Where in the world is Brian...

I feel like I’ve been MIA from you guys for a little while. Transition is not always as smooth as you plan, and even when transition is a semi-normal part of your life, it’s not easy. Between May 19 and June 3, I left one culture that I had been in for a year, went to NC which was my original home culture and then to Colorado for six weeks. I’ve been in Colorado for about three weeks now, and I feel like my head is about to stop spinning. Of course, in a couple of weeks, it will be time to hit the road again. I’m sure there is a good lesson in that somewhere…

As for the training here in Colorado, it is going great. I honestly feel like this might be one of the most worthwhile things that I have done in the past five years. “More worthwhile than going overseas,” you’re asking? Obviously I believe that going is very important and worthwhile. But this time is about investing. Investing in others who are going. It is a relatively short period of time that will prayerfully result in about 75 more people being better equipped to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. That is EXCITING to me!!! I am one person who can go, but the thought of being able to help (even a little) 75 people be better prepared to go gets me going. I hope you’re excited about that too!

By the way, I am investing my time this summer, but there is a way that you can invest too. The cost for being back in the US this summer is not cheap ($4,000+ - plane ticket prices are going up and make up half of that total). Would you consider making an additional investment towards putting more laborers in the field by helping me to cover the cost of being here this summer? I truly believe it will make an eternal difference.

Things to be praying for:

1. That the Lord would give me wisdom and humility in leading the guys I am coaching this summer

2. Grace and understanding for the program participants. Pray that the Lord would plant deeply things that will help them in their transition to long term life overseas.

3. That this will continue to be a time that all of us will learn and be blessed in the Lord

4. For financial resources to cover the cost of being in the US this summer

Every tongue. Every tribe. Every nation.

For the past three days, we have been concentrating on methods for effectively learning language with the program participants. Thursday and Friday, we invited people from several different language groups to join us for lunch at the park and help with language learning. It was fun to walk around and hear people speaking all those different languages (Russian, Spanish, Turkish, Japanese, Macedonian, Hungarian, Italian… just to name a few) knowing that in a few short months, each group will mean real people taking the gospel to people of that language.

How do you figure out what to feed people from over a dozen cultures for lunch?  
We went with mexican one day and sandwiches the next.  Maybe not exactly representative of the diverse background of all the language helpers, but everyone seemed to enjoy it and have a good time anyway.

Enjoying some good language practice and conversation.

Pictures from the past month...

Jet lag has its perks…
I took this sunrise picture from my sister’s house on the second morning I was back in the US. What an awesome God we have to give daily gifts like this one to us in His creation!


Snow in June?
We had a picnic during the singles weekend around this spot. The road sign in the background is extremely appropriate. The area where I live in Asia has beautiful mountains, but what amazes me so much about being in the Rockies is the almost complete lack of pollution. Very refreshing.




Beaten Down
Our group performs a skit to illustrate how our host culture often suppresses ideas that are different from the views of mainstream society.




Say Cheese
Singles Weekend in Breckenridge (6/17)

I haven't forgotten...

Friends,

I am safely back in America and have made it to my summer job assignment in Colorado. Life has been really busy but REALLY good and I am loving this incredible opportunity that the Lord has blessed me with. Detailed updates on that to come very soon.

In Him,

Brian