Points for Prayer

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( As of  July  16, 2012  )

Please read our new requests  and updates in italics below. 

2012-006.  Peter’s knee & shoulder.  I continue to recover from surgery to my knee and shoulder which I had in April.  My shoulder is much better finally, now in July.  But I am still hobbling around with pain in my knee.

2012-005.   Pray for Covenant personnel who are in the States after a short term and working hard to return overseas…. I think of Christy Taylor, Diane & Chris Wiebe, and Neil & Liz Peterson.  Many of them are finding fund-raising to be challenging in this economy.  Liz & Neil are dealing with many issues related to Liz’s obtaining United States citizenship.  Christy and the Wiebe’s are doing on-going education to enhance their teaching skills.  Please pray that these times would be refreshing  times of rebuilding and encouragement.

2012-004.  Praise the Lord for the strong church growth in Taiwan and for the many ways the churches are reaching into their communities and countries around them.  Pray that the new sanctuary for the Xindian church would be completed in time for a 60^th anniversary celebration in October.   

2012-003.  A house, a visa, and energy to make the move back to our former country of service.  We hope to move sometime in October or November.  Please pray that all the important things will come together.

2012-002.  Ruthie and I are in the States for two weeks for meetings and study.  Please pray for Ruthie as she continues her program in Spritual Direction at North Park Seminary in Chicago.  Peter will be returning to Thailand on July 16, Ruthie on July 26.

2012-001.  The smell from the mill that was such a big problem last year….

·        Has now been solved!   Thank the Lord we were able to find an environmental engineer who was able to help us design a system that totally eliminated the smell.  We closed down the mill in mid-January and then worked hard to make many changes in the ventilation system.  When we turned on the system it worked!

Returning home

MVF is doing great in Thailand.  But still our hearts have remained in a neighboring country.

Earlier this year we paid several visits back to our former home.  First we accompanied two twenty-somethings to let them have an opportunity to see opportunities there.  Then we accompanied two Thai friends from Bangkok who wanted to use their gifts and resources for good...

In earlier trips I had struggled with feelings of anger over how we had been treated.  After giving some of the best years of our adulthood, we were "invited out" and we lost everything we thought we had been building.  But during these trips back, we realized that we felt at home--and I wrote about it in one of my blog postings.  God was doing a work in our hearts.  We realized:  This is where we would like to finish up our last 10 years of active work/service!  Almost concurrently, we received an invitation from a national friend to help him in his company.  For her part, Ruthie has a standing invitation to return and help mentor a number of Lao and foreign friends.  

We have now received the go-ahead to return.  We hope to be living near the capital city by the end of the year!  Please pray for a visa, a house, and energy to make the move.

What will happen to MVF?  It is in the good hands of Wessel and our Thai management team and will continue strong, we hope and pray.  At some point in the future we may move the food mill too.  But that is still too far in the future.  We'll update you as events happen!