Irish Easter

St. Patrick's Day in April...  
Well, it is here anyway.  Here's a picture of me with a care package that I just received.  It had a ton of cool Easter and St. Patrick's day goodies.

Thanks for the great package Jesse & Yvonne!! 

Last couple of weeks...

The last few weeks have been extremely busy here. I have been traveling a lot... some for meetings in another city, and some to check out some opportunities in another city. Both trips were really fun. During the first trip, I got to hang out with my friend Graham and his wife Ashlei which I always love. The second trip was to a bigger city, and a place I am less familiar with. That was great too because I was able to make some new friends and learn about some new things that are going on there.

I also got some western treats while I was there (Starbucks, TGI Fridays and Papa Johns--MMmmm)! For the most part, I don't daily crave food from home anymore. I've been here almost five years and have just gotten used to what I have. But one thing I miss is getting good salads at restaurants. So the BBQ Chicken Salad at TGI Fridays was especially good (and tastes just like America!).

Aside from travel, several other exciting things have been going on...

1. Easter Party:
We had an Easter party on Friday night during which we saw around seven students come to know Christ. This whole party was student organized (by our student leadership team), and they did a great job. Several students shared their testimonies and then we split into small groups for discussion. It was in the small group discussion times that several of the students decided to begin a relationship with Christ. This is just one step in the momentum that seems to be building on our campus, and it is exciting to watch!


2. Easter Sunday:
My teammates and I went to the International Fellowship on Sunday morning to celebrate Easter with the local community here. Then we went back to Matt and Laura's, where Laura had prepared a southern style Easter feast with ribs, corn on the cob and mashed potatoes. We were all so full after lunch that we just sat around and talked for a couple of hours :) It was a very relaxing afternoon, and it caused me to be thankful for the friends that the Lord has given me to work with here.

3. Field Trip:
I'm still a student, and sometimes it feels like I will be a student forever! The campus where I take class is usually really easy-going, but last week they planned a trip to a village and required all the foreign students to go. We're thinking they wanted to make a new brochure or something :) I took a few pictures, so I'll try to post them below.

Upcoming Requests:

*Team Retreat this weekend:
Pray that it will be a time of unity building and rest and peace for our team.

*May Holiday Trip:
Coming up in less than three weeks; We will be traveling to a small village where we will do some training with students, minister to local believers and have the opportunity to share with people in neighboring villages.

*Travel to the US:
Also coming up quickly, in May sometime. Pray that I would be able to find a good price on a plane ticket and get the travel details worked out soon.

*Summer Coaching:
I mentioned in my last letter that I am going to have the opportunity to coach people who are getting ready to go overseas for their first long-term assignment. I am so EXCITED about this! Please pray now that the Lord would be preparing the hearts of the participants for this time, as well as for me to be filled with humility and wisdom from the Spirit as I go into this time.

*Next Year decisions:
This relates to the travel that I mentioned above. I have serveral exciting options for next year right now--some here in the city where I live, and a few others in different cities as well. I will share more details with you later. Please begin to pray with me about which direction the Lord would have me to go. Please pray especially for His peace and provision. One of the options creates a need for a significant amount of additional financial support--please pray especially for this, that it would not be an obstacle for me, and if the Lord directs me to that option that I would trust Him fully to provide for me and His work here.

Here are a few captions from things I have been reading as I pray through this decision:

"God's work, done in God's way, will not lack God's supply." Hudson Taylor

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

"...for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.
If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it." Psalm 50:10-12

Field Trip Pictures

Here I am in the courtyard of a traditional old home.



And here is what was left of a really, really good lunch.



Here is a view of the village through a traditional style wooden window.



Here is a picture of some kids at an elementary school that we got to visit in the village.