We're Going Back to School!!

Spanish school, that is!

Praise God He has supplied all the finances we need for language school as well as for getting our van mechanically sound for the 3000km round trip to Chihuahua!! Thank you to all who gave so generously to this project--- thank you also to those who prayed diligently for us to be provided for!! We are glad to be able to stand together with you Testifying that God is Still Jehovah-Jireh- The God Who Provides!!

We leave on May 1 and will make stops in Tucson, AZ and El Paso, TX before heading south again to Chihuahua, Chihuahua. For 4 weeks Sharlene and I will be taking separate classes 6 hours a day from Monday to Thursday and the boys will do 4 hours a day together. On Weekends we will be connecting with Missionaries who work in the mountains with an underreached People Group- the Tarahumara as well as help working at an orphanage. These will both give us ample opportunity to practice Spanish.

We'll be living with a Mexican family for the month in Chihuahua, which will also solidify our Spanish. We're looking forward to growing exponentially in our Spanish language! It will greatly enable us to build deeper relationships with our Mexican brothers and sisters in Jesus!!

PRAISE GOD!!!!

Here's a couple emails I got the last couple days...-- Thanks for praying and Praise God!! We now only need about $700 more to pay for our tuition and homestay at language school in Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico!!

Hey. Good timing for us, no coincidence I'm certain. Yesterday we unexpectedly received some money, $2000 of which we would like to send to you. Also I will add $800 which is our commitment of $100 per month for the balance of 2008 for a total of $2800. Is sending the cheque to YUGO designated to your family still the quickest way to get the funds to you? Please confirm and I will mail the cheque tomorrow.

Finally and most importantly I/we will endeavour to pray more specifically and consistently for you folks. It feels great to be a part of your mission and I am stoked that God has chosen to channel His resources via ourselves to you. We will pray that the balance you require to complete your training will be forthcoming.

God Bless,

and

Hello Mike

It's a great day this morning.  At my age waking up on the right side
of the grass (or snow) makes any day great!  Praise God for the
support!  We will be praying for you and your family.  Count us in for
$500.

From 2 partner families in Canada!!


PRAISE GOD, please keep praying!!

Mike and family

Language School???

Not much new to update except an increasing level of frustration at not being able to communicate well. I'm very thankful for my translator, Ivan who helps with the classes. However, there are many times in the midst of discussions when I'm not able to keep up with all that is being said and neither is he...

Shar is finding it difficult in the interpersonal relationship department without being able to communicate with the ladies she has contact with as well as she'd like too. It's nearly impossible to minister on a deeper level with our language limitations.

The finances have not all come in yet to allow us to go to language school in 1 week's time . I'm now wondering what to do with my ministry over the summer time if we can't go... My translator will likely be very involved in the summer YUGO outreaches translating for teams that come in June, July and August. I don't know how available he will be for me- I'd hate to have to cancel classes for that time. We cannot meet often in the winter because the rains make the roads impassable, so summer is a good time to get lots done!

We'd appreciate prayer for encouragement for us- we've had lots of stuff come at us lately including some stuff stolen off of our property, new neighbours that are shady and seem to be keeping an eye on when we're home and not, our tax situation has not worked itself out yet- so we were again short 25% of our income for 2 months- though we will be getting part of that back, (someday)- and the seeming stagnation of our ability to communicate and the lack of finances to go towards language training, and the thought of maybe having to cancel the Bible College ministry for the summer, and maybe needing to leave the field for 9 months to get proper language training has been weighing heavily upon us!!!

We appreciate you all standing with us-- please pray that in all of these things- God would be glorified!!

Language School Update

Hey...

We are at about 40% of what we need to go to language school in so far! We have a little over 2 weeks until we plan to go, Lord Willing! Thanks for praying and please continue. I also found out that we need to renew our visas before we go- so that is an extra expense and large thing to do before we go- I don't know how we will fare going down to Chihuahua without our proper documentation and the government wheels move slowly- so please pray that all works out for that too!!

Thanks for partnering...

Mike

Please Pray!

Hey folks-

A quick prayer request-- As you likely know, we are planning on going to Chihuahua, Mexico for a month long Spanish class from May 5-30. The problem as we see it now is that we do not have enough finances in to pay for the expenses of Language school for the whole family.

We feel pretty strongly that formal Spanish training is necessary in order for us to continue to live and minister here well, but are open to other plans if the Lord has different ideas, of course.

Can you please earnestly pray that God would either supply the needed funds or another, better option. As our last email / blog said we were amazed at how God answered our needs last week / month, but we are still human and I need prayer as well- that I may trust and rest in Him during this time. The Lord of all the earth knows how much we need.

May He be glorified!!

Thanks!