Surgery

Unexpecteds happen all the time to all of us. Some of them take a long time to deal with. I never thought a year ago I'd be back in bed recovering from another surgery on my knee. The patella had shifted out of line and a surgical tie down was necessary as well as a bone graft. So, another summer of unexpected recovery and healing.

And deep thoughts brought on probably by pain relieving narcotics. I went in to the hospital last Wednesday because a Doctor told me I needed surgery on my knee. I walked into a room that 3 hours later I'd roll out of on a bed, knowingly I'd be unable to walk for 6 or more weeks. While I let them take me out of consciousness, I was oblivious to multiple doctors and nurses cutting into my side, taking out a core of bone from my pelvis, and then cutting over my knee cap and inserting the bone graph. While it's not 100% sure that I'll ever be able to run or even walk without a limp, I entrusted my body into the hands of people I don't really even know. I merely took it upon their word that they knew what they were doing.

That's more faith I believe than most of us have in God. We do not offer our bodies up to him the way we do our doctors. We don't trust that he'll take care of us. We try and fix it ourselves and want to know all the risks and all the requirements. We don't sign a form giving over our entire health to him We don't believe that in the end not only will we be saved, but we'll run again. Is God sovereign or not? We need to start living like he has our best interest in mind and give up a lot of things that are under our control. Living it. If we believe it.

Summer Filled!

Harvesters International is still moving forward with many of our graduates heading out to the mission fields and more in progress. This summer we'll be working on a website upgrade and new media presentations. Central's camp teams will be presenting H.I. to prospective students all summer at camps and NYR. It is a great way for students to get their degree, mission training, raise support and go to the field debt free from attending our tuition-free program here at Central. Rob & Lynne Branham have returned from Australia for a summer visit. Dezi & I went to school with them and it was exciting to hear of their new ministry starting churches down under. So many alumni doing so many things all over the world, makes our work exciting, valuable and necessary. As we desire to support them we also see the need to recruit many more workers for these harvest fields and other places where there is no opportunity to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

One Trip, One College, One Destination

For something different this year during Outreach Week April 2 - 13, we were asked by C.Y. & Patricia Kim to have one school trip to China and work with Ben & Sara, two of our alumni who have been working with the Kim's for three years and we believe it was a perfect opportunity. Thirty-eight students and 7 faculty and staff went together and had an amazing time seeing what God was doing in one of the darkest areas of the world. Working in smaller groups everyday at 5 different locations, we were able to see a vision that surpasses most other works in a difficult land. With the Hope Language School, an orphanage, a special needs school, a bakery and a Horse Therapy Ranch. And that's only what is in Hun Chun, China! Much more is being accomplished in North Korea including feeding the street children with breads from the bakery. C.Y.'s original vision only began 10 years ago and all this has already been done as the Holy Spirit guides them in planting a foundation for what is sure to be a massive harvest in the future. They believe in the Sovereignty of God and that he can blind the minds of unbelievers as they take in God's word and work as Christians in a persecuted area. Our group became unified as we saw the need and saw the many Chinese who still need to hear of a Savior. We have some who are planning on returning this summer for their internships and others willing to go full time, making it one of the best recruitment trips we have taken. It's going to be exciting to see what God is going to do with so many alumni from Central in China in the future!

Chinese New Year & Beyond

Another new year is upon the Chinese as they begin the Year of the Ox. People born during this year are said to be born leaders who will work hard to achieve their aims. They are dependable and great at organizing. While not influenced by others, they are patient and loyal to their friends and expect those qualities in return. They also have long lasting relationships. I don't believe you have to be born in the Year of the Ox to have those qualities. I  do think they are the characteristics of the many students who have been recruited recently for the harvest fields!

So much has been happening within Harvesters International lately, it's been a bit overwhelming to know what to say or where to start so the blog has been a bit outdated. We apologize again, and well, some of those Ox attributes are certainly things I lack needless to say! We do appreciate our faithful relationships and those of you who have been supporting the work and ministry we are involved in everyday. 

We had our grand opening so to speak at the National Missionary Convention. It is such a privilege to be able to partner with Central Christian College and raise up a whole new generation of laborers from there. We took around 75 students to the convention and had a booth along with Central. No other exhibit offered a full-tuition Bible college education AND training / sending program for the mission field! What a unique opportunity for many who desire to go to the field as fast as possible, with no debt, being fully trained and apprenticed! 

Our next event is taking 50 students to Hun Chun China to see the work of CY & Patricia Kim and work alongside fellow alumni Ben & Sara. The first 12 days in April will have us flying over to work in their orphanage, Hope language school, bakery, special needs facility, horse ranch and touring many traditional sites in Beijing like the Great Wall and Temple of Heaven. Please be praying for these students (and five faculty!) as they see a need and realize the urgency among so many lost souls. 

24th Anniversary!

Wow...seems like time is always just flying by. We are celebrating our 24th anniversary today and we were able to get away for the weekend to St. Louis enjoying a leisurely walk down S. Main Street in St. Charles, MO. Lots of quaint little shops down a real brick road. After returning home and visiting my folks we learned that they used to live on that street before I and my brother Charlie were born. To think that we were walking where my parents once walked without knowing it was kinda cool.

We are all walking where others have walked before. Are we aware of it? Our thoughts, and feelings, frustrations, successes, ambitions, jealousies, endeavors, loves, interests... on and on... is there anything that others haven't thought, felt, been frustrated about, succeeded in... etc.? Am I really so unique thinking this could only happen to me when we have a great cloud of witnesses looking down upon us and ribbing each other in the side, saying, "Look at him! I did that once and broke my leg too!". Or, "Yeah, that happened to me once and I was depressed for a year...". Or, "Remember that time when we could barely make ends meet?". Others have gone before, whether we know it or not. And the one thing that was true then, as it is true now, is that God was faithful then, as he is now. He is walking with us. Where we are. Now. He is and was and will be wherever we are, were or will be. Now. Every year is an anniversary of his faithfulness to us. Even if we feel we are walking along the road alone.

Harvesters Retreat & Braymer Revival

We had 32 students attend our planning retreat at West Central Christian Service Camp this weekend and it went very well. Lots of new ideas for the semester and the unique observation from our Student Leader Jessie Lowe that most of the freshman, for the first time, were mission majors that attended. More and more students are specifically choosing Central because of the mission emphasis the school now has!

We took the new Central worship group, One Accord, with us to Braymer Christian Church for a mission revival as well. We returned from the retreat, and turned around and went to Braymer for a very full and busy weekend. I preached three times and led 3 workshops in less than 24 hours! The 13 students attending and participating were a big help and it is so exciting to see so many get involved in promoting missions along with us in the area churches. The minister at Braymer, Ashton and his wife Amber, are still planning to go to East Asia and have a specific Business as Mission Plan to implement once they depart. It is exciting to see our past students still focusing on the goal of reaching the Chinese for the Lord in out of the box type of methods.

New Semester Begins - New Students Recruited

This semester began on September 21 and many new students arrived on campus. The most encouraging were two couples we met last year at the National Missionary Convention. They were both interested in working among the Chinese. We told them about  the new Harvesters International program we were then developing at Central and about the full-tuition scholarship program. And, now, they are enrolled and preparing to go the mission field upon graduation. That is fulfilling to us as we continue now in our 6th year of recruiting among the students of Central Christian College and area churches. 

We are busy preparing for the year's activities with a Harvester's Retreat September 5 & 6, Missions Emphasis Week in October, and the National Missionary Convention in November. We are expecting record attendance in all three events this semester. We are also attempting a big mission trip next spring already. One trip, for the entire school, to Taiwan with a goal of at least 100 students and 10 faculty participating. It is a big endeavor, not just for us, but also for the missionaries on the field there. We hope that the is can be God blessed and great things come from a unifying trip for our school and future laborers for His harvest!

Ever Wish You Could Go Back In Time?

Let's say, oh about 8 weeks?? That'd be just fine because it was right here as depicted in this picture with our 3rd son Colan, that I made the decision to by a 2003 Harley Davidson Heritage Soft Tail 100th Anniversary Edition gun metal blue 1450cc. motorcycle.  Did I mention it only had 2500 miles on it? Well, about 6 days and 300 miles later I was cruising home for lunch on May 20th to tell Dezi that I was going to sell it because too many people just weren't noticing   someone on a bike and it wasn't really safe to drive in Moberly. Hard to believe after riding over 14 years on a smaller version in Taiwan that it was safer there than here. And to prove it, a young man turned left right in front of me on my way home, causing me to lay it down to avoid hitting him about two blocks from home. Well, the bike had a lot of superficial scrapes and me too, however, I broke my knee and leg, and collar bone as well. The bike fared much better. 

So, 12 days in the University Med Center and now 7 weeks later, I wish I could go back in time. 

I'm recovering slowly. It will be around August 21 before I begin putting weight on my left leg again as the plate inserted heals and I'm restricted to a wheel chair. My collar bone was broken in four places and also has a steel plate holding it together. A lot of down time for me has been very hard. I'm not even half way and I struggle daily with all the stages of trauma... depression, anger, frustration... I also know that many, many people are praying for us and it is quite evident as God seems to daily meet all of our needs.

Dezi has had it very hard as well as she manages so much more than our five children, a household, and her normal ministry life. She always does the impossible and even more so now as she is primarily taking care of my folks and me as well. Just dealing with all the doctor appointments and the insurance  company alone is a huge burden. 

I want to learn what God wants me to learn. As a good friend said, perhaps there is more to this than my own journey, but others are to learn things too. I know my children are. Dezi is. Who knows what good God may turn this trial into. We trust day to day and wait for His deliverance and His promises. James 1:2-4.

The Behavior VS. The Heart

So many times we get down on people because of their behavior. We judge them and try to 'help' them correct it at best or condemn them and avoid them at worst. However, we are missing the real issue. There is something missing in their hearts. And perhaps in ours as well.

Love is not complete. Have you read I Corinthians 13 lately? Have you read it out of the context of a wedding? Have you read it as if the Bible said "they will know we are his disciples by our love?"

Love... reaches the heart. Changes their behavior. Changes our perspective. Love others as you would have them love you.

Free at last... Free at last....

April 1st was just what it is purported to be, for fools to be let loose and those like me to get shocked out of their minds, if only for a moment. 

Court time at 9am and I barely made it in as only 8 hours earlier we had just returned from a 12 day trip to Taiwan. Jet lagged and exhausted I sat down and waited for the judge to go through her docket starting with those with last names beginning with an "A". Somewhere between J & V I fell asleep and woke up in time to hear my name being called an hour and a half later. 

The Prosecutor began with his recommendation for 30 days in jail, 4o hours community service, 1 year suspended probation and about 4 other penalties I didn't hear as my jaw had hit the floor. The judge noticed my perplexity and asked if this was what I was expecting and I replied that I thought it would be dismissed. The Prosecutor flipped through his files again and said, "No, I do not see anything that would warrant a dismissal." at which point I was getting nervous and frustrated. I explained the story again about the investigating officer reviewing the evidence and saying I was innocent. The Prosecutor looked again and found the officer's appended report and told the judge he would dismiss the case at which point she did. I walked out a free man. It seemed like one elaborate April Fool's Joke. 

Thanks for all of you who were praying and sending notes of encouragement. It's nice to know that so many trust my character and integrity. It is also a great joy to have a home church that was so supportive. Forum Boulevard Christian Church and it's Mission Committee were behind me and getting me help from Elton Fay, an attorney I have known in the church there since childhood. His appendicitis didn't prevent him from giving me good advice and counsel. 

Maybe now I can concentrate on more important things and update you on our amazing trip to Taiwan last week with 12 students from Central! (Just let me get over jet lag another day or two!) 

It Goes To Trial

Sitting in the court room for two hours hearing case after case made me appreciate the fact that I'm innocent because some of the penalties are pretty severe. It also made me appreciate the grace we receive from God as even though we all deserve death as our penalty, Christ has dismissed our case. Not so the Prosecutor on my case... at least not yet. After finally being called forward, the judge realized I was going to explain my case instead of saying 'guilty' or 'not guilty', so she read me my Miranda Rights warning me what I say can be used against me. I explained the case, and the judge asked the Prosecutor if she would be willing to dismiss the case. Since the Prosecutor wasn't the actual Prosecutor but his underling, she was unable to dismiss and explained she did not even have my file with her. So, the judge had no choice but to set a trial date of April 1. This is the day after I return from Taiwan with a group of students. There is a possibility the Prosecutor could show the evidence to the judge in between time and the judge may dismiss the case still, however, as of now, I must go to trial. I still am choosing not to obtain a lawyer until after this trial date. So please, keep praying!

Still In Process But Looking Good

The court date is actually the 26th. However, we have made some progress finally. I went to the circuit court's office in Huntsville and asked for a copy of my case and charges and they provided it for a mere $1. Reading through it I noticed the investigating officer had actually been to our home before for our cell group bible study last year and was the neighbor of one of our professors. So, I then went to the Moberly Police station and talked to her and she ended up showing me the video footage. While you can't see what card I'm using or the items I'm buying while at the self check out lane, as I walk out the door, you can see through the bag at what I purchased... namely a bag of Doritoes. This matches what is on my receipt and does not match the EBT card's receipt so she said that it proved my innocence. She called the Prosecuting Attorney's office and reported this and I'm waiting for a call from that office that should have already happened. If it doesn't, the officer said to make my court appearance and hopefully, the case can be dismissed from there. So, while it isn't over, it is looking much more positive at this point and I'm guarding my original receipt w/ my life! 

We are amazed at how many are praying for us and specifically for those students who have been asking that it be taken care of completely so that I will not have to go to court even. We even had one student getting a crowd ready to accompany me to court!! haha! So, thank you and we will keep you updated as it transpires. 

To Jail or Not To Jail

Okay, this is a little different... two weeks ago, a student came up to me saying that he was praying and felt like I would be attacked in a strange way in the near future and it was something I had to face by myself. Another friend a week later thought that I was going to be under attack as well because of all the activities taking place around the creation of Harvesters International, a new alumni service for our student missionaries. And well, I think we have discovered what it is: 

I have to go to court on February 20 and I'm facing a minimum of 30 days and maximum of 1 year in jail for a class A misdemeanor offense. They say I stole an EBT card.. (food stamp card) and used it to buy groceries at Save More on 10/21/07 and they have video footage of me doing it. Some woman going to jail gave her purse to her boyfriend who was supposed to give it to her girlfriend. By the time her girlfriend got the purse, the EBT card and money was not in it. Then they checked w/ Social Services and it shows the EBT card being used at Save More. So they looked at the video and I'm in it buying stuff around the same time. They identified me and now are accusing me of theft of a Government device so they told me it requires that I get a lawyer. Of course, I didn't do it and I have the receipt of my purchase at Save More that day showing my own debit card being used so I should be okay... but I think it is just one of those attacks that come that are making me distracted. It's frustrating that so much time is taken up and money to have to prove my innocence when the investigator should be able to figure out that the receipt of items purchased w/ the debit card doesn't even match the video footage. The prosecutor will not even talk to me or look at my evidence. I HAVE to get a lawyer and show up in court. The lawyer initial fee is $750. It is like your are innocent until accused and no longer until proven guilty. Would you please pray for peace and a quick resolution to this attack? With the beginning of Harvesters International and the outreach week trips coming up, this is very frustrating. Thank you!

We Can't Do This Without You!

We have been put in a very unique position as we see how God has led us in the past 5 years. The urgency we feel about getting more laborers to the unreached people groups is greater than ever. We have been praying about our continued role as recruiters and trainers. One of our dear friends asked us one of the most direct and spiritual questions we can remember. "Has God released you from this responsiblity yet?".

Has God released us... released us... that was a difficult concept to face. We have been talking about going back to the field of Taiwan or China every since we returned in 2002. The students we teach all believe we aren't happy here. That our hearts are still among the Chinese. And they are right. However, we believe that perhaps happiness isn't the crux to which we must adhere what we do or how we determine the will of the Father.

Is the need still there? Yes, even more so. There is a harvest of unprecedented proportions going on in East Asia.

Are people answering the call? Yes, more than ever in the history of missions and the church. Especially among college students.

Has God opened any other door for us? Yes, and No. Doors to recruit more and doors to provide better training... yes. Doors to return to the field? That is yet to be determined. Cracks. Glimpses. Possibilities. Nothing that's is more than opaque. So for now, we are confident that we haven't been released. In fact, we are finding more joy in what we are doing as we see new fields opening up and new recruits to fill those needs. For example, we now have 12 students working in various locations throughout China, all in language school. We have seen some of our most severe trials producing great fruit. For example, with the passing of Mark Trotter on his way with his family to Cambodia over a year ago to his wife Lyla working with the Friends of Jesus providing the needs for over 150 Cambodian children today and getting even more people involved. We are witnessing more and more students becoming mission majors and committing their lives to the foreign mission fields. Each one taking a piece of our hearts. Each one leaving with a promise we will be there for them, needs, prayers, encouragement, training, so much... so much.

We therefore are content. We believe this is where God wants us. And we need you. We can't do this without you. We believe our support has come from God. We know there are many ways of saying this.

Hudson Taylor used to simply pray for all his needs. He is credited with recruiting over 800+ missionaries to China in his life time. George Mueller used to pray and tell others of his needs but never solicited for support. His orphanage work helped more than 2,000 young people in 5 different homes. Dwight Moody, one of the most famous Christian evangelists, however not only prayed and informed people of his ministry's needs, he also solicited heavily to anyone who would give him opportunity. He is noted for making a unique observation, "It does not take long to tell where a man's treasure is. In fifteen minutes' conversation with most men, you can tell whether their treasures are on the earth or in Heaven." What method does one use? God used all three men, with all three strategies.

We need you to pray for more laborers. We want you to understand what exactly we are doing in commiting our lives to reaching the lost of China. And we want to trust in the Lord that for as long as we are content in believing in this call and in this ministry that he will support it. And we want to be accountable to you in all things.

Thank you for supporting our work... our family and ministry depends on you... as we partner with Central Christian College to fulfill the great commission we are partnering together with you as well.

Removing the Plank to Forgive the Speck

Why is it when we feel like we are drawing closer to God, and relying on his strength to a greater degree than before, and desire to serve him more and more... it is then we get attacked the most? Is the feeling false to begin with? Are we in reality drifting further from Him and we are only deceiving ourselves? I have experienced direct spirtual bombardment before... where Satan is blatantly the instigator and culprit. Those, for some reason, seem infinitely more endurable. Not sure why. But the direct, frontal attacks are more easily recognized and thereby more readily thwarted.

It's the more subtle schemes that hurt the most. The attacks that come from close friends... the betrayals... the lack of loyalty... the perpetuating gossip... the void of understanding... the untruths, the spins and false accusations... are almost unbearable. The attacks that come from our own families... lack of gratitude... the selfishness... being taken for granted... lack of empathy... are draining and yet we are forced to endure. The attacks that come from the body of Christ, the church... becoming just another member without an identity... forgotten in the crowd... little concern through the week but slaps on the back and hugs on Sunday... unabashed condemnation of our weaknesses and our sin with grace only provided as long as we change first... are becoming tiresome and though we are supposed to be a part of this great body of Christ with folks from every tribe and tongue and nation as a part of it, we feel estranged and lonely.

Unconfessed jealousy, selfishness, bitterness, narcissism, and hypocritcalness... these are invading the lives of Christians in an alarming rate. Missionaries being as suspect as anyone else. These are causing us to fulfill the prophecy of Jesus' question of whether or not he will find any faith on the earth when he returns. These are causing our neighbors to not know or understand the Christian because these things are the opposite of love.

Are we able to draw closer to him with still so much in our lives? Yes, we see it in others.... and if you don't, I can tell you about some... but can we see it within our own hearts as well? Is it possible for us to notice the very real weaknesses of others, and say to ourselves "I wonder if that is what they see in me too?" and then realize you just thwarted a very subtle and common trick of the Master Deceiver? To get us so focused on our perceptions of the weaknesses of others that we neglect looking at ourselves. The speck and the plank.

All trials, all attacks, all deceptions that come our way... can be used by God to get us to be more dependent upon him. Our friends, our family, our brothers and sisters in Christ... will fail us. We want to blame God usually. But it's not him. So, I suppose... this answers my own issue. I'm frustrated with friends... with family... with the church... when I should be looking a little... a lot... ok, continually at God. Then the attacks, subtle or not, won't do as much damage... they'll still come. And they'll still be painful. But hey, those who bring them or those that are used to deliver them, haven't learned this lesson yet. God will teach them... will train them... and they will face the same... but for me... well... I'm confident I AM drawing closer to God. Cause if not... I'd find out just how lonely one can get and I don't even want to think about that... it's hard enough to lose a friend... so bring it on... it will only make me stronger.

Oh, it's so easy to think we have forgiven someone else for hurting us. And go about our business. Afterall, that's the high road. That's the Christian thing to do. But forgiveness isn't easy. In fact, it's almost impossible. Impossible until we have purged whatever the hurt done to us from our own lives. Removing the plank to forgive the speck.

Happy... er... um... Adoption Day??!!

Wow... time has gone by fast... it was one year ago today when we received Raena Marie into our home! Can you believe it!!?? She has grown so much and it's like we have always had a little girl in the home. The boys have totally accepted her and she has adapted almost completely into our family. She hasn't spoken fluently in Mandarin since Christmas and is now wanting to 'learn' Chinese again. I wish we adults could learn languages like that... she's not yet 5 and has fluently spoken three languages already in her life and forgotten two of them! As we currently are helping CCCB's Professor Ben & Melissa Williams adopt two girls from the same Home, we are reminded of the lengthy process involved, but we know it has been worth it all.

In Search of Answers

Often we don't always understand the processes the Lord takes us through but we continue to trust in him and become more dependent upon him daily. Ryan & Heidi Aikins have returned to the US to seek out medical answers for their infant daughter Brooklyn in hope they can find the right and best kind of treatment that will enable them to keep serving God with a desire to return to the field. Please keep them in your prayers and we will try and update you as their doctor appointments enlighten us all on her condition.

Would You Pray For Brooklyn?

We'd ask all of you to please pray for Brooklyn as she is merely 6 months old and suffering from pollution induced asthma while her parents, Ryan & Heidi serve on the field in East Asia. They need to discover a treatment that will enable her to breath easier and through the night as she hasn't been able to for over 2 months. This trial is a difficult one and we have experienced it ourselves with our boys in Taiwan as well as Raena having regular breathing treatments here in the States. Pray for peace, healing, answers and the Lord's presence in their daily lives.

A New Week Begins

The beginning of summer has arrived and we are furiously working at the creation of a new project that has been a long time coming. We are constructing the framework of "Harvesters International" to implement here at Central Christian College to help our alumni be prepared for the mission fields in an all encompassing way. Including training, resources, fund raising and increasing member care while on the field for all alumni to a whole new level, Harvesters International will be an innovative way to utilize the strength of our Bible College to enhance virtually every aspect of our almuni missionaries, from recruitment to life on the field. It's exciting!!!

One Week Later

One week ago we buried my mother-in-law. It was a beautiful ceremony out in the countryside in southeast Ohio just a stone's throw away from their home. She was only 64 years old. Three doves were first released at the grave site, one for the Father, the Son and one for the Holy Spirit. The fourth one represented the spirit of Dezi's mother as it most assuredly was just settling in to rest in the hands of God. Instead of flying up and out toward the wooded area like the first three, this one first flew up and hovered over their property for a complete circle as if saying one final good bye or taking one last glimpse at the dream retirement home they had been building together. But knowing there is a better home waiting elsewhere, the dove then glided away to be with the others. It was a memorable moment. And a moment of release and joy for all who saw the analogy. The entire family was present. Some who haven't seen each other for years. Some who haven't talked to each other for years. Funny how a death in the family brings the family together sometimes. I guess it is the one thing we all will share in some day ourselves. However, I wonder how many of our families would be better if we really understood what it means to die to ourselves while we live. Why do we wait for a funeral to bring us together?

Sharon Rose Bennett Goes On To Be With The Lord

It's with great sadness that we ask for your prayers, especially for Dezi and her father and siblings as her mother passed away this morning at 9:20am CST. She had been suffering for quite some time with dementia and Parkinsons disease. We had earlier assumed it was Alzheimers. She had been in the care of hospice for the past week and Dezi left on Tuesday with Raena to be with her during her final days and was with her when she passed away. Sharon no longer was recognizing anyone and was in pain w/ labored breathing.

The funeral will be on Friday with an earlier visitation on Thursday evening near Belpre, Ohio. I will post more details as they become known. I'm with the boys in Moberly and will travel out on Wednesday to be with Dezi and the rest of her family.

Light At The End Of The Thermometer

For the last month, we have had a household of sickness. Raena began the onslaught with influenza and it has gone to Dezi and the boys and me and now it is starting over with Raena again. She has a high fever and 4 out of 7 of us are still coughing the night away. I have even missed classes these past two days and I'm running out of mission films to show in my absence! With all the traveling we have done recently and the Missouri weather that changes every few minutes, it has been hard to find time to rest, heal or recover. It is sad we have to get to the point in our lives where sickness intervenes as something good in that it says "ENOUGH!", and only when we are sick do we not feel guilty about not doing enough or doing more. There are times when God wants us to merely rest. To recoup. To find our strength in him. But to do that, we have to just stop. I am hoping that after we recover from this long lasting flu, we will make the time to just rest and to just 'be'. Not feeling like we have to fill every minute with tasks or deeds. That we can spend time with the Lord and feel better because of it.

Nothing Like It Since The Day of Pentecost!

Do you ever feel like you are a part of something so much grander, so much bigger than you could possibly realize? Do you ever take a moment to contemplate the seemingly small things you do today, could have and do have a much bigger impact than what can be seen from only your own perspective?

All these years advocating for more laborers for East Asia and only through the passing comment of another mission professor, Chris DeWelt from OCC, did I begin to grasp the enormity of the plan that is unfolding before our very eyes.

Did you realize in the past 30 years, less than 3 decades, over 100,000,000 Chinese have become believers? That's almost 9,132 a day. A DAY! This is the greatest evangelistic effort since the Holy Spirit empowered the Apostles some 50 days after Jesus returned to the Father almost 2,000 years ago.

I already knew that so much more was being done in and among the Chinese than what we were aware. In fact, I still consider myself extremely naive when it comes to what all is being done among them. But it is of great comfort to know that we are working alongside other laborers in this vast harvest and together, it is having a great effect. We are all in this together. Those who support. Those who pray. Those who recruit. Those who send. Those who serve. Those whose hearts are open to the Lord's desire as He continues to seek and save the lost. Truly we are all a part of something more glorious than our limited perspective and experience reveals. However, the work is not finished.... over a billion Chinese still need to hear... and what of India? Japan? Indonesia? Korea? etc.... etc...

Accident

After dropping off the boys to school, I had forgot my cell phone and was returning home to pick it up before going to the office to give out finals. While coming up to an intersection, I noticed a young lady pulling up and stopping at a stop sign adjacent to me and then proceeding on. Since I did not have stop sign, I ascertained an immediate collision was about to take place, swerved, going up onto the curb, blowing out my tire, busting the wheel, hubcap, and bumper, losing control hitting a supporting cable to a telephone pole and up into a yard. However, the collision with her car was avoided. Thankfully, she stopped, called 911 and an officer came to discover she did not have her license nor proof of insurance with her. However, she was extremely honest and and admitted fault and was ticketed. Since then, we have discovered that her economic resources are bleak even though she does have insurance, yet she would like to pay for the damages directly. We are trying to work something out between her and our insurance company, a company that doesn't understand why we wouldn't allow them to pursue reimbursement. Will you help us by praying for this lady? She has just moved to town and asked about a church to go to. It is obvious she is not living a Christian lifestyle yet this appears that it might be a "divine appointment". We'll keep you posted... and hopefully, we'll get the car back in working condition soon!

BAM!

A couple of the exciting things about going to the NMC are the many exhibits of over 500 missionaries and mission organizations and the wide variety of workshops that are available throughout the day for everyone of all ages. Thursday morning I attended one specifically designed for Mission Professors and they discussed the latest trends in the world of mission. Specifically, BAM, or Business As Mission. The main thrust was that the only way we are going to reach the masses in today's world is through the world's marketplace. We need Christians in business, being Christian Missionaries. One of the quotes mentioned was "you can't make a missionary a businessman without a lot of effort, but you can make a businessman a missionary". So... what are some of you doing out there that someone else can't do? Willing to take your skills and expertise to a people who have no opportunity to hear the Gospel??

Workshops, Reunion & Evangelization Association

Wow... what a month! Besides being the sponsor for almost 200 students at the NMC, I also had 3 workshops to present. One was on "Where In The World Does God Want Me?", another was a different kind of workshop for me on "Pornography On The Mission Field" and it dealt with how no one, not even missionaries are exempt from sexual temptation and what one can do to protect oneself from this enslaving epidemic among our workers on and off the field. And the last workshop was a simulation game oriented event to show the basics of going cross-cultural as well as to describe the need of why we desperately have to have more Christians willing to 'go'.

Shown here is an activity that Steve Saint described in his book, "The Great Omission". A 300' red tape is stretched out and it is described as every inch represents 833,000 of those in the world who have not had an opportunity to hear the Gospel of Christ in today's world. Almost a million per inch! Then, another green tape is unwound to only 5 feet. It represents all those who are being reached by missionaries today. Again, every inch is 833,000 people who are being reached by current missionaries assuming every one of our 100,000 evangelical missionaries are able to reach around 500 people each. Well, you can vividly see the discrepancy... the short green tape and the unending red tape. Are you praying for more laborers into the Harvest field?

I used this illustration three other times this month. First during chapel at CCCB. Then, at my home church, Forum Boulevard Christian Church in Columbia, MO, that had a missionary reunion where they invited as many missionaries they support that could come for a 3-day weekend reunion. We each were given about 10 minutes to share how our ministries were doing and I chose to show why we do what we do by using this example. There was also a Central Missouri Christian Evangelizer's meeting at the Blue Ridge Christian Church, also in Columbia and again, with an emphasis on why we should be planting new churches here as well as abroad, it made a potent example of the need for us all to get out of the church building, and back into the world... making disciples.

While at the CMCE business meeting, we were greatly encouraged to see Mark Butrum, a CCCB alumni, leading out in a new church plant in Hallsville, MO and Russ Cobb, also an alumni and long time friend and supporter of our work taking a leadership role in this endeavor. Like an apple tree's ultimate purpose being to make other apple trees, churches need to be planting other churches... here and all over the world.

National Missionary Convention

We just got back from a rather long break where the students at Central were given an opportunity to go to the National Missionary Convention in Indianapolis and then were free to go home for Thanksgiving. With a lot of encouragement and promotion, we estimate there were almost 200 students from Central who attended at least part of the convention, many driving themselves, and over 100 going on two reserved busses that we provided. It was the largest convention ever and we were especially fortunate to have Central's Chorale present on Friday evening's main session. Many students are changing their major's to missions and we are so excited at the new prospects, especially among this year's freshman class!

China Time

Do you realize that those living in China are actually way ahead of us in the future? Well, perhaps not domestically, economically, politically or other conventional ways you would think but in actual time, yes, they are. They are currently 14 hours ahead of us! Remember that as you pray for those serving in East Asia... realize that as you go to bed, they are waking up. As you are waking up, they are laying down for a well deserved rest of a busy day that we are just beginning. I wonder, if you called them, could you get the score of the big game early?

Long Time Coming

I have just gotten back from the airport in St. Louis taking friends to see them off to East Asia. Our relationship with them started 5 years ago while the wife was a freshman at Central and we were on a year sabbatical from Taiwan. She joined me on 3 different trips, to Taiwan & China and the husband went along on one for a summer internship. Her passion started while she was in 8th grade and it was obvious as she became the student leader for the missions department at Central her last two years there. She graduated in 2005, married that fall, and spent the last year waiting for her husband to finish up his degree in Engineering at Rolla, Mo and raising support. They joined Team Expansion and are partnering with another young family with Outreach International.


A lot of discussions, meetings, phone calls, chats, training, preparations and vision sharing has taken place in the past 5 years with both of these couples. It is with great excitement that they are now where they long to be, and at the same time, they have become very, very dear friends. There was a point when we couldn't wait for them to come to us, and now, we are here and they are there. We think God sometimes has an ironic sense of humor. But it is all good. We still feel a part of their team, and will miss them, yes... but we know God is going to do great things through them. Pray for their adjustments as they begin language training and start to make God appointed relationships! Oh, and pray for us too... a piece of our hearts, a big piece, just went with them.

The Passing of a Friend & Missionary

Mark Randall Trotter

February 14, 1954 - September 9, 2006

We were blessed by attending the memorial and graveside services of Mark on Thursday & Friday. It was quite celebratory as he would have wanted and it was obvious that Mark's influence on others was only surpassed by the Lord's influence on him.

We first met Mark & Lyla and their 8 children 2 years ago while speaking at First Christian Church in Grandview, MO where my nephew Tom is the associate minister. The church has been supporting us and we were speaking and sharing the need for more missionaries to go to East Asia. Mark & Lyla answered that call and were preparing to go to Cambodia. Mark was a very successful dentist and he was willing to give up his practice to move his family overseas and use his skill to help further the gospel of Christ among the unreached.

While in missionary training out in Colorado in January, Mark was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, inoperable and incurable. The past 9 months have been challenging for the Trotter family and many, many people were praying for them as were much of the student body here at Central. In order to keep people informed, Team Expansion hosted a web site: http://www.teamexpansion.org/caring4mark/ where you can find out more about the struggle Mark went through and about the Mark Trotter Foundation created by his sister in law to help with the incredible expenses of cancer treatment and to assist the ministry of the Rapha House of Cambodia to young girls who are victims of slavery and prostitution.

While Dezi & I were listening to the wonderful testimonies of Mark's family and friends during the Friday services, I became envious of the closeness they had with him during his life. I was looking forward to having a friendship with him in the future as they made their way to the field, knowing I would be visiting them often and getting more connected with their ministry. I felt as though a kindred spirit would have eventually developed and I mourned his passing.

Last week, Colan had to go to the dentist and it took 3 doctors and the nurse to hold him down for a simple extraction. We had previously benefitted from Mark's generosity when he invited our whole family
up to his practice before he sold it and worked on all of us. Then, a simple gentle word from Mark and his kind demeanor helped Colan go through a much more difficult procedure without restraint of any kind. When we told Colan of the sad news, he went to his bed and cried, saying Mark "was the nicest dentist he ever had."

Yes, Mark was a generous and kind person. Someone who loved the Lord and was willing to sacrifice all to serve Him in the harvest fields of East Asia. And while hundreds of people were saying goodbye to him at the memorial service, I, in my envy of the strong friendships he had surrounding him, thought that 'goodbye' wasn't the right word. Perhaps the Chinese have it right by not really having that word in their vocabulary, but at any kind of departure, they simply say, "Dzai Jyan", or "see you again". I'm looking forward to seeing Mark again... it's going to make me a better person, a better father, a better husband, and a better Christian by doing so. I want to have an eternity of opportunities to get to know a kindred spirit. I know he's there waiting.

So far so good...

School is just completing it's second full week and we are slowly getting in the groove again of having a regular schedule. It has been especially trying as I have had the opportunity to teach a new class for this semester called Spiritual Formation. It is a freshman course, and all the freshman must take it. It has been an excellent opportunity to get to know them early and encourage them in the area of serving God in the harvest fields.

Friday evening, we will be having our first ever 'Harvesters Retreat' at the West Central Christian Service Camp in Lamonte, MO. Tom & Duonna Worstell are the camp managers there. We have about 40 students signed up to attend and we hope to plan out the semester activities including Missions Emphasis Week in October and get started on Spring Break trips. For Missions Emphasis Week, we were able to invite Ted & Bev Skiles, from the Home of God's Love in Taiwan, to be our guests for the week. This is a great opportunity for the students to hear as we did over 23 years ago! That was the last time Ted spoke at Central!

Dezi has been busy teaching Chinese and running the Harvest House. She has help this year from Tabitha Palmer, a graduating senior who has been a big help. They have been busy selling coffee, cookies, frappes, t-shirts, hats, water bottles, hoodies and other new things. With these funds we are able to have a missions program, send students on mission trips and provide help for students in need throughout the year. Many people simply donate directly in order to help Harvesters in their ministries. Harvesters is a student driven organization that exists to promote missions among the students. We are the faculty advisors and find many recruits for East Asia among the members.

All is well with the family and we feel adjusted with having a new toddler in the house. Raena is now enrolled in pre-school and after only two days, she is speaking many new things in English. We primarily converse with her in Mandarin and our goal is to keep her bilingual if possible.

Keep coming back as soon we will be posting some information about our latest recruits who are in China!

School Begins and Opportunities Abound

It is going to be a great year as school has just started on Thursday and already we have over 100 signed up to join Harvesters, the mission organization on the campus of Central Christian College! We are preparing for our first planning retreat at the West Central Christian Service Camp where my brother Tom works as the camp manger in two weeks. We will plan out the annual Missions Emphasis Week and how to encourage our goal of over 200 students to attend the National Missionary Convention this year. Every year, interest in missions has been increasing.

Dr. Ron Oakes was inaugurated as Central's 6th president on Thursday evening and he mentioned in his address that Central has around 40 graduates out in 9 different countries. Looking at who and where they are, almost half, 18, are in Taiwan or China! Fourteen of those have gone within the last 3 years. We often get a little discouraged being here and away from the Chinese Harvest but the Lord has been able to use us to help send more laborers into those same fields. We can be content in his grace and in his grip. Thank you for being partners with us, in your support and prayers.

Ode to Hunny

Tonite, our Bishon Poodle, Hunny, passed away. Two months ago she was hit by a truck out front and broke her pelvic bone in two places and dislocated her back right leg. The doctor thought her diaphram was also ruptured and her breathing became heavier and heavier over the weekend. The boys are all distraught and cried themselves to sleep. She was 3 years old and we got her just after we returned from Taiwan for Colan's birthday. Of course, he is the most upset. Pictured here is Devin with Hunny and as they say, owners kind of look like their pets.

It takes time to adjust!

It has been awhile... time has flown by since our new addition, not that there hasn't been anything to write about. I will try and update more thoroughly over the weekend. For now...

Raena is doing really well and has adjusted to a new family very quickly. She has been testing her boundaries lately and it is definitely different having a little girl in the house. Suffice it to say we have been a bit exhausted and not much extra time to write. We had forgotten what it was like to have a toddler again!

We have two weeks before school starts and much has changed at Central this summer. A new addition to the main building, new coffee house and I have another new office. It all looks great and we are excited about the added classroom space and expanded cafeteria.
 
Two of our students have left for their first term in China. They will be studying the language for the next 2-3 years. Please keep then in your prayers as they adjust with two small children in a foreign land.

We will be leaving tomorrow for the Mississippi Valley Christian Service Camp for a weekend retreat. I will be holding two sessions on cell groups. The leaders are Ben & Jennifer Suchman, two former students at CCCB. There will be about 50 adults who are currently involved in small groups and want help with outreach among their members.

Our small group that meets in our home on Tuesdays has been going well and two old friends from High School have been coming, Mark Copenhaver and Stephanie Crutcher. It has been really good to renew our past friendship after 20 years!

We will try and post more regularly as our lives adjust to a new schedule. Thank you so much for keeping Raena in your prayers. We can certainly see the evidence of it!

Life is Good! Thank you Lord!

Today was a very early day leaving for the airport in St. Louis by 7am. David Fincher called and said that St. Louis had a terrible storm last night and many flights were delayed. He did a quick internet search and confirmed Dezi's flight was in the air. We got there just in time to find her flight was only delayed for 10 minutes. We were able to get a couple of pictures when the boys first met Raena. She was so shy but by the time she was in the van she was laughing and teasing her big brothers just as one of the family.


We went to Chad & Alicia Edwards folks house in St Louis where we experienced the power outage that affected a half million people and had a great time swimming and introducing them to Raena too. It was great for Raena as Caitlyn & Allyson Edwards are a little older and speak wonderful Chinese. We then drove back to Moberly, stopped by my folks apartment and showed her off for a few very sleepy minutes and then came home, introduced her to Hunny and her new room and now she is sound asleep.

In Ecclesiastes 3, it says, "What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him."

After all the toil and the seemingly unending process, only these words can express what the Lord has given us this day, everything beautiful. All is well.

A Great Day of Taiwan Reunions, the latest pictures and only 3 more days!!

Wow... today was a great day. We got up and drove to Countryside Christian Church in Kirksville. It was a special day there as Jon & Amy Ralls and Chad & Alicia Edwards families were both presenting their work among the Chinese in Taiwan. The Ralls were challenging more to pick up the mantle in their stead as they have returned to the USA for some family medical reasons and are now working at CMSU in Warrensburg at the Campus House there. The Edwards were showing how far the church in Taipei has come and what the future is holding.


It was a very emotional time for them as they had built a very strong relationship during the past two years, and an emotional time for us as well as so many memories flooded through our minds today. The boys so enjoyed playing with their friends 'from Taiwan'. Eleven kids altogether as Keevin & Stephanie McGlumphry were also there as they continue to work with the International Students at TSU in Kirksville. It was indeed a good day.



Renae Sheldon sent some new pictures of Raena now that Dezi and Raena are in Taipei staying with her (at the Edwards apartment which is right below where we used to live, so it was much like going 'home' for Dezi). Thursday morning, at 9:58am, Dezi and Raena will be arriving in St. Louis!!! Woot!

Did you hear that? A big sigh of relief....??

Dezi called and said the last document arrived in time and the AIT accepted it. She can pick up Raena's passport with the visa to enter the USA as our child on Monday morning. THE PROCESS IS FINALLY OVER!!! They made it up to Taipei before the typhoon hit and are doing well. Dezi & Raena have been bonding well even though Raena went through a time of missing her house mother, or Ai-yi, (aunt). Here is a picture of Raena with her favorite house mother being silly.

Typhoon On It's Way

There is a typhoon about to hit the island of Taiwan, the first of the season. Dezi is on the northeast corner of the isalnd and it could easily hit that area. We aren't too worried about it as it is a common event, unless it would interfere with her flight out.

Dezi & Raena

Photos from Dezi & Misti Jennings

This was taken by Dezi on the train from Taipei to Lotung where the orphanage is.



This is Raena playing with her favorite house mother at the Home of God's Love.



China Girl in a Box!



Raena with a favorite toy. Hopefully, Dezi & Misti will send us a new picture this evening with Dezi & Raena together. They have been getting along pretty well though on Tuesday, Raena was a bit moody and Dezi experienced a little of what I had back in March. Raena was a little stand offish and wanted to be taken care of by her house mother. They are helping Raena understand the transition and the house mothers are having Raena get permission from Dezi before they do anything with her though. Dezi is confident Raena will bond soon enough however.




I took this right before Dezi left on Saturday with her boys. They are doing pretty good and enjoy talking to her everyday on the phone and counting down the days until their new little sister arrives. Ironically, it will be exactly nine months from the time when Ted & Bev first contacted us about the possibility of adopting Raena.

Waiting for a Picture...

Dezi called last night with someone special on her lap. Dezi was in tears and seemed over joyed at meeting Raena for the first time. She thought Raena was everything I had said about her and more. She put the phone up to her and she said "hello, big brother" to Ian in Chinese of course, and also said hi to me and that she missed me. Dezi decided to stay with Raena for the entire time and went on down to Lotung for the week to spend time with Misti Jennings and the Skiles. They should receive the last document I FEDEXed this morning by Thursday evening so Dezi will take Raena to the AIT office on Friday and complete the process once and for all. She plans on remaining in Taipei then and staying with Renae Sheldon at Chad & Alicia Edwards apartment who are currently on furlough and going to worship at the Taipei Christian Church and seeing all of our friends.

Today was a good day with the boys... of course, 3 of them were at VBS all morning and then stayed a couple hours at the Finchers house and an hour at the grandparents while I did errands and buy groceries. But we discussed new responsibilities and who is in charge of cleaning each room, doing dishes, etc. and so far it is going pretty smoothly. Joe & Regina Green had us over last evening for fresh corn on the cobb, and Sandy Fincher made us a great Taco casserole tonite. Aaron Wright plans on bringing a lasagne dish over tomorrow so we are being spoiled. That or they all worry about the boys with just me here!

I have had a couple of requests this week to make available the electronic versions of the books we have translated into Chinese for better access in China. So, I'm checking into the viability and copyright laws for this option. It does seem a better way to get the word out, however, we do not want to infringe upon some one else's labor.

Sherry Wallis is continuing to work for our Team Expansion office here at Central and she is also taking a part time position with Central in planning their big events as Public Relations Coordinator. It is a position she is well equipped for and has held this position in the past for Central. They are working on our new office that will be located in what was once the student union and mail room. We should be relocating (for the 5th time) within the next couple of weeks! This is a good thing as so much growth at Central is causing many changes to take place on a regular basis. There is a possibility that I may be teaching a new class for freshman this semester and I hope it will work out. If so, it will give me an opportunity to meet the new students much sooner as usually I have sophomores or upper classmen in my courses.

And yet again...

Sherry Wallis who has had a lot of experience in adopting two children from the Home of God's Love clarified that according to the Taiwan courts, Raena is in fact our daughter already. The last remaining detail is getting her visa so she can enter into the country. This is what we have been working on with INS & the Dept. of Homeland Security for the past month. This evening, or this morning in Taiwan, Dezi was to go to the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) with Raena and after a short interview, would receive this visa. However, we were one document shy of being successful. Another form (the I-600 Petition to Classify Orphan as Immediate Relative) with my signature is needed and I have already downloaded it and signed and am waiting until the morning to FEDEX it to Taiwan hopefully by Friday when they made their next appointment. The I-600A is what we submitted on this side to the INS and apparently the AIT in Taiwan needs the I-600. An easy fix yet another postponement to finality.

She's Gone!

After a great week of simply relaxing and enjoying our family and friends, and one day of severe sunburn pain, we were able to get Dezi to the St Louis Airport on time. As I type this, her plane should be landing in Taipei. I had called the Skiles after she left and they said the final appointment with the American Institute in Taiwan (the equivalent to the U.S. Embassy in countries that are recognized as such, Taiwan is still recognized as a renegade province of China) is going to be at 8am on Monday morning which is 7pm Sunday evening our time. This is where they interview Dezi with Raena present. It will be the first time Dezi sees her! Misti Jennings, a student at Central on her internship with the Skiles will be bringing her up from Lo-Tung where the orphanage is located. Please pray for Dezi & Raena as they get acquainted for the first time. After this meeting, I am told, Raena will be officially adopted. We will still have to apply for her Social Security card and other stateside documents, but the waiting is over.

I do want to mention someone who has worked very hard on our behalf. Wendy Coryell of Gateway Travel in Dallas, Texas, has worked overtime on getting the best possible flight and ticket prices for Dezi's trip and Raena's return. We have had over 5 different itineraries trying to get Dezi there as soon as the process was complete. At the highest season to fly she found relatively cheap tickets and a very direct flight. In fact, it is the shortest amount of time we have ever been able to get to Taiwan and direct from St Louis, to L.A., to Taipei. If you ever need a trustworthy travel agent, contact her at 1-800-878-2828. We have used her for many years and Team Expansion & Formosa Christian Mission always check with her first on most flights. Thanks Wendy!

Family Vacation

We are now on our family vacation down in Horse Shoe Bend, Arkansas. It is at Crown Point which is a place out in the middle of no where where one can just relax. We can get wireless internet service in the Rec Center and have to walk up the hill to get cell phone service which is great for what we need as a family right now! No distractions and just quality time with our boys and our friends, David & Sandy Fincher who so graciously provided a week of their time share for us. You can read more on their blog at http://finchers.blogspot.com/. More later....

Pray for Tim & Kylene, Kyle & Tracy...

My brother Tim called today and said that his first grandson, born 4 months premature, passed away today. Kyle & Tracy Worstell, my nephew and his wife are mourning their first born son, Mason, and will be having a grave side service in Illinois on Monday. If you would take a moment to remember them before our Father's throne, we would really appreciate it.

Did we say 'roller coaster' yet?

Everything seems to be going in the right direction and Dezi is planning on flying out on July 8th now. We received an email from Ted Skiles saying, "...the court has received the signed paper back from the prison where the mother is (meaning she received the court adoption contract), but they have not received the signed paper back from the prison where the husband (step-father) is (meaning he hasn’t received the court adoption contract yet). We don’t expect a problem, but we aren’t sure of timing. The court won’t issue the final paper until they get that signed paper back from the step-father’s prison." So please keep praying that all these steps will be fulfilled one by one as our Heavenly Father wills. Ted encouraged us to pray without ceasing as laying all our cares and concerns before his throne is the surest thing. Will you continue to pray with us about our adoption of Raena? Thank you....

It's Official!!!

Woot! We were praying that we would receive word today from the Dept. of Homeland Security that our adoption request would finally be approved before the long holiday weekend postponing any decision until Wednesday of next week. After 5pm and no call, we were a little, okay, a lot disappointed. However, around 6:30pm, Kathy Randall from INS called and said that it has been officially approved we may go get her at any time! They had stayed late in the office to get this through before the weekend and we appreciate so much their extra work at the last minute and to Frank Block of the Love Basket in working so quickly at getting the home study requirements fulfilled. We appreciate Melinda Stanley who worked initially on the home study and has been praying for a quick resolution. Many of you have been praying too and we are so relieved now that the long, long process is over. Dezi was able to get the earliest ticket to Taiwan which is July 8th and will return on July 19th with Raena. We thank God for giving us the strength to endure even though many times it was very difficult. Words can't express our joy at this time. We begin our last family vacation with just the boys in the morning as we travel with David & Sandy Fincher and their family to Arkansas for a week of rest. We are emotionally and physically exhausted so God's timing at giving us great peace before we left is truly amazing. Thank you all for praying so hard on Raena's behalf. She has been getting healthier these last few weeks. Dezi will spend a few days in Taipei getting over jet lag, meeting with our coworkers and Chinese friends and then go to the Home of God's Love to spend a few days getting used to a new daughter as she gets used to a new mother before returning home. We will keep you posted!

Adoption Update

We received a call today from Frank Block, the director of the Love Basket, an adoption agency. He said the home study will be sent to the Department of Homeland Security tomorrow, on Wednesday. So, hopefully by Friday we could hear some good news. We are very thankful for how fast Frank was willing to process the new home study. We have another ticket reserved for Dezi to fly out on July 9th. The Chinese are very eager to see her as it has been 3 years now since Dezi has returned so she will spend a few days in Taipei getting over jet lag. Then she plans to go spend 5 or 6 days at the Home so Raena can adjust in familiar surroundings to having a new mom and then return by the 22nd which is later than we hoped but the only seat available.

We covet your prayers now more than ever that the home study will be approved and Raena will be granted her immigration status. This is the LAST step and the most important. It can also be held up by many arbitrary things as we have seen already. We are hopeful as we believe that God is working through all these things for his glory.

Mike's Father, Sister, Nephew & Dog

Today we took my Dad down to Boone County Hospital to have two more stents inserted in ateries by his heart. They were 90% blocked. The procedure went very well and he is doing great. This should give him more strength and be less strenous for him to walk. He should be home on Wednesday. Thank you for praying for him since his heart attack in May.

Please be in prayer for my nephew and his wife, Kyle & Tracy Worstell. They had a premature son two weeks ago and the doctors are unable to stablize his condition. They are waiting for Kyle to return from serving in the Navy to take the child off of life support which will be some time today. It is taking the family pretty hard so please keep Tim & Kylene in your prayers as well.

My sister, Lillie Schoville, is flying in this weekend to spend a week with my folks. She will be staying at our home yet we will be gone on a family vacation with the Fincher family. We are looking forward to some quality time with our boys before their little sister arrives. Lillie will also be able to watch our dog Hunny, aka. Tripod. She was hit by a truck a couple of weeks ago and has lost the use of a hind leg. She's doing great though! She's taught us a valuable lesson that no matter how difficult things can get, you can just be thankful that you still have 3 legs to stand on.

New Cell Life

One of the things we have missed the most while being back in the U.S. is the cell church life we had in Taiwan. While desiring to have cells started here, we haven't felt like we had enough time to do something new. We thought we could handle the extra load of helping other core group leaders start the new Discover Christian Church that meets on the campus of Central Christian College on Sunday mornings with the hopes of starting various cell groups, but after training many potential cell leaders, we never had the time or energy to start our own cell group. We have recently relinquished our role with Discover and are attending Timber Lake Christian Church (formerly Union Avenue). Now we felt it was time to begin a cell in our home and we contacted 3 other couples who have also wanted to help. After meeting for the first time last Monday and praying for those we would like to reach out to, our second meeting brought 5 new contacts. In fact, we had 13 adults and 8 children attending in our living room! We have been very encouraged by this group of people already as they have been on the front line of encouragement through our adoption struggles of the last two weeks. That's what cell life/church life is supposed to be... carrying each others burdens and fulfilling the law of Christ.

Possible Resolution... or from Despair to Hope!

The last two days have been the most trying yet in the adoption process. We were informed by the Dept. of Homeland Security that our home study was being rejected because of the preparer not being licensed in the State of Missouri for Child Placement. The home study is the most crucial part of the process as it is used in every step. It is also one of the biggest expenses other than traveling to pick up the child. This was a devastating realization and we were on the phone for hours trying to find a way. We had to come to the point where God alone would work it out and for us to have the patient and peace that would calm our spirit. During the myriad of phone calls, we actually called the Director of Child Placement for the State and he was visiting an adoption agency called the Love Basket. It was an agency initially recommended to us and their director talked to me on the phone and said they would try and help us out. True to his word, he called a few hours later and said that he personally would conduct the requirements and come to our home in the morning to do the in home survey. He came this morning as promised and after 3 hours of interviewing and another walk through in our home, he said he will rush the process and we should have a new approved home study by Wednesday of next week!!! What could have been a disaster has turned out only costing us about 2 weeks. Once the Dept. of Homeland Security receives the new home study, they also have promised to rush it and if all is in order, will approve our request for Raena's visa immediately.

Now, we are going to patiently wait until we get the news that the home study is approved and then arrange for Dezi's flight and we are anticipating it could be as early as next Friday now. We have had a family vacation planned for the first week in July for almost a year and were hoping to bring Raena along. We will have to wait and see what transpires for now.

Thank you so much for your prayers. We have coveted them and are thankful for the many emails we have gotten encouraging us. It was especially comforting to know that there are other adoptive parents out there who have gone through similar circumstances. There has also been an outpouring of very generous friends and family who realized the extra costs of another home study as well as the travel we are expecting and return ticket of Raena too. We thank God daily for your thoughtfulness.

So close but yet...

We really, really need everyone to pray right now. We actually have a reserved ticket this Friday for Dezi to fly out to go pick up Raena, yet we haven't been successful in resolving the issue with the Dept. of Homeland Security. It appears our Home Study preparer is not on the licensed Child Placement Agency list for the State of Missouri and that is the hold up. It wasn't an issue with our previous agent but now is the one thing holding it up. Without this approval, Raena will not be allowed in the US. We have been calling various agenices but have yet to find one who will sign off on the home study in a timely manner. Some want 6 months of process and insane amount of fees. This is a huge roadblock for us and only God can give us a way through. His grace is sufficient and we need you to pray for us right now.

The Model of Compassion International?

Everyone in the U.S. that is a part of Christianity has probably heard of Compassion International or a similar organization that sponsors children in poverty stricken areas of the world. If you were to become a member you would send in a rather small monthly amount and in return you would receive a picture of 'your' child and a small biography with quarterly updates on the child's educational, physical and sometimes their spiritual condition.

I've been thinking about that model and I need your input. Perhaps it is just a passing thought, but maybe we should consider this model a bit more in other applications.

For example, we had a couple come over to our home last week that have just graduated from Central. They have been wanting to go to the mission field, and of course, they are interested in China or Taiwan. :-) The problem is they are new to the faith. They really do not have a relationship with any churches that would want to support them and most of their Christian friends are their age and either in school or similarly just graduated and looking for positions too.

They are definitely worthy of support. They are mature, have a heart for the lost, have a plan, and could leave tomorrow. The problem? They have no support nor do they have a support base to draw from.

While we encourage churches to raise up Timothies from their own congregations and fully support them, what about potential candidates like this couple? What about unchurched people that become Christians and feel called to go yet have no one to turn to for support?

Perhaps, we should start a program like Compassion International. We could send you a picture of new recruits, send you a regular update from time to time on their physical, emotional and spiritual condition, how they are progressing through language school and their various accomplishments. In turn, you could support them with a certain amount each month. Why, we could even have an automatic withdrawal system to make it so convenient for you!

Well, what do you think?? Post a comment and give us your thoughts... ;-)

Yet Another Road Block ... (insert the sound of tires screeching to a halt here)

In less than 10 days the orphanage should receive confirmation from the local judge that Raena is good to go from their perspective. However, we have run into a significant roadblock with the Department of Homeland Security who now handles all immigration details. The new agent that is handling the case wants every 't' crossed and every 'i' dotted and she has found semantic issues in the home study that she wants corrected. For example, the home study reads, "the Worstells are recommended for adoption" and apparently it should read "the Worstells are approved for adoption". There are 6 similar problems that our social worker needs to correct and one larger issue concerning licensing that is paramount. Our social worker isn't approved for child placement and needs to have one that is to sign off on her prepared home study. With the new Homeland Security rules, this has become very specific and even though we have gone through the same people and process as our coworker, Sherry Wallis, as she adopted her two children from the same orphanage, the rules are now different and more difficult for us. This is a very, very important issue and only God can make this work out without our needing to redo the entire home study with a new social worker, a SIX WEEK PROCESS! Our current social worker is negotiating today with the DOHS and she called and asked for our prayers that she can be convincing and they realize what is in the best interest of the child and not the bureaucratic system. PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO PRAY with us. We are so close to the end and do not want to go back to the beginning!

Great News on the Adoption!

The past two days have been going so quickly it has been hard to get time to put this update in. We were going to ask you to pray over the court date that was moved up from June 20th to today, June 8th and yet, with the time difference, Ted Skiles has already written and said that it went well.

In his own words, "“Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.” Proverbs 25:25

We’ve been back from court for about an hour. Things went very well, except for the slight dressing down I got for being so “Ji” (in a hurry if you don’t recognize this romanization ). Anyway, the judge was pretty nice about it, but he said he hoped this wouldn’t happen again as they have so many cases to deal with. I assured him that we don’t try to push like this normally, but that Raena’s case was special!

Anyway, after all was said and done, he said he would speed it up. I actually expect to receive her first paper sometime next week and her final paper the next, so Raena could be ready to go by the end of June, Lord willing."

This is really good news and the only thing we need to receive now is approval from INS here in the U.S. We called the agent this morning to find that she had retired and all her cases were being handled elsewhere and that it may take time. After explaining Raena's medical condition, they said they would try and expedite it. Once her visa is approved, and Ted receives both papers from the Judge, we can send Dezi over to Taiwan to pick her up! Praise the Lord and keep praying!!

Past Newsletters & Updates Reminder

We want to remind everyone to please send us your email address if you have not received an update from us in awhile. We are trying to stay away from printed mailings because of the costs. Our mailing lists had become corrupted and we are still in the process of rebuilding it and need your help in this way.

Our website is also being updated, www.candleonchina.org, and you may go to our Newsletter Archive area to see the latest updates as well as our newsletters from the past.

Summer challenge - patience!

Today, we were able to receive Dad out of the hospital and he is now back at home here in Moberly and doing much better. With the new stents, his heart is having more oxygen and he has more energy. He will need to have two more stents inserted in a few weeks so we are very grateful that his heart was strong enough to endure.

We called the Home of God's Love this evening and Bev Skiles said that Raena is doing much better yet still had a rather high white blood cell count showing infection but that it was getting lower. She should be able to leave the hospital tomorrow and they are taking many tests to discover what is causing her seizures. Right now, it appears they are triggered by fevers. She was diagnosed this time with acute pneumonia. Bev also said that sometimes the adoption process takes longer than we anticipate and that it could be August before we receive the final word.

So, we are trusting in the Lord's direction and trying desperately to control our own expectations. (Proverbs 16:9) Regardless, it is going to be a long summer!

What's Next? Wait... I don't want to know!

Can we ask you to pray for us right now?

This was the last week of public school and our boys are glad to be free for another summer. On their last day, Dezi took them to Long Branch lake to the beach for a surprise along with Sandy Fincher and her children. It was a beautiful sunny day and one of our sons neglected to get sunscreen on. So, Thursday evening, Talon started itching really bad and had what is called sun poisoning. He was literally screaming at the pain and since I have had it a few times, we were trying everything we could think of to help. We called the emergency room and got advice and finally at about 2am he calmed down enough to fall asleep.

Can we ask you to pray for us right now?

One hour later, we received a phone call from the assisted living home where my folks are living in an independent cottage. My father was having a heart attack. I rushed over in time to meet the ambulance and he was taken to Moberly Regional. There they decided quickly to transfer him to Boone County Hospital in Columbia. He had a 100% blocked artery and after angioplasty and a stent, has stabilized and resting comfortably in ICU. He will be there through Monday probably. It was apparent another artery is almost blocked so he will be having another stent put in at a later date. All three brothers made it to the hospital to be with him in the morning and pray for him.

Can we ask you to pray for us right now?

After one hour's sleep that evening, I finally made it home in time to greet Dezi's sister and her husband who are visiting for the weekend. We were talking about Raena so I checked email to see if they had gotten the final paperwork yet and there was an email saying that Raena had two more seizures and had stopped breathing and was again in the hospital. We called to get the latest and she has stablized and more tests are being done. We are torn with our desire to have her here and to go be with her.

Can we ask you to praise God right now?

Talon is feeling much better.
Dad is stabilized and in no pain.
Raena is being treated and is doing fine now.
God is giving us the strength and patience we need as we go through trials like these.

New & Improved Family Picture

No, she's not with us yet, just a special effect done by Nick Farr at the Team Expansion home office. Can you tell which child is being adopted?

Candidate Lab

Whew! What a month! So much has been happening it is hard to cover all the events. Right now I'm writing this from Louisville, Kentucky at the Team Expansion main office observing Candidate Lab. It is a week for new recruits to become assimilated into Team Expansion's passion and protocols and receive training in raising support, creating a mission budget and other practical skills. Three of these recruits are headed for China & Taiwan! Dezi has her hands full taking care of the boys by herself so please pray for her stamina during this time.

This is finals week at CCCB and I was able to give all of mine last Thursday, grades were done by Friday (thanks Sherry!) leaving me free to attend Candidate Lab. I will return to Moberly for Commencement on Friday, May 19 which is our largest graduation to date. It's always hard to go through this time of year. Making so many relationships with the students and then having them graduate and leave is exciting but also very emotional. They have a way of getting into your heart! It is fulfilling however, to see more and more go out into the Lord's harvest each year.

We have run in to another hold up on Raena's adoption and hopefully we can resolve it on Monday so please pray. The judge in Taiwan has given a court date of June 20th to decide the case and we are hoping to have it moved up for Raena's medical situation. Thank you for faithfully praying for Raena and our patience!

So, How Was The Picnic?

We are glad you asked!

Scott & Angie Pagel are back on furlough from Taiwan and they were able to spend a couple of days in our area. They did a wonderful job on campus talking to students, challenging them to consider missions, and reuniting with students who have taken short term mission trips to Taiwan already. On their last evening, we had a picnic in a local park and invited a few students who seem the most interested in working in Taiwan to come along.

The next morning, two of the couples and one young lady all downloaded the application from the Team Expansion website and are applying to go to Taiwan as soon as they can! That's five more workers for the Chinese Harvest! We should have picnics more often!

Introducing Raena Marie Worstell

This is Raena Marie at our very first meeting in Taiwan at the end of March when taking a group of 17 Central students there for Outreach Week. As of this posting, we are still waiting and it could be 8 weeks or late July before Dezi can go and get her. Please pray for Raena as she has had some serious allergic reactions and is susceptible to bronchial irritations. She has also had a couple of high fevers lately that has led to seizures. She is a very sweet little girl and our whole family is very excited about her arrival.