May
28
2011
Roy
A new batch of EMBA students from Ch1na have arrived and we are very excited to meet this new group of students and and are really become a part of their lives. New summer students from other programs are also trickling in as we also have spent time with many of the returning students who aren’t able to go home and so spend the summer taking classes. Summer is one of the best times in our ministry. Also, believe it or not, less than two weeks before our trip. (
see May pictures)
Thanks to all who contacted me to commit to pray for the trip. I will contact you soon with a plan for the time. We still need a few more people; people who would pray a little each day and who would take one day a week while we prepare and are on the trip.
- We got a encouraging e-mail from a believing student friend who was about to return home. Right before going home, she and an unbelieving friend took at trip to New York. Her flight from New York, scheduled two days before her trip back to her country was cancelled because of the tornadic weather out here. The next day did not look any better. She told her friend that she was not concerned because God would take care of them. The next day, they signed up to fly standby on an earlier flight than they were scheduled for. They were leaving for home the following early morning. This person’s friend was the last person who was able to get on to the earlier flight. They arrived in DFW in the afternoon. That night a HUGE storm came through and her other friend who was on the original flight got stuck flying into Austin and they had to stay the night. Our friend (and her friend), on the other hand, had just enough time to pack and board the flight for home. What a faith builder! and testimony to the friend.
- The 2011 EMBA students are here. A very different group that then 2010 group but we are very much blessed by them. Also, the students are very much attracted to Ron’s Golf lessons(20 of the 35 went to the first meeting) and 27 of the 35 came to our house from Friday night group and we have a full table for discussion group and Bible discovery group This has been awesome!
- The kids are finishing their semester and Charis and Tim won many awards for their school year. We haven’t heard about Jonathan’s year yet.
- Final preparations for our trip are coming together. We are almost there! Hard to believe.
- For the EMBA 2011 group,
- Pray that we can find enough friendship partner host families for these students. Almost all of the 35 signed up and we are still very much short.
- Pray for a someone who could help instruct the students in golf while Ron is recovering from surgery. This is a very pressing need as so many of them want to learn.
- Pray for a home to host a sort of “grand opening” welcome party for them in late July.
- Keep on praying for Ron as he deals with the prostate cancer. His surgery is coming soon.
- Keep praying for our city mobilizer, Jeff who is struggling with his mother’s terminal illness. Pray for his son too who is struggling with some unexplained extreme headaches.
- Continue to pray for Roy’s Irritable Bowel. It’s getting better but not completely.
- Pray for people who will step up and do the stuff Ron and we do for the UTA ministry and specifically the Friday group in June, a very important time for ministry while we are gone and Ron is recovering.
- Pray for the final week before the Asia trip. Pray that we don’t forget anything. Pray that we can get our hearts in a ministry mindset. (abiding in Christ) and we can get rest now before things get crazy. Continue to pray for the right heart for our kids… Pray that God will do something incredible for them on this trip.
- Pray for airport pickups for new summer students. Pray for good relationships and that we can fine people of peace who God has already been working in.
Tags: Cancer, EMBA, Miracle, UTA
May
22
2011
Roy
The last couple of weeks have been about helping the students from 2010-2011 school year move forward and beginning the process of welcoming the students from the 2011-2012 school year. Between moving, helping student with airport things, having final coffee’s, lunches, meetings, going to graduations, welcoming new graduate students, etc. its been very interesting and kind of emotionally draining. Add to that the anticipation and big preparations for the Asia trip and some job uncertainty for Lisa and we have been stretched. It is not busyness but the randomness of the time that make it interesting. It has drawn us to depend on God more and more. Thank you all for your regular prayers. It keeps us focused and centered on Christ and His work and the spiritual/tangible effects are clear and definite. Thank you.
We would like to recruit at least 7-14 people who would commit to pray for us on the Asia trip: people who would pray a little each day and who would take one day a week while we prepare and are on the trip (e.g. a Monday).
Tags: China, graduation, MBA, Orchestra
May
06
2011
Roy
Short update today. We have a end of the year picnic for our UTA ministry that I have to leave for in 15 minutes. It’s been an interesting week. I’ve been out bad with the Irritable Bowel deal so its been less than comfortable and I had to miss a bunch of stuff. Still some good stuff God has done. Please keep praying.
- Student Malong and his wife Helen are expecting a child and we were able to celebrate with most of the EMBA class with them through a Baby shower. They are expecting in mid-May RIGHT before their visa expires and they go home. Pray for safety for the baby and that the baby and mother will be healthy and it can be born early or on time.
- Charis performed in her school concert and did a delightful and passionate job. Jonathan is doing better in school and timothy got commended performance in all subjects in the state tests. Praise the Lord for his blessing.
- Timothy successfully went on his first Boy Scout campout though there was rain, thunder and even a tornado warning along the way… (baptism by fire?)
- Pray for Roy’s Irritable Bowel deal that it will not be a hindrance to ministry here or when we go to Asia. It has been the cause of a couple of cancelled appointments already including a special lunch with a student who wanted to share his food before he goes home
May
01
2011
Roy
The next two weeks are finals for most of our students and then for many graduation or at least a break. These are some of the more intense times for students. On of our friends was sharing that he was really worried about selling his car, turning off the electricity, turning off the telephone, planning for his job back home AND finishing finals and graduating. With the clock ticking for them, it is a huge time of stress. Pray, as we say goodbye to many, that God would open up opportunities to talk about Jesus.
- Oral surgery for Roy went very smoothly so far. The doctor was able to both take out the old roots and put in the implant in one procedure. Praise the Lord.
- The situation in Ivory Coast seems to be getting better. Continue to pray for the students from there.
- Several students who are from China are taking it upon themselves ot make sure the China part of the Asia trip goes well. Some are taking time off, letting us stay with them, driving us around.
- Pray for our city mobilizer, Jeff who is struggling with his mother’s health. She just found out that her cancer will probably take her life in the next 6 months or so. Pray for wisdom, grace and peace for him and his family.
- Pray for staff member Laurie who is going to have a cortisone shot in her back to receive back pain. Pray that it goes smoothly.
- Pray as we have end of the year parties, etc. Pray for good final connections, sending off and “commissioning” of believers, etc.
- Pray for someone to help pick up furniture during the summer in preparation for the Big howdy welcome events.
- Pray for the Asia trip. We have only 5 weeks before we get on the plane. We have many details to take care of and we are still short financially in terms of paying for the whole trip. Still we know God will provide and he will take care of the details. Still, there are a lot of moving pieces in this trip because we are not taking tours but meeting many friends, visiting a country winding down from a period of uncertainty, etc. Pray also that we can make a schedule that will work so we can meet the many students we know. Pray for people to stay in our house to care for the pets, etc. Pray for the team to step up in ministry while we are gone.
- Pray for the kids as they prepare to finish the school year and prepare for our BIG TRIP. Pray for peace as they hear all kind of stuff about Japan, etc. Pray also that this will be a significant growing experience for them.
Tags: Asia, China, Ron
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