It has been a hot summer here in Missouri, and water is always on our minds! It makes me think of John 4:14, when Jesus says, “Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
While we are thankful for the water we drink (and the water we swim in all summer), we know the true blessing in our lives is to know the Living Water. As we reflect on that, we pray for those still unreached with the Gospel. We recently had our first staff meeting of the semester, and some co-workers shared updates from Brazil, Southeast Asia, and Papua New Guinea. They shared praises about completed Bible translations, new church plants, and national training programs taking place. The urgent prayer request remains—that those unreached would soon hear of the Living Water.
Classes begin next week, and 64 missionary candidates will continue their training for cross-cultural ministry. Throughout the summer, Nick worked hard alongside his co-workers to prepare student housing for this new group. He also helped update the childcare playground by mulching the entire play area.
Preparing for new students took priority over the retaining wall project, but now Nick can resume work there. Earlier this summer, they demolished the existing, failing structure, and Nick will start placing blocks with the excavator soon.
This is our fourth year here, and for the first time during a fall semester, I am not on the childcare schedule. It is bittersweet—I miss my involvement in campus that way, but I am excited for my own little childcare of our newborn girl in less than two months. Instead, my ministry time this fall consists of organizing a mom’s group among my fellow missionary moms here. We are coordinating our schedules to help each other with our own childcare needs during ministry commitments. I will be home more, but I will also get to care for some of my co-worker’s kids while they serve in childcare, the registrar office, and other important ministries.
Some other highlights of our summer included a family camping trip, helping with a missionary kid retreat on campus, and our church’s VBS. The girls had a great time! And we were excited to see some kids from Nick’s soccer team show up. Now it is time for us to get ready for the fall. Naomi is starting her 1st grade year of homeschool, and we are prepped and ready to go.
Prayer Requests
- A good start to classes for our 64 missionary candidates
- Nick’s ongoing projects, and safety as he works with big machinery
- Kathy to be flexible with a different ministry schedule this fall
- Safe and healthy delivery of our baby girl! (Due early October)
2020–>2023. What a difference!