#128 - Lots of Activity!

Sep 8 - Oct 30, 2008

Picture of the Week

Can this section really be called a "Picture of the Week" if this update encompasses almost two months? Either way, the picture for this update is an excerpt from a book that Chad is reading called "Prayer" by Philip Yancey. This quote is from a letter he received from someone doing emergency crisis work after the 2004 tsunami, but it applies to so many of us today:

"People like Mother Teresa have shown us that anyone who wants to do crisis ministry long term must have a healthy devotional life. God has built into our systems a rhythm of life which we must not violate: output and input; work and rest; service and worship; community activity, family activity and solitude. Yet it is so easy at a time like this to neglect some of the less active disciplines in this list... Every time I sit down to pray or ready my Bible there seem to be so many other urgent demands that call for my attention."

How true in our own lives today!

Family Update

• The first quarter is complete at school and the kids did amazing! It was all A's and B's and only a few areas of improvement needed. Each teacher said how great it was to have our children in their class (and I don't think that they just said that because Shanthi is their boss). It was very encouraging and we are very proud of our kids for doing so well!
• Tomorrow (Oct 31st) is the one year anniversary since Chad's grandfather passed away. It will be a very sad day as he remembers how much his grandfather meant to him and the reality that he is gone.
• There is a possibility that we as a family may go to Zanzibar for the Christmas holiday. It would be a great chance to get away and see a part of Africa we have never seen before.
• Last weekend Shanthi and I had our private marriage retreat on the banks of the Nile river. We were both a part of a project trip to this ministry a couple years back and they gave us a gift certificate for a weekend retreat as a thank you. We finally took them up on the offer and drove the motorcycle the 2.5 hours each way to get there. It was a great time of spending together as just a couple. Thanks to Maggie for watching our kids while we were away!
• Nathan had a sleepover for his 10th birthday at the end of September! It is amazing to think that Shanthi and I have been parents for 10 years now!

Office & Project Update

• The project trips scheduled for September and October have all been completed and there are 4 new prospective staff or long term volunteers interested in our office as a result! Every trip was a success and we are all busy in the office working to complete the design by the middle of December.
• Chad's upcoming project in February was scheduled, then fell through and now a new one is just about to be approved. It looks like he may be traveling to Northern Uganda to help in the design of a community center.
• There has been a lot of coming and going in the office lately. Three staff members from the Colorado Springs office have visited, we had friends of interns stay at the EMI girls house, trip volunteers staying for a few weeks after the trip, and staff members going to Rwanda and Sudan on shorter project trips. It is amazing to see 20 people for morning prayer one day and then 5 the very next day!

Praise Reports

• Lots of new potential staff!
• God protected each and every person on the recent project trips!
• Many of you have been praying for the teacher who was emergency airlifted to the UK. We received an update last week and he is doing better and is with his family in the UK. He is in good spirits and seems to be improving. Thank you so much for your prayers!

Prayer Requests

• The student that we asked for prayer for has had 3 surgeries on his brain to remove fluid build up. This was the result of a sinus infection that somehow made it's way into his brain. He is still in Intensive Care and in need of our continued prayers!
• Our family seems to have a constant case of either runny noses or coughs. Please pray that all of us would be healthy or that we would have the patience to tolerate the constant sniffs and coughs!
• Continue to pray for wisdom as both Shanthi and I have lots of responsibility in our jobs. This also does not leave a lot of time to spend together so pray for clear communication and lots of fun for the times we do get to spend as a family!

Attached Picture

• Nathan and his friends the morning after his sleep over and Chad with his most recent team of volunteers.