Equip #28 Begins Tomorrow!

I am so grateful for your ongoing prayers on my behalf. This past week, one of the ways God answered your prayers was to provide amazingly productive days on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday... and a generally restful day on Tuesday while I recovered from a small stomach bug.

As I approached the week, I would not have thought I needed (or could afford!) a day at home with all that was to be done, but apparently I was wrong! I was again reminded that health and strength are gifts from God that can never be taken for granted. God has been faithful to provide the time and the resources to accomplish all that needed to be done this week, even with the day at home. Thank you for praying for health and strength for me.

Tomorrow, 28 new Wycliffe colleagues and their 20 MKs (12 of them preschool age!) will begin their two-week Equip orientation in Orlando. "Crew" (the folks who facilitate the program) meetings begin this afternoon. Prayer requests for us:

- Health and strength for all
- That participants would be fully equipped to effectively begin their service with Wycliffe
- Wisdom and stamina for the Crew
- We already know of some unique challenges/pressures that are likely to come up these two weeks.

We can't wait to see how God intends to work in each one. Pray that we each fully depend on the Lord. Thank you!

August in Review

It is a joy for me to look back this morning on the month of August. Because of your prayers, God granted alertness and safety as I drove and visited in Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. I was able to spend time with family and with friends - with so many of you who pray and give faithfully so that I might have opportunity to minister on your behalf with Wycliffe. I felt encouraged and loved and renewed through my connections with each of you. Thank you for your commitment to me and to Bible translation --- God uses us together as His tools to take the translated Scriptures to those who are yet without them. As I approach the 5th anniversary of my time in Orlando, I am also deeply grateful for the ways God has kept us "in touch" through these years.

This week, God's faithfulness has been apparent as He granted wisdom and efficiency to the "Crew" (those who facilitate the event) as we have 25 colleagues and 8 missionary kids (MKs) in Orlando for a Connection program. We have been short-handed for a variety of reasons (illness, change of assignment, new baby!), but last night, the director commented that the logistics have never been so smoothly prepared for the final day of the program. God multiplied our hours, it seems! I can echo her sentiments - all of the details I was responsible to cover have been accomplished... and on top of that, God granted time for some of the best conversations with our visiting colleagues that I have had during any Connection program. I can only credit God's grace and your prayers for such an amazing week.

Looking ahead, I have some time away scheduled for this weekend. Then we have two weeks to make final preparations for the 28 new members (and 29 MKs!) who will arrive September 19 for their Wycliffe USA orientation (Equip). Thanks in advance for your prayers for wisdom, health, and strength so that these "newbies" are adequately equipped for the service the Lord has designed for them.