December 2022

  The other day (actually around midnight our time) was the World Cup Final.  People here really get into it and since their national team has never made it to the World Cup, they have freedom to pick and cheer for their favorite country.  The two most popular teams seem to be the Netherlands (because of historical connections) and Argentina (because of Messi).  Well, after Argentina pulled off that stunning victory in the Final, people just went crazy!  We wish you could have heard the celebrations, fireworks, and parades at 4 in the morning.  

  You know what—your favorite team winning the biggest game is pretty exciting; but even more exciting is your God coming to save you and everyone you know.  I hope we can celebrate that together with even greater praise and deeper gratefulness to our Hero.  Cheesy, I know, but hopefully it raises our sense of joy a bit this year.

  No matter where we are located, all believers get to praise God together for coming to rescue us from our sin and bring us back into His family.  Merry Christmas to you—our family and friends.  We miss you, but love that we are still united in celebrating Jesus’ birth.  

Big Decisions –

  After the Christmas celebrations we have some big decisions to make.  This past year we have been doing survey trips to a nearby island in search of people groups that our mission could work in and reach with the Good News.  Up to this point, these trips have not been as successful as we had hoped.  We have found lots of needy people, but no way for our mission to work with them because of a variety of barriers that I am unable to explain here.  (Feel free to ask for more details if you want.)

  However, God has brought another option to our attention.  Last July, we as a family visited the “L” people further north just for the experience of spending some time in a remote village. The trip served to prepare us for possible future living conditions and we were also able to learn from the church that had already been planted there years earlier by fellow missionaries (who have all since left).  During that time, we were asked by a few of our new friends in the village if we would move there to help them reach the rest of their people group with the Gospel (this people group is quite large and spread out across the island).  Long story short, we have taken that request more and more seriously as the results from our other surveys to our neighboring island have come up disappointing.  I (Tyler) was also able to go back to the “L” people for a short visit in October to join in their Bible Dedication ceremony.  How sweet to see them with the Word of God in their own language for the first time ever.

  Please pray for us as we decide whether to create/join a team to help this small church.  Although at face value it may seem that this work should be stamped: “✓ Done!”, there are many struggles and barriers to the continued spread of the Gospel amongst these people that we may be able to help overcome.  Maybe God has been preparing us for this all along.  His plan is always best and we want to follow His lead.  We made a video for our church leaders back home but we’ll share it here for any who are interested in some more details.

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Praise

• For a fantastic time with Grandpa and Grandma last month (Huge encouragement for us).
• For an open door to help the “L” church reach their own people.
• For God becoming man over 2,000 years ago!

Prayer

• For wisdom and direction regarding our next step.
• For encouragement as we celebrate Christmas away from you all and in another culture.
• For God to make a way to reach the unreached people here. 
• For encouragement and healing as we’ve all faced sickness recently.

  Thank you for caring about us, being part of our team, and taking time to read this in the midst of a busy season.  How incredible that we get to celebrate our Savior’s birth all around the world.  Merry Christmas!