REACHING RED

Week 7

Caleb – This last week was great! The song opened up so many doors for us to walk through, that no one could close (“Rev. 3:8”). The conversations were deeper; the students wanted to know more and more. During my time here I have a specific friend who I will never forget, who I hope one day I can see again. I really enjoyed my time with the basketball team; they will miss me a lot. We are still here for a reason we cannot let our guards down even when we return. Pr – for continued protection and guidance and for smooth travel and opportunities for the Father to continue to work through us. Pr – that we can start to process our experiences and be ready to share, and that we will be able to adjust back to life in the states soon.

Cody – Wow, time has passed by so fast. We said goodbye to the students today it was sad I already miss them. What I want more than anything though is for them to know the truth. The Father is taking care of that and it is His will. The Father has been so faithful; he is using me in ways I could not imagine. It is so incredible to watch His plan unfold right in front of my eyes. It was a good last week; we went cliff jumping and biking. It was such a blessing! Don’t worry about us in K-town, or at least me. I have a working phone with data and we walked around a lot with C&B. I’m looking forward to the time in K-town, but I’m so ready to get home and be with y’all. Ask the Father to protect me sp-r-tually and that I would continue to glorify Him.

I love you both Mom and Dad, and Mom don’t be worried about me. The King of Kings is watching over me, I’m basically invincible with Him. I’m reading Radical, between that and the whole trip, my view on life is changing… radically (no pun intended). I can’t wait to see you, not too much longer. I miss you and love you, mom and dad (and Caleb). See you soon.

Brooke – For our last week on campus, I was able to spend quite a bit of one-on-one time with each of my best friends. For those who graduated, this was their last week in that town as well, and they moved out of their dorms throughout the week. This year felt like role-reversal, as I was the one meeting them early in the morning to see them off and help them move out. I got to meet my long-time friend’s mom when she was picked up to go home, which was a special moment for me since I feel like she is one that I will definitely come back and visit one day. I wanted to leave a personal gift with my two graduating friends who are beli-vers, so I wrote down my favorite verses in journals with notes written to them.

During the few days this week that I wasn’t feeling well, I was able to spend a lot of time reading His word, which was very refreshing and exactly what I needed. To be honest, our last days on campus were hard. But this made me realize how big of an effect we have had on the students, as well as how much they have impacted us. On Saturday night, numerous students came to hang out one last time, and even more came to see us off early on Sunday morning. Pr – that we are able to continue these relationships even after we return home, and I hope that the Father continues to reveal Himself to these students.

Lauren – Wow! I can’t believe our time is almost done. This past week has been full of some awesome stuff through meeting with all the students. One of the days I got to meet with the girl from the first village and we went to along with her friend. I spent practically the whole day with them! We got to have several good conversations. She told me that she gets very anxious when her family w-rships the tree in the village because she does’t believe in it. I got to share a couple of good verses from the good book to help and encourage her. We got to talk about several other things about the Father. It was so awesome!

Also this past week I got to give the good book to a girl I’ve talked about. We sat and read for 2 hours! She would read and then ask me questions. She also told me that her aunt is a beli-ver but she said that she thinks it doesn’t work for her because she PRs for people to get better but sometimes it doesn’t work. I then got to tell her how I PRed that my dad would get ether but it didn’t work. Then I explained that the father has his perfect plan and we can’t change it. We may not always understand why. It was so cool to get to share this with her. She loves to learn and I am excited that now she has the book to learn more!

I wish I could explain better about all that has happened this week with students. It has been a great week and I am so sad to say goodbye to the students. They have become such good friends to me and I will miss them so much! I hope that someday I will get to see them again and share more with them about the good news. If I can’t I hope someone else can share more with them. To my friends and family: I miss y’all so much! I can’t wait to share more about my trip and hear about y’alls summer so far! Love y’all!!!

Jennica – Hello! It’s been a great last week. We finished our classes and spent a lot of time with students. There were a lot of great conversations this week, but there was one student that I met last year that I got to spend some time with. I only met up with her a few times this trip, but every time we talked, the conversation was so easy and it was like we’d known each other for years. I got to bring up some topics such as creation, purpose, and afterlife that we discussed most of dinner. I think I got her thinking about a lot of good stuff and got her curious. I’m thankful I got to continue that relationship that was started last year.

Goodbyes are always hard, but I feel really good about the time we spent there and the relationships we built. The Father is doing some amazing things there and its been great to be able to be apart of it. Please PR for the students to continue to think about the conversations we had in the past weeks and that we can continue those relationships when we get back home. Please also PR for the time we have in the Big City and the time we’ll spend as a team reflecting on the past weeks.

See y’all in a few days! Love and miss y’all! Thanks for the PRers.

Week 6

Highlights from week 5:

-      Language class

-      Made Zong Zi (a traditional Dragon Boat Festival food)

-      Hiked in a national park with students

-      Dinner with Mr. W

-      Lots of individual meals and activities with students

Caleb – Hey y’all! We had a great week. I have had so many Father centered conversations with some students I have become very close with! I am pleading with the Father that He opens their eyes to His grace and that they can understand why they are here on Earth. We had a great time exploring a national park and swimming in the waterfalls there. It was great to embrace the Father’s creation and be able to have conversations with students that will have an eternal impact. We had a great time of fellowship with the team. It was also great to be encouraged and challenge by a well-known shepherd to go and tell the nations! Where sin runs deep Your grace is more. Where grace is found is where you are. And where You are, I am free! Holiness is the Son in me! These next 2 weeks are going to be life changing. PR that I can continue to rely totally on Him and just get out of His way and let Him work. Obedience unleashes the Counselor’s super natural power in us. We have victory in the Son. I have victory in the Son!

Cody – This past week has bee very encouraging. The Father has been showing me amazing things. It was a fairly relaxing week of just hanging out with students. I am sad we will be leaving Sunday because of the friendships that have been made. I hope they will continue and the love of the Father will still be in their lives. I’ve made good connections with a few select students and have been able to tell them about the Father multiple times. Ask the Father to give more opportunity to spend in His glory. Also, ask the Father to give us protection and focus. I love you Mom, Dad, and Caleb. It’s not too much longer, I know it will fly by here. I am looking forward to the next week and a half and am excited to see what the Father will do. Thank you to everyone showing me support. Love you all! See you soon!

Lauren – Another week has gone! Time flies by here! Less than two weeks left! I am excited to see friends and family again, but I am trying to stay focused on the now. Hanging out with the students here has been absolutely amazing!

This past week, the girl that PRed for the first time has started asking questions about the Good Book and why I read it everyday. I got to give a general overview about what the Book is about and explain why it is so important to me. At the end of our conversation she decided that she wants a Good Book. I get to giver her one this week! I’ve highlighted my favorite verses and wrote some in it to get her started. I am so excited to give it to her and show her how to use it! She is a very smart girl, so I am sure she will understand, but I am worried she will just view it as “Western Culture”. Please PR that she will see that the Good Book is special.

Also, this past week, I finally got to meet up with the girl I had given the Good Book to! We had dinner together and then went back to the dorm to read a chapter. I can’t even explain how amazing it was hearing her read the Good Book out loud. It was so beautiful just hearing her say the name of the Son. She would ask me questions as she read. She seemed to catch on pretty well. She would tell me what “touched her heart” the most. It was so cute! This week we are planning on meeting at least one more time to read before we leave for the Big City. Please PR that meeting with her will continue to go well.

To my friends and family: I love you guys so much! I am so excited to share more of what the Father is doing here! I also can’t wait to hear about what y’all have been doing. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do! I can’t forget… Happy Birthday Granny! Love you! XOXO

Brooke – This past week it was nice to get back in our routine of classes and having appointments with students. I’m thankful that I was able to spend quite a bit of time with my graduating friends before they leave this week. I love that my relationships with these girls are two-sided. A few of them are family, and I always left feeling encouraged after hanging out with them. My Thursday afternoon was perfect—I had lunch with my friend M and then decided to accompany her to town since I had a free afternoon. We sat in a park by the lake and read various passages together from the book for hours and discussed how they applied to our lives. It was so simple and so beautiful. This friend is inspiring and encouraging to me.

On Saturday we went with different students for our day trip to a national park. I can’t get over how much I love our relationship with these girls. They feel like family to us. One friend is not quite the outdoorsy type, but she came because she realized that she only has one week left with us. Even having to hold her hand as she hiked and her getting really car sick on the way there, she had such a good attitude all day long. Her desire to come anyway made me realize how much each of us also mean to them.

This week will be full of goodbyes, and the graduated ones will be leaving during the week. I am asking Father to give me a peace that transcends all understanding and an excitement for each of them as they return to their hometown or go to a new city to start a job.

Jennica – This past week has been great. I got to spend a lot of time continuing the relationships that have been built here. Drew- some students taught me how to play Mahjong. Maybe now I can beat you ;)

On Tuesday, I got to give a Good Book to the student I have mentioned. It was amazing. She jumped right in. I got to share the Good News entirely, the R-Road, and showed her many other things in the NT. She was eager to learn and her understanding of everything absolutely amazes me. We met again Thursday and she had completely read two NT books and came with lots of questions. Its been incredible to see the Father working in her life.

I am both excited and very sad for our last week on campus. Please continue to PR for opportunities with students and that we will be able to leave a lasting impression of Him on this campus. Love and miss you all!

Happy Birthday Lizzie!!! I hope you have an amazing day! East some cake for me ;) see you soon!

Week 5:

Highlights from our 4th week:

-       Language classes

-       Dance and singing practices to prepare for graduation

-       Celebrated a student’s birthday

-       Kungfu class

-       Visited English teachers’ classrooms to meet students

-       Floating lanterns with the 10-day team and students

-       Said goodbye to the 10-day team

-       Graduation performance

-       Village visit

Caleb - This past weekend we had a great opportunity to explore the rice terraces and tea farms of the southern part of the country into the northern part of the bordering country. We visited villages and were able to encourage local family. We swam in the waterfalls, in the rivers, and even had the chance to eat dog!!! The Father’s creation is beautiful and I hope the people of that area can look up and see His glory. We learned a dance about Ps. 121 and heard the story of how a local was able to share Ps. 121 with a farmer in the fields. “I lift my eyes up to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the King, the maker of heaven and earth,” We returned from our trip exhausted and in need of rest and we were able to have that rest. Cody and I have really gotten to know each other well. We have both realized how we have to make time to rest physically, mentally, emotionally, and sprtually. We were able to bike to a Buddhist temple and hike to the top of a mountain. I am still a little homesick but the Father is preparing me for something even greater. I still get to encourage and lift up the bball team. It was good to see them after being away for a while. Pr that I can stay intentional with students the last few weeks and find time also to rest and that above everything else we would seek to obey the Father in all we do! He continues to refine me in ways I never thought of. We look forward to a great weekend with students. I love y’all. Luke, I hope you are feeling better and can’t wait to see you; you are always on my mind! Mom and Dad, I hope y’all are enjoying the summer…don’t get sunburned. Love y’all! Jacob - I hope you are having fun fishing. Can’t wait to see you. I can’t wait to tell y’all about all my new adventures!

Cody - This past week has gone by so fast. I miss the 10-day team, but the Father is doing amazing things. Ask the Father to give me focus and to be intentional, good rest, and peace. The Father is doing amazing things in my life and in the lives of others. We went on a trip to Butterfly Valley this past weekend and it was amazingly beautiful. Some of the most beautiful creation I’ve ever seen. Can’t wait to share everything that is happening when I get back. Don’t worry Mom; I’m taking lots of pictures. I love you guys and thanks for all the support. The Father continues to open doors, and it excites me to see His might and power. Let His glory be shown here. The next weeks are kind of empty, ask the Father to fill them with opportunity. Mom, Dad, and Caleb I miss you guys and love you. But don’t worry, the Father is watching over me. I will see you in a relatively short time. Thank you for supporting me in this, I love you. Ask the spirit to move in me and dwell within me. Thank you for the support y’all show. See you soon!

Lauren - Wow! What a crazy week. Time here is flying by! I can’t believe there are less than three weeks left! This past week has been so full of activities and spending time with students. I have been teaching a girl how to pr over a meal and she pred over our lunch by herself for the first time! It was amazing to watch. This girl does not believe in anything, so this is the first step for her being more open to the idea of the Father. Please pr that there will be more opportunities to share about the Father and that she will be open to it. I did not get to talk with the girl that I gave the good book to this week because she was so busy. I do know that she has been reading it though. She did tell me in passing that she doesn’t understand some of it even though it is in her language. I am hoping that she will have time to meet sometime this week, so we can discuss what she doesn’t understand. Please pr that this girl will have time to meet with me and that I will be able to explain what she is reading in a way she can understand. This past weekend we got to see some villages. There were several local people that went with us. One of them was a 17-year old girl. After several minutes, she brought up the topic of cancer. I have no idea why she brought it up, but I knew exactly what the Father wanted me to share. I got to talk about my dad’s death and how the Father helped me through it. She then asked me when I first believed in the Father. It was an awesome conversation! She told me she knew about the Father and told me how she celebrates Christmas, but she is not a family member. She is just unsure about it. I will not get to see this girl again, so pr that she will think about the tings I shared. Also, pr that the Father will send someone else to share more with her.

Jennica - This week flew by! It’s crazy to think we only have less than three weeks left in SE Asia! This week, I had the opportunity to have a conversation with a student that has been reading the good book. She asked about what people did in the community. She also talked about an older man she had met who was family and said she wanted to go see him again and ask how he became family. She also told me she thinks the good book might be true, but she thinks she needs to read and understand more before she decides for sure if it is true or not. It is really encouraging to hear her continued interest and see the wheels turning in her head! I will also get to give a good book to another student today. She has shown a lot of interest in learning about the good book and I’m very excited about getting to share with her! Thanks everyone for your continued prs! This weekend we got the opportunity to travel a lot. It was so beautiful- I can’t even describe it! We got to pr walk on land that will be used for d-ship training. It was amazing to see that work being done and be able to pr for it. Happy Birthday Mom!!! I love you and miss you! I can’t wait to celebrate with you when I get back.

Brooke - We were gifted with an extremely busy week. On Thursday I got to see my best friend of four years graduate, along with numerous other students that I’ve grown close to over the past few years. Discussing their post-grad plans and getting to pr- over their future with them was a special experience for me, since it was the same thing that I was just doing in May with friends back home. This group is mostly made up of family members, and one of them in particular feels led to return to her hometown to help build and instruct the community there. It was a bl-ssing to me to realize that one of my friends here shares the same purpose as I do, yet in her own native land. Twelve hours after the graduation ceremony and performances, we were on a bus to travel and pr- over the lands and villages in our province. We were nervous about how exhausted we already were before the trip even began, but the Father knew exactly what we needed. Friday night was the best and longest I have slept since arriving here, and He also bl-ssed us with perfect cloudy weather the whole weekend, which we had been asking for all week. I have never seen or experienced anything like this before, so I will always remember the people we met over this past weekend, whether they were villagers who shared meals with us or the other native people that were part of our travel group. As we stood atop of mountains or at the base of waterfalls, it reminded me of Jn. 1:10, “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.” We pr-ed continually that the Father would bl-ss these people and that they would undoubtedly realize His existence. This week we get a chance to rest and relax for the first time in weeks. I am excited for the change of pace and for more time that we will be able to share with students. Please pr- that we maintain energy and health and that He would give us clear opportunities to share.

Week 4:

Highlights from our third week:

-  Paper cutting class was really neat

-  Arrival of the 10-day team

-  Dance practices

-  Visited Becky’s class

-  Dinner with the dean of the Foreign Language College

-  Visited a medicine shop and learned about acupuncture

-  Watched our teachers sing in a competition

-  Went on a field trip a couple of hours away to a swallow cave and made pottery

-  Karaoke with students

-  Ate rice noodles for lunch with the business college officials

-  Visited our new 92-year old friend Mr. W

-  Hosted a baby shower for Becky’s sister

-  The boys played family member songs at a concert on campus

-  Visited the orphanage/nursing home as well as a local Y people village for a special minority dinner

Praises:

-  Our team is complete! We are happy to have Cody with us.

-  We got rain and hot water showers on the same day after going 2 weeks without!

-  We were encouraged by the 10-day team!

Requests:

-  We ask for opportunities to rest as we prepare for our 3 day village trip on Friday, and for protection of our sleep and thoughts

-  We will be performing Thursday night in the graduation ceremony. Please remember us as we sing Amazing Grace in front of a large body of students and officials.

-  Everyone has stayed healthy this week for the most part. Please lift up our health so that we can continue to be effective.

Caleb - Happy Father’s Day! I love you so much and I thank you for always being there for me and teaching me and encouraging and supporting and helping me prepare for this trip! I love you so much! We had a great week with the 10-day team being here. It was awesome to see their faces and to be encouraged by them. It was an answered pr for some of the guys to be there for me. It was great to fellowship with them. I have had so many Father conversations with students. That is one reason I have been a target for the enemy. Pr that my team and I will not shrink back in fear. Ask that the Father would protect us from the enemy’s retaliation to our obedience to the Father. Ask that we would be filled with joy that can only come from the Son and that we would rest well every night and that the Father would give us supernatural sleep. We also ask that we would have protection and no fear in sharing the greatest news with the people we encounter and that we would have great health. We don’t want to just survive, we want to thrive! We will look back and see that He is faithful. We’ll look ahead believing that He is able and that He is the Son and the King of All. The Father is refining me everyday. It is hard and doesn’t always feel good, but it is for His good and He is in control. Pr that as we continue to go to places where evil is present, that we will bear the Son’s light.

Cody - The first week for me has been good! The Father is opening so many doors. I am encouraged daily by how He shows Himself to me. Thank you to everyone thinking of me. You can ask the Father to give me strength and protection from the enemy. We have gotten to do a lot this week and the 10-day team has been encouraging and I’m sad to see them leave. But I’m also happy to be staying and the Father has so much more in store for me in these next few weeks. This week we have gotten to do a lot of fun things, many good meals, and fellowship. This coming weekend will be full! Ask the Father to guard our hearts, we are going to a dark place. Also, ask that we would be light and His glory would be shown. Parents: I hope you’re having fun in the Bahamas! Dad, I don’t want to make you jealous, but I went mountain biking Friday. It was a very cool experience and the Father is moving in relationships there. I love you guys and I hope you had fun on your trip. Happy Father’s Day also, I am blessed to have the dad that I do! Caleb, have fun at camp, also grow. Happy Birthday, also!! Overall I am very happy to be here and being in the Father’s will. Please keep talking to the Father for me. I appreciate everything my brothers and sisters are doing for me back at home.

Lauren - This past week has been crazy busy, but awesome! I got to give a good book to a student this past week. I showed her how it works and where some of the stories are that she has heard about in Becky’s class. She was so excited! This week she and I are going to get together to read. Please ask that I will be able to explain what we read in a way she can understand. On Sunday, we went to a minority village. There is only one woman who is family there. Everyone else worships two trees. I got to meet her daughter who is the same age as me (19 years old). I don’t know why, but she really seemed to like me! She would not leave my side. She would grab my hand and take me everywhere with her. We got to talk so much! She told me that she is nervous about going off to college. Through this I got to share that I rely on Father when I’m nervous or anxious. We also talked about how the Father created everything and how the world is so beautiful. So many great conversations came up! I even got to talk a little bit about my dad dying and how Father has helped me through that. During one conversation she told me that she loves the Father, but then a few minutes later she told me about how she worships the tree. I think she is confused because her mom is family but her other relatives are not. Please ask that Father will reveal the truth to her with clarity. My heart goes out to her and the rest of the village. Happy Father’s Day Murray!

Jennica - What a week it has been! Having the 10-day team has been great. They’ve been really encouraging and it’s great to see friends from home J We have done so much this week! From acupuncture (no I wasn’t brave enough to try) to cave exploring to visiting a minority village to being thrown a surprise birthday party with a gluten free cake and piñata (thanks everyone!). In the midst of the busyness, I have still had some great time with students and have gotten to see His hand in a log of ways. I had the opportunity to read again with a student and she brought a friend. It was amazing to see my friend understand so well and then watch her explain it to her friend. It was incredibly encouraging. Another one of my friends asked for a good book and I was able to give her one the other day. There were so many other times this week there were answered prs or times I had to just stop and thank Him, but that’s just one! I can’t believe there is less than a month left. It has flown by! Thank you for all of the support and pryers. Love and miss y’all! Happy Father’s Day Dad! I’m sorry I’m not there, but we will celebrate in July! Thank you for being the best dad I could ask for. I love you to the moon and back!

Brooke - The busyness of this past week has allowed for so many opportunities to interact with all different groups of people. A major part of our role here is to be an encouragement to those who are already family. Becky’s friend for whom we had a baby shower is someone in particular Father has emphasized in my heart. Listening to her story about how she decided to commit her life to Him made an impression on me and was really inspiring. Being surrounded by so many fellow sisters at the baby shower was really impactful for her, and it was wonderful that we were able to spend a bit of time individually lifting her up in pryer. On top of the anxiety that comes with being pregnant, she also struggles with the fact that her family nor her husband believe what she does. I want to remember to lift her up everyday, that she would trust the Father and that He would give her a peace that surpasses all understanding. Please lift me up for continued health and for energy and opportunities so that I can make the most of the rest of our time here. Happy Father’s Day, Dad!!

Week 3:

Highlights from our second week:

-       Calligraphy class

-       English corner

-       Bought red dancing shoes in town for next week’s performance

-       Girl’s night with chicken spaghetti, UNO, and nail painting

-       A student cooked us a meal in his home

-       Visited the basketball coach’s home to make dumplings with his family

Caleb - Hey everybody! We look forward to the other Texas team arriving this week. They are going to hit the ground running and it’s going to be amazing to see what the Father does while they are here and the eternal impact that they will leave. The next two weeks are going to be jam packed with fun activities and opportunities to grow with the students here. I continue to get closer with the basketball team even though they only speak 1% English. The Father has broken down those walls and let us communicate with ease. It also helps that we have students that can translate for us! They do get a little frustrating at times, but that is a part of all sports. But I am here for something so much greater than basketball! I was able to talk to a group of students about what I believe and about what they believe. They have grown up being taught to believe in Science and that Science is what is right. So I explained to them how Science actually points to the Father and glorifies Him. I was also able to talk to a student about fasting and why as a member of the Father’s house that we fast and where it came from. I love y’all. Keep pr for protection, guidance, and leadership from the Father.

Lauren - This past week has been great! One girl whom I mentioned last week decided she wants a Good Book. I get to give her one sometime this week. She even seems open to the idea of reading some together! I am so excited! Please pry she will not lose interest and will understand what she reads. I have gotten to play tennis with some of the tennis team. They do not speak the best English, but they knew enough so that we could play together. It was so much fun! Please pry that I would find the right opportunities to share the Father’s love and that they will understand. To all my friends and family, I love you guys! The letters have been such an encouragement to me! Y’all are awesome!!

Jennica - Hello! I had a great week! I had a lot of time with students this week and I have made several new friends. I had some great conversations with them, which was very encouraging. I also had the opportunity to read the Good Book with a very good friend from last year. It’s been amazing to see Him work and be able to be apart of that. Dumpling making and paper cutting were so much fun! I miss everyone! Love you Mom, Dad, and Drew!

Brooke - I’m so grateful for the significant amount of time that I’ve been able to spend with a certain group of girls here. Most of them are family. Two of them have read a book most of us know about, and we gave them another book by the same author to read this week. We’ve had great discussions about their favorite parts that they’ve read. I have also given some family member music to a friend and they are very interested in listening and understanding the lyrics. My closest friend here is about to graduate, so I am thankful for the time I have with her. This past week has required a bit of perseverance with no hot water in the dorms and having some minor stomach issues. It has still been a great week full of opportunities. Intentional conversations occur each day, and students are excited to hear about our lives and our beliefs. Please pry for one friend that is so close to believing, but is still holding back because of her confusion about evolution. I hope to have good conversations with her over the next few weeks.

Week 2:

Highlights from our first week:

- Language class and calligraphy class

- The girls did crafts together with a student one afternoon

- Visited Becky’s Western Culture class

- Attended the Foreign Language College drama competition

- Hiked to a cave full of bats with a lot of students!

- Karaoke night - yes we ALL sang!

- Lots of student lunches and teaching students how to play card games

- Caleb has played lots of basketball!

- Cheered for a new friend at a dance battle

- Visited a middle school for Children’s Day and taught them songs and games

Caleb - I have had several meaningful conversations with students. It is so cool to see how open the students are and how the Father has let us connect. I have had a great time with the basketball team teaching them and connecting with them. I miss my family and friends a little bit but I know the Father has me here for a greater purpose, and my family knows that, too. (Hugs all around.)

Lauren - Friday we got to take some students to see a cave. On the way there, one girl immediately attached to me. At first conversation was very simple, but later in the cave and on the way back there were several great conversations. She told me she loves to help people, so I told her about the Greatest Helper. Later, she told me she was so dirty from the cave and wanted to wash it off. I then got to tell her how the Son washes away all the dirty bad things in our lives. It was amazing to get to share these things! Saturday night I started getting some stomach issues and some sinus problems. I spent most of Sunday sleeping. Thankfully I am doing much better thanks to pryer and much needed medicine. Please pr for my health to continue to get better.

Jennica - Happy June! It was been a great first week here! We started our language classes and even got new names in our new language! We’ve had many opportunities to spend time with students and already have had some great conversations. I’ve gotten to spend a lot of time with a good friend I met on my trip here last year. I am thankful the Father has let us reconnect like we were never apart! I have also connected with new students and look forward to spending more time with them this week. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! Thanks for the virtual Dr. Pepper in my letter, Lizzie J Congrats grad (almost) Cody! I look forward to seeing everyone on the 10-day team soon!

Brooke - It feels like yesterday that I was just here. I was so excited to reconnect with old friends, with girls that I have been able to develop genuine relationships with over the past few years. I’m in a language class with international students, including Vietnamese and Cambodians. I’m grateful for a classmate that speaks fairly good English since the teacher does not use any English while teaching. My language partner came with us to the cave on Friday and I was excited to get to know her better and begin to get to know each others lives, beliefs, and families. Spending time out in nature allows for so many opportunities in experiencing how great and glorious the Father is. I smile each time one of the students asks if we are going to pr before a meal, and hearing the students themselves offer to pr is one of my favorite memories. Please pr for me for continued energy and health.

Week 1:

We’re grateful that we made it through all three flights and bus ride with relatively no difficulty. We’re still waiting for one more piece of luggage to arrive in our city, which we hope will arrive soon. It was a long and exhausting couple of travel days, but we’re grateful to have made it to our city and moved into the dorm rooms. Immediately when we arrived in our city the students were anxious to meet with us, so we got to enjoy a big dinner and catch up with numerous of our friends from last year. It was great to be able to see them, but we were also very exhausted, so we’re hoping to rest well and get over jet lag quickly so that we can begin building relationships with students.

Some of the students helped us to set up mosquito nets for our beds and we figured out how to use our hot water cards for the showers. In addition to the traveling and adjusting, we had our first day of class and met our main teacher; she's amazing and brought each of us flowers...even Caleb.

Requests:

- Please pr-y that we are able to sleep well at night since the beds do not have much cushion and the dorms can be pretty noisy and hot at night with no air circulation.

- We lift up the arrival of the one missing piece of luggage that is on its way this week. We are thankful it has been found and will be delivered.

- Relationships to form and make connections with students we meet this week

- Continued pryer for good health for each teammate as we encounter new foods

June 16, 2014-

With the new team having arrived on Tuesday, we’re so excited about the number of relationships and people that we’ve been able to engage with—from students to the local people. On Saturday we had the opportunity to visit a friend’s hometown, where her family still lives in the village of a minority people group. She and her mother were proud to show us around their village, and our tour included visiting sacred trees where the local people make animal sacrifices on an altar to seek prosperity for their village.  We had the opportunity to share a meal with the village and see and hear about the family dynamics. 

It was an emotional time but very special.  In addition, the English corners in two classes so far has opened many windows to learn and share life.   Thank you for making this possible.  In reading I was amazed that we are literally a brand plucked out of the fire (Ams 4:11).  There is nothing to be done without the Father’s help.  From basketball, hiking, swimming, eating, tea sessions, music jams, and walks, we have been provided for.  May these people begin to “bend” toward the One who created the creation.

Team update-

Wow! This is the 6th full day here and we have learned so much about the people and their culture. Father has given us many opportunities to make friendships and express the great news by loving on the students.

Although the culture is very different than life back in the states, we have experienced, internationally, all people have the same needs. In interacting with the students, all people have the need to be loved and accepted. And to that end we have strived. The Word says, they will know Him by our love. We have both seen Him express His love and we have tried to be obedient in his leading on how individual students receive love. He is doing great things. It is our privilege to get to express that love in Southeast Asia!

June 12, 2014

Eric-

What an amazing two days – Chris and I hiked in the southern part of the country and crossed over to the northern part of the neighboring country. On Wednesday, we hiked 8 ½ hours through minority villages. Most of these people have never heard the name of the Father or the Son. We spent time with leaders in these villages, serving them and learning about their trades.

This morning we hiked a little more in some of the most scenic areas I’ve ever seen. We went to the market this morning and were able to experience pieces of at least 4-minority cultures. We finished the day by visiting one more village and then to a waterfall in the middle of a valley, Ps 42:7.

Please continue to pr that the seeds planted will germinate into His growth.

Bill-

After a packed past few days, we picked up the team from the big city and it was good to see everyone and spend time on the bus ride back to campus. There are so many great personalities in this team and they are connecting with the students quickly.  Looking back to the boat race I experienced a short stent of culture shock surrounded by hundreds of college students from other countries chanting in their own languages.  I was encouraged this morning in my reading Rom. 1 to not be ashamed of the gspl and derive my confidence and life from Him.  We visited a cave 2 days ago and encountered many bats, rocks, smoke, and villagers.  It was very good to spend time in creation with students who value time and relationships.  We got invited into a pomegranate farmer’s house and see his newborn and family.  It was sweet and refreshing to see such beautiful people. The Father was working in this short time to provide opportunities to learn and share.  “The mountains quake before thee, the demons run and flee at the mention of your Name…”

Katrina, Shannon, Mary, Laura, Emma Grace, & Brooke

The past several days have been great. We have had fun living the college life; going to classes and meeting new friends! We had the privilege of taking an introduction language class today and yesterday we got to help some students practice their English while in class. We made friends and got invited to go to one of the students Cha Cha dance classes. We have had a blast getting to know the students. All of the English major students are so friendly and are eager to help us in getting around the campus and learning the culture.

Please pr that when we hang out with students, we will be alert to what He wants to do. Also, pr that we will use our time wisely in getting rest at the right times so that we can hang out. We are still getting use to the time change… and squatty potties!

June 5, 2014

FROM BILL:

It has been a relationally filled few days beginning with a walk with a brother who shared his story (broken English) through some dark forces he experienced as a child growing up.  He logically reasoned that there must be more than a human’s short span on this earth and that is the soul.  After reading and pr’ing more he found rest in the true soul-satisfier and Redeemer.  What a joy it is to be a brother and encourager to this young man.  Seeing all the different personalities and talents of these students reminds me of Ecc. 3:11 in how the Father has made everything beautiful in its time (these people, mountains, lighting storms, and knowledge) and writing eternity in the hearts of man.  Yet, no one can find out what J has done from beginning to end.  The HS is at work. 

CLICK/TAP IMAGES TO ENLARGE

Some activities have been swimming lessons, blown up rockets (thanks to my grandma’s purchase), and sharing food (some strange) together.  Ending this update, I will attest to the wonderful lightning storm last night and this afternoon on the way home from the Young & Free Coffee shop.  Oh!  We got to pry over a boy in moped accident who was told he could not walk and just ended up breaking a few bones.  Praise the Father and may more opportunities arise in the coming weeks. 

FROM BROOKE:

It’s been a fun and interesting week of meeting many new students and teachers. The other night I randomly met a (very) enthusiastic group of freshman isl@mic girls, whom I got to have lunch with again today. Yesterday I attended three music classes, just to observe, and was able to meet numerous music teachers and begin to build relationships with them, even though their English is minimal. They were all so welcoming and excited for me to be there, so it was a very good experience, and I hope to build on these relationships in the upcoming weeks.

I’ve spent quite a bit of time with my friend from two years ago who is a , and I thank Him so much for our friendship. Tonight I had my first language class, which ended up being a one-on-one class with the teacher who doesn’t speak English, but thankfully my friend came with me and helped translate! She and I got dinner before and spent about an hour just walking and sitting by the lake, and we shared some life experiences. I pr- that hers and my friendship would grow even more, and that we’d be able to become even closer and discuss meaningful things. I’ve more and more come to realize how she has not had the same opportunities in her life that I have had in mine to fellowship with other family. I can tell that our simply spending time together is very meaningful to her; I want to be there for her as much as I can while I am here.

Please pr- that I would continually be intentional in my relationships (especially with my four new isl@mic friends), and that the HS would guide my interactions with the students and teachers and provide opportunities to share His story.

June 3, 2014

We are so grateful for the smooth traveling! We didn’t have any big delays and even arrived early. Saturday night we settled into our dorm rooms and got a bit of sleep before our Sunday morning meeting.

Q: What are the people Like?

A: Like us. All different personalities and shapes and sizes. The idea of women being reserved is old fashioned. They are a little reserved in public (the older ones). The younger ones are more "Westernized". As a general rule, they are very easy-going. They don't ruffle easily. They are a very curious people! Whenever we go to town we draw stares and crowds anxious to see the "foreigners." They do everything the hard way - don't use a lot of modern machinery when a wheelbarrow and a few men can do the same job. I've read they have a better pain threshold - but don't know how anyone would prove that for sure. It would explain how they can live the harsh life they life. We live in the country so we mostly see the country folk - they spent hours everyday in their fields under very harsh conditions (mostly heat). They routinely carry heavy loads over their shoulders in baskets balanced with a bamboo pole.

Last week was amazing!!! The team brought so much joy and rejuvenation to the campus that we are still seeing the students BIG smiles, hearing stores, and being asked questions.  With that said, we are going to have a continuing Q&A for you all on our site, under Post-It.  All you have to do is send us a question through our Contact page and then we will repost your question along with an answer.  All names will remain anonymous for safety.

Our FIRST question!!!

Q: Do most of the students speak English or are you communicating through translation?

A: About 500 of 13,000+ students on our campus speak English, which made things difficult during Chris and Becky's first year.  When teams come over to partner we place them with ambassadors, bilingual students, that we have hand selected.  These students spend all day with their ambassadors so if there is any need the ambassador will help them.  As for Becky and Chris, their language level is to the point where they can now survive on their own.  For their first year they spent most of their time with English speaking students.  They do not have translators when teaching or guest speaking in the classroom. However, now they are able to interact with those who can only speak Chinese.

March 14, 2014

Had a great day today. Started out at 6am and went to the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, and Pearl Market. We ate dinner last night and got to taste Peking Duck. Lots of culture today! We weren't sure we were going to have time to fit it all in but Father orchestrated the day beautifully. Pr for Hannah. She fell at the Great Wall and twisted her ankle. She's got some swelling and pain, but is being a trooper!  

It is Saturday now and we have a few hours before we head to airport. We need our pr warriors to cover us during all our travel today/tomorrow. Thank you for all your pr. We have definitely felt them!!

March 13, 2014

Arrived safely in Beijing and got to our hotel around 7:00pm. We walked to a shopping area and managed to find a McDonalds and KFC. We got a little taste of home tonight by eating that. 😊

We are exhausted and have another full day tomorrow starting at 6am. Please pr for strength and endurance as we get to visit some historical parts of this city. Also please pr for protection over us as this is a very dark city that needs the Son.

Everyone is doing great. A few tummy issues but those have all worked themselves out today. 

We definitely feel your pr's and support. This team is united and excited about what we got to be a part of this week! We are eager to share with all of you!  Thanks for your love for us!

March 12, 2014

Wow…there really are no words to describe what we are feeling tonight after our last full day here at the University.  There are amazing stories to tell and we all look forward to telling you all about it.

This morning, a small team was able to share in the Intl. Business class about our individual jobs.  We got to answer lots of questions and start many leading conversations.  Pr that a seed was planted.

That team then got to meet with some University personnel about 3 ways they are asking to partner with us.  We were trying to maintain our composure while screaming like little girls on the inside.  We say ‘Yes Lord’!  GG!! PP!!

The rest of the team split and went to two different classes to do English corners and showed the team video again.

We then separated into a couple of different groups to lunch with students.  Lots of good stories.  The most joyous is spending time with family and our new baby brother.

The team went to a Kung Fu lesson this afternoon, and well, there are so many good pictures!  Then everyone hung out with students.  By this day, there are some really deep friendships formed with the students here and they want to be with our team during all of their free time.

WHO NEEDS SHAKEOLOGY, ADVOCARE, HERBALIFE, AND THE MANY OTHER PRODUCTS OUT THERE WHEN YOU CAN HAVE A POST KUNG FU WORKOUT DUCK NECK!!!

Tonight, the boys went to the basketball coach’s house for dinner where they made their own dinner and cooked it.  They spent several hours there and came back so encouraged as they were lifted up by a local.

Our own Caleb Shannon was asked to play with the University basketball team tonight as they played against another cities team.  We won!!

A group went to the lake on campus tonight with a bunch of students and played music.  There’s a neat story about the guitar that you’ll hear in a little bit.

Said some goodbyes tonight and that was really hard.

We had the chance to speak some blessings over C&B tonight and pr over them.  We are so thankful for them and their hard work this week.  We are sad to go!

Please pr for traveling safety tomorrow.  Bus ride at 6:00 in the morning and then a flight to Beijing.

From Jordan:  Tonight I gave away the guitar I brought to Eric (one of the students) and I’m not one to use the term “heartwarming,” but it seems appropriate in this situation.  Words cannot describe how happy he was.  He immediately went to show everyone his new guitar.  So that was cool.

From Jake:  This experience has been absolutely incredible.  I have been amazed at how much has been achieved in three short days.  I wish we had more time.  The Father is definitely working here.  Our time here has been great, and there have been no major issues; the Father has kept us safe and has guided us through the whole trip.  Thank you to all who have been supporting us!

From Caleb:  What’s up home girl?!  I love you and dad and Jake and Luke sooooooo much!!!  Thank you for your pr’s and encouragement.  It has helped so much!!  I want to come back in the summer in June! Can’t wait to see the puppy!  Indie or Indy?

From Cody:  To Dad and Caleb – Have fun and ride hard without me!  Love you!

From Justin:  Having a good time and meeting a lot of people.  Pr for energy and strength.

March 11, 2014

We had another amazing and full day here today.  We went to a Writing class this morning and got to meet some more new students.  Had some great conversations including the question “what is the Christmas story?”  Well, hello Father, and thank you for that very direct question.  The team was able to share exactly what the Christmas story meant.  Also we sang Amazing Grace AND Hotel California in that class.  It was awesome!  You might see some pics where we taught some of the kids what a “selfie” was…bonus!

After that we had some free time before our next scheduled event, so we all did a variety of things and then most went to lunch with a few students in the market.

At 3:00 we had a group play basketball in the gym with the basketball team here.  It was a great time of fun and lots of students showed up just to watch.

At 4:00 we went to a Western Culture class taught by B.  We got to share the film our students made about a day in the life of an American teenager.  The class LOVED IT!  We then split into groups and talked about how we spend our days.  I (Gina) spent the bulk of the class with a group of 6 girls talking and them teaching me to fold paper into swans.  Near the end of class, a girl just came and sat down beside me and started talking.  Her story is that her mom passed away 8 months ago and her dad is handicapped.  She was very sad and I got to share with her what I do when I’m sad.  I then asked her if I could pr that Father would help her every time she got sad.  She started crying, and of course, I did.  Would you pr with me that Summer is able to remember those words?

Some of us went to dinner and the rest of the team went to a business lecture tonight where Bruce and Melvin shared information about American businesses to a packed room, and then Jordan and Jake got to share their video and take Q&A.  From the feedback Chris has received, it was well received by the students.

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE DUCK NECK!!!

We then had a surprise birthday party for Chris & Becky!  We brought a mix and party plates and candles in our luggage, so Maryann cooked up an awesome lemon bar cake in the toaster oven and we sang Happy Birthday, let them blow out the candles and gave them some gifts we brought with us.  It was a wonderful time to love on them and show them our appreciation for what they are doing here.

Here are some thoughts from some of the team (we’ll have more tomorrow):

Ramona: We are all doing well.  Our days are very full and we are able to spend a lot of time with lots of students and have had lots of good conversations.  We are sharing and learning a lot about the Chinese culture.  It is a great trip but we do miss our loved ones at home and look forward to seeing you and telling you all the details.

Bre: We have met many people, especially girls, at the university and they have lots of questions and LOVE taking pictures with us, so my face hurts from all the smiling.  I absolutely love hanging out with all the students and I love being here way more than I expected.  Just thought that I should let everybody know I am alive.

Maryann: We have met lots of students.  They have been very welcoming and we have very quickly made lots of friends.  It has been a blast getting to know them and answering all their questions.

Jennica: Hello!  It has been amazing so far.  We have tried so many things, met so many people, and seen so much.  I’m going to be so sad to leave!  It has been so funny being surrounded by people taking pictures.  We feel like celebrities!

Cody: The rice here is good.

P.S. Some of your kids wanted me to tell you “Hi mom & dad.  I’m alive.  I love you.”   I’ll let you figure out if they are your kids. :)

Pr for rest tonight.  Pr for intentional conversations as tomorrow is our last day here on campus. 

MARCH 10, 2014

Wow…what a day!  We all had a good night sleep last night and feel a little more normal today. It was a full day.

This morning we started out picking our own breakfast from the village market.  It was very interesting and so tasty!   No one has been sick at all from the food we’ve been eating so that is answered pr.

We then went to English class that B teaches.  All her students wrote each of us letters telling about their life and asking us questions, which led to great discussion time.  Most of us got to talk about our life and what Father means to us.  A few were asked about our Christmas festivities, which lead to an awesome discussion about what we believe.  Some were asked about purpose in life.  Please pr that those discussions would settle in and they would become more inquisitive about the Father.  After class we pr walked around the campus.

After that, some of us went to lunch with students.  Another great opportunity to share and build relationships came up when ome of the boys went to teach American football with some students, and at the same time the girls got to learn some minority dances.  We then went to a class about Chinese language/culture. It seems like a very hard language to learn!

Our awesome leaders must have sensed we were jet lagging a little this afternoon and we had a short time to rest.  Some of us went to play basketball with students.

We then met and traveled into downtown for dinner at a teahouse.  It was very relaxing and delicious.  C&B had arranged to bring a cake to celebrate three team members’ birthdays that happen this week.  It was a wonderful time!

We are now debriefing about our day and hearing some of the team talk about how today impacted them and what we want to see happen in the next two days.  Please pr that our hearts would continue to be burdened and that we take EVERY opportunity Father presents for us to share.

Please continue to pr for protection from food issues, and that we will be well rested to have a great day tomorrow.

MARCH 9, 2014

Hello family and friends,

We made it safely to our destination finally today.  We have been blessed with answered pr’s already.  Our first flight to LAX we were scheduled to board in the 4th group.  Father changed the mind of the flight staff and we were able to board 2nd.  That also meant that we were all-able to get our luggage on and weren’t forced to check any of it.  Also, the whole team has been great dealing with the “only carry on” luggage situation.

We arrived at LAX and were able to eat a little dinner.  We got on our long 15 hr flight and it was very turbulent but the team did great.  Some slept well, some didn’t.  We landed and had about 30 minutes to go through customs, go through security and get on our next flight.  Father provided an airline employee who really ran us through each step and put us at the front of the line at each step.  More answered pr’s.  We made it on, they closed the door and we started backing out of the gate.  Then we sat on the tarmac waiting for them to fix a “technical problem.”  But we made it!  Then we had a long bus ride to our destination.

When we got here, we got to have dinner with some students, which was awesome!  They are super sweet and we ate and laughed a lot.

BIG OLE MOMENT!!!

Another big moment today was that most of us successfully used a squatty potty!!

We are EXHAUSTED but a good, happy exhausted!  We start early in the morning so here are some pr requests:

*That we would have a restful night sleep.

*That we would quickly establish relationships with students.

*That we make the most of every opportunity.

We love you all,

SEA Team