, I hope and pray this will be the last season of our time in China when we will have so very few Uyghurs around us. In late Dec, our two closest friends, Uyghur university students in town, headed back after rushing to take exams early, to be at his brother's wedding. They just returned a few weeks ago for the new semester (Chinese New Year is a long break!). So it's been a low time of Uyghur contact for us…. but a full & brimming season as we've taken care of another international errand and fussed over details for our soon move. We rejoice that in just a few more weeks, we'll be planted in a neighborhood of Uyghurs. We have prayed for this, longed for this, prepared for this for over seven years…. Lord make of us what you desire, use us for your glory in this place!!
So, those two friends…. we are still yearning for their salvation. It seems they are hiding in/ clinging to Islam more than ever. May the Lord give us his bold, true, living LOVE to show and communicate to "Hannah and Rob" when we see them in the next few weeks to say good-bye.
Would you also pray with us for the details of our move? We don't have an apartment there- and right now we don't even know if we'll get one before we pull into town- but we hope so! Pray that the Lord will prepare for us the right neighbors and the right relationships. Pray for our teammates who will also be looking for a new apt…. we hope to live near each other.
And for our right to live there… We want to honor this country and uphold their requirements of foreigners, but man! their hoops for us to jump are many and tricky. Ask the Lord to give us wisdom and grace and favor as we seek to prepare the right way for our work there. These things are mountains that, it feels to me, will take miracles to bring down….. may the Lord open the Red Sea of this province and provide the way for His ambassadors to enter in…
Lastly, about the work we'll do there. Some of that mountain of difficulty is not only red tape on the China side, but funding from the states-side. Would you pray with us for the Lord's gracious, generous provision for this? Also, you can consider if perhaps the Lord might lead you to share about our ministry with others who may want to give too? And maybe you, if He's leading you to give?…. Anyone can give to our account simply by clicking on the PIONEERS logo in the sidebar.
We're coming soon against deadlines (we need to start the application process to register a business there) with funding that we simply do not have yet. Miracles. Pray with us? The Lord can do us and we have nothing apart from Him! And yet, we pray humbly for this, realizing that if funds are not provided, that could be his leading for a plan B for us. We are laid out before the Lord for his provision and guidance. Thank you for praying with us and for us dear friends!
For His glory and our joy in Him~
the prayerfuel folks
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