Prayer Updates

Recently God has been answering prayers so rapidly, we haven't done a fantastic job of passing those answers on to you. I wanted to take just a moment to update you in three areas we've been asking prayer for to encourage you that the Lord is answering them.


Miguel:
I have been asking for prayer regarding starting a church in San Cristóbal, the salvation of Miguel, and for a bible study between him and a friend of his recently. Well I'm still not entirely clear on the salvation part (I should know more in our next 1x1 together), but today was a big day for the other two. When I showed up for the study today I found that his friend we were going to meet with had something come up and wouldn't be able to join us, but Miguel told me not to worry and just smiled. He then led me to his neighbor's home where his brother and three neighbors were waiting for me. We then proceeded to study the bible together. It was an awesome time and the best part was they all expressed interest in continuing to meet on a regular basis.

God has definitely been at work in Miguel and in San Cristóbal. Miguel, through his own initiative, decided our group should enlarge, and he went out and invited his neighbors personally to attend the study. We have been praying for a truly nationally-led initiative and it seems God is answering.

A second evidence of God at work, is that the house we met in today was one of the ones hit very hard during last May's floods. I truly believe that these floods were used by God to develop friendships and trust among us and our neighbors that God used to prepare the soil in which this church will be planted.


Gene:
Our supervisor was medevaced to the states last October for emergency heart surgery. He has had very serious complications and infections from that surgery and hasn't yet returned to the DR. I received the following report from his wife Julie yesterday:

“Great news! Gene does not have to have surgery! This past week his incision began to heal, without medication. Through answered prayer. That area that was draining is completely dried up. When Gene saw the doctor yesterday, there was nothing for him to see! Isn’t God good? The doctor said that we should know for sure by the end of two weeks that the infection is not coming back. The incision looks the best it has since the surgery. Gene also feels the best he has since his surgery. He still has a long way to go, but he has come so far. He will go to see his heart doctor next Monday. As soon as we know when he is released and when we are able to return to the DR, we will let you know. Thank you so much for your prayers, emails, and phone calls. Please continue to pray for complete healing and recovery. God is definitely moving!!”

Adelyn:

Fellow missionaries and our close friends Anthony and DeNiel were medevaced to the states the day after Chase was born due to serious complications with DeNiel's pregnancy. Adelyn was born several weeks prematurely and has been hospitalized since birth. Anthony just sent me this update:

Adelyn is soon to be 6 weeks old! Although she is stable, there are some hoops for her to jump through before she can leave the NICU. We still don't know exactly WHEN, but we're hoping to be out around the end of January. She finished ALL of her 32 mls bottle today for the first time. They feed her every 3 hours through a tube, except for 2 bottles per day. Before they can release Addi, she must get the hang of bottle feeding, breathing all on her own, keep her body temp regulated, and digesting everything properly. Digestion has been one of her major struggles all along. Please keep praying for all of these things. On a positive note, praise the Lord, she is 3.11 lbs now!

Thank you so much for your prayers. They sustain us and make it all possible.


“I believe it will only be known on the last day how much has been accomplished [overseas] by the prayers of earnest believers at home” – J.O. Fraser

Happy New Year!

Two thousand and nine has been such an exciting year. We began the year in Costa Rica where we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary while finishing up our final trimester of language school. We graduated in April and the next day we were on a plane headed to our new home in the Dominican Republic. Much of our time here has been spent learning - learning a new version of Spanish, learning how to drive Dominican style, and learning the DR culture, just to name a few. We've made lots of new friends and have been challenged in new ministry contexts. God is really at work on the island! Please know how much we appreciate you, we really couldn't be here without your love and prayers.

Our family on Christmas

We are excited for what this new year will hold for us and we hope that 2010 will be a fantastic year for you and your family.


- Ryan, Emily & Chase

P.S. Pictures of Chase's first Christmas can be viewed via the link in the right-side column.

January 2010 Prayer Calendar

After 4 months of changing ministries, moving to the city, our first child being born, and an emergency trip back to the states, we are starting our monthly prayer calendar again. Prayer for us is the most powerful gift you could give us.

As I was preparing this month's calendar I was reviewing previous calendars and I was amazed at how many previous prayer requests the Lord has answered.

Thank you so much for your prayers, THEY REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE OVER HERE!

You can download the calendar either by clicking the link in the right column under "Current Prayer Requests" or by clicking on this link: JANUARY 2010 PRAYER CALENDAR

In 2010 would you be willing to commit to pray for us for just 30 seconds a day?


"...The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." - James 5:16b

New Ministry Role

A few weeks ago I mentioned that we had moved to the city to start a new ministry assignment so I wanted to take a moment to fill you all in on what our new assignment is.

Back in June we met with our regional leader about a new team that was being formed: the Urban Transformation Team. This team is seeking to reach the island via the 4.5 million people that live in the capital (half the island's population). While the final details are still being ironed out, our main role on this team will be reaching University students.

Right now we are seeking to develop a team of around 10 mature, christian university students who want to see their campus and their island, claim the name of Jesus.

Would you take a moment to pray that the Lord would raise up these 10 young men and women who are dedicated to reaching their campus for Christ?

This week I will be meeting with representatives from another university to explore some options, but our main work will be at the Universidad Autonomia Santo Domingo (UASD).

UASD was the first university founded in the Americas (1538) and has a student population of around 140,000. Students from all over the island attend this school. In my opinion this is the single most strategic location on the entire island (possibly in the entire Caribbean).

Front gate to UASD

UASD from above

From what I can tell so far, only the Catholics and the Mormons have made an impact in reaching this campus.

In addition to university work, we are still committed to seeing a church raised up in our former neighborhood in San Cristóbal.

Would you take a moment to pray for the work in San Cristóbal.

Without your prayers, there is no point in us being here. We absolutely NEED your prayers!

Top 10 Ways to Know You're a Missionary

This was posted by my friend Dwyndl on his website. When I read it I couldn't stop laughing because of how true it is; so I thought I'd post it here.


You Might Be a Missionary If...

1. You have to stop and think about what to do with used toilet paper.
2. You think a 2 hour church service is too short.
3. You read a National Geographic and realize that you know some of the people in the picture.
4. You point with your lips.
5. You miss getting junk mail.
6. You have eaten food that would be a pet in the USA.
7. You are surprised the electricity has stayed on all day.
8. You have 6 different types of ants in your house and you ignore them all.
9. You have purchased lunch or items for your house at the stop sign in town.
10. You bring a sack lunch and a novel to the bank.

Creative Ways to Support World Missions

Recently I've been asked for suggestions on how people back home can support worldwide missions and/or overseas missionaries that they know. I found this list from the German Mission Fellowship and thought I'd post it. Every missionary and the organization he/she works for is different, but I thought this was a great start.


Creative Ideas to Support World Missions
by German Mission Fellowship


Create mission awareness:

• Get alongside new believers, disciple them, encourage them to explore and develop their gifts and to grow in various types of ministry in the church (children's work, youth meetings, evangelistic outreach, house groups).

• Create interest in mission—invite missionaries, have a world map in the church hall, mission information, adopt an unreached people group (prayer, info).

• Place missionary books on the church bookstall and in the church library.

• Give missionary books as a gift to specific people.


Commissioning:
• Elders, pastors, counselors to talk on calling and call believers to missionary service.

• Support, advise and encourage those preparing for missionary work.

• Commission into missionary service as a church.



Prayer Support:

• Pray personally.

• Pray in church services, prayer meetings, house groups.

• Form a missionary prayer group, prayer initiatives.

• Pray with the help of Operation World (Patrick Johnstone), "Pray through the 10/40 Windows" etc.

• Participate in prayer initiatives like "30 days of Prayer for the Islamic World."



Keep in touch—keep informed:

• Write to the missionary regularly (letter, fax, email) or call him/her and encourage and inform, send a church newsletter, front page of local newspaper, video of church activities, audio cassette, photos, give out addressed aerogrammes in the church and encourage others to keep in touch, too.

• Encourage, counsel, be available.

• Children to keep in touch with the missionaries' children.

• Be a link person between the missionary and his/her home church. Give out prayer requests in church services, read out excerpts from personal letters, newsletters, show videos, display small items etc. Create a missionary interest in the church.

• Have a missionary notice board in the church hall. Display up-to-date newsletters and information.

• Send presents (small parcels: e.g. children's books, videos, cassettes) esp. at Christmas, birthdays etc.

• Edit, format, print and mail the missionary's prayer letter, keep the address list up to date.

• Arrange for the local newspaper or a Christian journal to include articles about the missionary and his/her work.

• Visits to the mission field (if appropriate) by the pastor/elders/evangelistic team/building team/construction team, sports team.

• Short-term ministry with missionaries (do house keeping for them, care for their children, help with computers, counsel, preach, teach the missionary and his/her colleagues or church members etc. on subjects you are expert in if those subjects are of interest to them).



Practical Support:

• Provide storage for luggage, books, furniture.

• Help in financial and legal matters back home (bank accounts, financial transactions, investments, insurance policies, tax declarations, inheritance)

• Give advice on computers, electronic media, software, medical matters, schooling options.

• Get and send medicines, spare parts, books, children's materials, local newspaper clips.

• Provide information on current affairs in the home country, up-to-date literature. Subscribe to a newspaper and have it sent out.

• Provide information on professional innovations, new technology, equipment from a colleague, send a professional journal.

• Visit the missionary's elderly relatives, especially on anniversaries and birthdays, provide care on behalf of the missionary, attend funerals of his/her relatives.



Financial support:

• Support the missionary personally.

• Be creative in fund raising, organize a bazaar, art or handicraft exhibition, Gift Day, sponsored walk.

• Suggest the missionary's ministry as special Christmas project to the local newspaper.




Welcome back:

• Help the missionary to prepare for home assignment. Write to him/her prior to his/her return and offer your help (send newspaper articles on current topics in media/church/society/politics).

• Welcome him/her at the airport and arrange for transportation.

• Provide accommodation, furniture, household items, food.

• Provide a car for use during home assignment.

• Make time for the missionary, especially during the first few weeks and help him/her through the 'reverse culture shock'. Invite him/her for a meal, tea etc.

• Help with readjusting after arrival (traffic regulations, refuse collection, fashion, shopping, currency, banking, transfer forms, procedures with the authorities etc.).

• Children to help the missionaries' children to adjust to home culture, school etc.

• Provide a holiday flat (or let the missionary 'house-sit' for you while you are away), arrange weekends away, lend a caravan, take the children on outings.



Deputation work:

• Get invitations from churches, schools, youth groups, students' groups, house groups, church house parties, clubs, societies etc.).

• Introduce the missionary to interested friends.

• Plan evangelistic activities together with the missionary (open-air meetings, visits to refugee hostels, university campus, student hostel). Visit neighbors from other cultural backgrounds.

• Invite the missionary to your church retreat (as guest speaker).

• Make helpful suggestions for improving e.g. slide presentations, preaching (make aware of changes in culture in the home country—a missionary may not be aware when he comes across as a bit 'odd'!).

• Set up an interview with a local newspaper, local radio/TV, Christian journals—wonderful opportunities to give a testimony.

• Make technical equipment available for deputation meetings (slide-projector, video-projector, screen).

• Plan the deputation work for/with the missionary.



Children's education:

• Send school books & material, instructive and other books in the children's native language.

• Give advice on schooling options.

• Take the missionaries' children into your family if they need to stay on in the home country for higher education, vocational training etc.



Retirement:

• Help missionaries with readjustment back into the home country at the end of their service abroad.

• Help to find secular employment.

• Seek accommodation for those retiring.



Support of mission agency:

• Make skills and knowledge available to mission agency (computer, law, taxes, education, graphics, PR, translation, professional counseling, diet, agriculture, gardening.).

• Practical help in the mission's home office (house-keeping, grounds maintenance, building work, correspondence, mailing of newsletters, etc.).

Emergency Prayer!!! - UPDATE 4

Please pray for Anthony and DeNiel Gillen. They are fellow missionaries here in the DR and very good friends of ours. DeNiel is 30 weeks pregnant but the baby has only grown to 24 weeks. Doctors don't know what is wrong but they do know that DeNiel's life and the baby's life are in grave jeopardy. They were medevaced to the States 5 days ago and just found out they will have to take the baby out right now.

Please pray for DeNiel, the baby, and for the entire Gillen family.


UPDATE 1:

I just got off the phone off the phone with Anthony and the Gillens welcomed little baby Addie (short for Adelynne Caroline Gillen [spelling?]) into the world last night at 9:00pm CST. Anthony told me that the presence of God has been clearly seen. Although she weighs just 1 pound 14 ounces, her color, oxygen saturation, blood pressure and heart rate are all excellent. (Her apgar score was a 7 then a 9). God’s hand was so at work that the doctor doing the delivery said “I can feel the prayers from around the world, this delivery is going way too smooth.”

DeNiel is doing very well and is expected to be released from the hospital in 3 days.

Addie is currently in the NICU and the next 24 hours will be critical to know exactly how healthy she is so please continue to pray.


UPDATE 2

DeNiel and I would like to thank everyone for their prayers to the Father during this time. Adelyn is doing pretty good. Presently, Adelyn is receiving oxygen through a nasal cannula. They have yet to hook her up to the ventilator. Although this is still a possibility because she is laboring pretty hard at times, they believe, due to the lack of surfactant. Surfactant is a surface agent that basically allows the lungs not to stick together. In regards to feeding, they have hooked up a picc line which feeds into the artery of the heart supplying her with nutrients since her stomach has yet to develop the bacteria necessary to digest milk. Adelyn continues to fight and the doctors have said that her "spunkiness" will serve her well in the days to come. She definitely has a long road ahead of her.

DeNiel is doing pretty good and is set to go home Tuesday afternoon. During this time our kids will be staying with grandparents and separated from us for extended periods of time. The hospital is not allowing kids below 14 in the building due to the flu season, so it will be some time before they are able to see their little sister.

In closing, I would ask that we continue to pray for DeNiel and Adelyn but also for our other three kids Kylie (9), Brooklin (8) and Jacob (3). They were able to see DeNiel last night for about 15 minutes and I could tell that emotionally it was having an impact on all of them.


UPDATE 3 (Photos)

Here are the first photos of little Adelyn.







UPDATE 4

(Dec. 8, 2009) - She is doing great. But as we all know with preemies that can change with a blink of an eye. However, we are rejoicing that the medicine has closed off the PDA! They are hoping to try her on milk today. Of course, this will be through a tube, but none the less it is another huge step forward. Addi has been able to be on room air for up to 3 hours and then her little body tires out. So they give her about 20% oxygen for a couple of hours. She had gained an ounce and after much arm and leg movement she lost an ounce.

DeNiel and I once again would like to say thanks for your prayers and the many emails of encouragement.

A Lost World

The motto of the United States Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers is "So That Others May Live." They put their lives in danger to search out and rescue people.

That same motto could be applied to why some leave behind a comfortable life in a familiar country to learn a new language and culture to share the news of the Savior Jesus Christ... so that others may live.

This video is about the lost in the USA, but the statements made are identical to what I've heard all around the world.

This video shows exactly why we are over here... So That Others May Live.

Our Secret Family Recipe

Pool Winner

Congratulations to Jackie Bevill for winning the baby pool!!

See all the results by CLICKING HERE:



Here are two more photos.

Leaving the hospital for his first car ride.

Dreaming of one day wearing clothes that fit.