In summary: They are living in an almost exclusively
Muslim area. They resumed part
time language (colloquial Arabic) study in
Sept ‘07, and Jonathan has been busily
involved in setting
up an office for an international Canadian NGO. Alongside
these activities they are building friendships with locals, discipling and
praying with new believers and learning day-to-day what it means to be
parents to their 10 month old son Joel.
Latest news (19-Feb-08)
We returned to the Middle-East just over 5 months ago. There have
been a lot of adjustments this year but the main adjustment is becoming parents
to our 10-month baby son. Joel is such a delight to us, and we’ve
already seen how he opens up so many doors in this community… Arabs love
children and a little pale-skinned, blond boy certainly turns many heads :-) the funny thing is how even tough-looking
guys in their 20s come up and want their picture taken with him on their
cell-phone!
Our team of 8 adults & 4 kids has had a challenging time recently,
including the departure under difficult circumstances of one our team-mates.
It’s been tough processing all this as a community, but it’s also been a
growing and maturing experience for all.
Many of us have also suffered with various types of health problems
– some chronic (bronchial infections/allergies) others more temporary. This has
at times been really discouraging and demoralizing as our energies and strength
seemed to be sapped, especially when living in this culture which at the best
of times is a very time-consuming and energy-draining environment to be in.
In the midst of all this, Jonathan has been busy for months
coordinating with our local lawyer all the paperwork needed to register a local
office for the Canadian NGO called MRDS – Millennium Relief &
Development Services (www.mrds.org/Canada.htm). The
process is now well under way and all papers have been submitted to the first
govt ministry (they have to get processed by 4 different ministries before
permission to operate will be granted God-willing…) Thru MRDS, we hope to be
able to develop a vehicle to further and deepen our involvement with the
poor in the various communities we are interacting with here. There are
plans to develop a project for kids/youth (involving reconciliation
& peacemaking elements; ecological preservation awareness raising; art
& sports, etc); an eco-friendly recycling project (a BIG need in
this part of the world!) and expanding the micro-finance and
micro-enterprise development project already launched in 2007. We are
working in both urban and rural settings.
When MRDS is officially registered it should enable us to secure
residence/work permits and facilitate our longer-term plans to stay in this
part of the world to serve the Lord here.
A significant amount of time is spent building & seeking to
deepen friendships with locals – hence the need for more and more fluency in
the heart language (Arabic). We are learning new things about this culture
every week, and are appreciating many positive aspects of life
here. While being challenged to adapt in some areas, we are also wanting to
live incarnationally and “plant the yeast of the Kingdom” into
communities where He is not yet known… The exciting thing is that the Lord is
so clearly at work in many individuals’ lives. We continue to hunger for more…
Please Pray:
- for peace,
reconciliation and forgiveness between communities in the entire region - in terms of
political, sectarian and religious upheavals. There is talk of “wars &
rumors of wars” and other tensions: we put our trust in
the Lord our Rock & refuge.
- For God’s blessing on our family
and our team: that we may know His protection, strength and guidance and be
ever more salty & filled with His light in this place
- For more health for everyone! And
protection from all forms of attack in this area.
- For little Joel as he grows up in
a foreign culture & for us to be good parents to him.
- That God will use us in
every way He chooses and that our friendships with team, local believers
& other contacts will continue to be strengthened day by day for the
Kingdom’s sake.
- Pray for the NGO-registration process:
that it will be unhindered, smooth and go quicker than expected. (We’ve
already been at this for 6months and it could be another 3-4 to go…)
In the midst of all of this, God is at work...
Praise be to His
Name! And may He keep “building the house” (Ps.127)