Father’s Day is here, and I, Ginger, want to take a moment and celebrate the father in our family. In summary, I want you to know that he is the best father in the world. For those of you who would object to that glamorization, suffice it to say that he is the best father our children could ever have. God is so good to have given Stephen to our children to be their father!
None of us have just one job title, so also Stephen does not have just the title of father. In our family, he is the husband, father, resident math expert, bug exterminator, confidant, and leader. To our churches in the States, he is a missionary and church planter. To the missionaries in the Philippines, he is a co-worker and friend. To the Agutaynens in our village, he is a neighbor, Bible teacher, one who develops Bible curriculum, one who disciples new believers, and friend. Special occasions call for special job titles. Last month when I found the bathroom flooded, Stephen became the plumber. When there is a medical emergency in the village, Stephen is the “ambulance” driver. Currently, his extra job title is a mason.
When we first moved into this village 14 years ago, we had a 20-foot wooden tower constructed to hold a water tank which would supply our house with water. Over the years, this tower has suffered hardships of wind, rain, termites, and decay. It is no longer safe to hold a full tank of water. Since wood is very difficult to obtain, we decided to construct a new tower, using cement. Hence, the job title of mason is now another hat that Stephen will be wearing over the next weeks. Luke and Jonathan are having a great time climbing around the new structure, and interacting with the workers.
We appreciate your prayers for safety for the six men who are working and strength for Stephen as he still carries his regular load of Bible teaching responsibilities.
Thank you for holding the shovel of prayer during this project. We greatly appreciate your partnership. Also, Happy Father’s Day as we celebrate the wonderful men the Lord has placed in our families!