Life is Beautiful. God is Good. (Teaching in the Fall? Japan in January?)

I cannot even begin to fully explain the changes that have happened in the past few weeks (it honestly feels like it's been years since we first got back from Japan). But I will say as much as can be said through imperfect communication and limited time.

Japan was amazing, and Isaiah and I are so excited to get to the country we belong in. We came back from Japan to full-time jobs that require much time, Japanese lessons with my brother Mitch (by now we have learned Hiragana and are starting Katakana next week), working on the core team of the Cornerstone Church plant, and the daily routine of life. Honestly, this has been a hard year due to us both working so much. But the past few weeks especially may just have been our most difficult to date. We have almost completely finished paying off our loans (our goal is to get them paid off by summer); we have never wanted to enter the mission field in any form of debt, and thanks to God providing so much work for us, we will enter the field totally debt free. Despite our excitement about getting those paid off, the past few weeks have been rough. We are consistently unable to do everything we need to. Our house is a total wreck, we barely eat anything at home except for bagels, we are constantly behind in Japanese homework, are not doing our devotions the way we should, both often feel like failures at work, get home with barely any energy to do much of anything besides sleep, and are attempting to help people in our lives in unbearably hard situations.

These past few weeks have brought even more trials for me at school: from grading, to administering state tests, to talking with students about awful pasts, pain, and current violence in their lives, to bitter co-workers empowered by the evil one to wound me; you name it, it has happened. Isaiah has also been more tired than ever on the bread route due to being married to a wife in need of help with school items and often ready to discuss important matters right as we head to bed (poor, sweet husband). We have also had many more misunderstandings in the past week than usual, which has lent itself to longer and more tiring discussions--discussions which lead to redemption but also to more exhaustion come morning. We are spent. But God is good. He sustains us during this time of survival, and soon the incoming waves will calm. I know this. I am holding onto this promise. Summer will bring with it rest from teaching and more intimacy with God.

So many terrible things have happened to friends and students in the past weeks since our return that if we did not believe in a powerful, all-good God, our world would be so shaken. I am learning during this season to not visually see the awful stories that people tell me unfold before my eyes. I am learning to stop images and pain before they appear in my mind when people speak with me about evil things and unimaginable horrors. It is difficult for me to practice this. I am not in the habit of stopping myself from seeing the horrid stories people tell me; I am not in the habit of being helpful whilst not feeling and carrying the weight of the things I am told. I am grateful for a season of practice, but since I have not learned the art of putting up healthy, emotional boundaries when listening, I am still bearing the weight of certain things whilst God teaches me.

I am grateful during this season to be married o a resilient man who is very good at being emotionally detached from things when needed. Isaiah has handled some things, especially this past week, which I could never step into and then step out of with my sanity. My husband has been my warrior this week, fighting battles for friends that I cannot fight. Being a rock in dealing with practicalities that I cannot imagine bearing the spiritual turmoil of. I never knew that I would be grateful for Isaiah's somewhat detached emotion. I am learning that God gave him to me because while I can listen to a lot of pain, Isaiah helps mend it in practical ways, helping my bleeding heart stay in-tact along the way. Who knew it was so nice to not do ministry alone!?

I believe that these past few weeks have been God's way of sanctifying us and growing us in ministry in preparation for Japan. I hope God will see fit to keep teaching us, even when it is tough, especially when it is tough. Hard practice always produces the best results. I also believe that these past few weeks have been the evil one attempting to discourage and weaken us. satan has been throwing a lot of fiery ash in my eyes as I try to commune with God and influence students for Christ. At every corner, satan has sent a secularly-driven person to tell me of my unworthiness and to question my heart's motivation. he has continuously attempted to show me how the ministry of teaching this year has been a waste, and how I have influenced no one and changed nothing. he has been trying to show me that the time and effort I put it is not worth the crop that is yielded. God is working, but when God is at work, so is satan, so, for us, it is always a choice: will we lean on Christ and grow, or will we cave and get discouraged? I am grateful that God sees fit to save me from discouragement so may times, that He sees fit to send me love through people when I least expect it.

Ministering to victims of rape, murder, and violence at home, and then being told I'm worthless at work is too hard for me to handle, but it is NOT too hard for God. I am thankful to God for what he did for me specifically today. I walked into school this morning knowing that this was my last year at Lexington Senior High School. Though I was still feeling unsettled about my decision to leave, the position was already posted, Isaiah and I had already said that teaching took too much of my time than what it was worth, and I honestly felt I would be able to do more ministry in the community whilst at home rather than spending so much time doing things like grading and planning. I walked in this morning being done. However, after conversations with students, the best letter from a student I have ever received, and a summative conference with my principal, Mrs. Curry,  I will be returning to teach at Lexington in the Fall. Suffice it to say that, that conference with my boss was everything. I have never felt more completely understood by a superior in my entire life.

Most of the people I have worked under have known they wanted to keep me, but have never been able to articulate why. They knew I was good at what I did, but never really got why I was, or what kind of teacher I am. Mrs. Curry sees that it is my theology and the love inside me for my students that makes me good. She told me that the same love she saw me have for my brother Colton during my first interview is the same love I show my students; she told me that's why she likes me. She knows that my strength is in the relationships I form with the kids, in the rapport I build, in the conversations I have--in the believing they can do things they've been told they can't, in me harassing them for work, in the loving them, and in them knowing it. I told her "thank for seeing Jesus in me," for that is truly and honestly what she was talking about. I asked to be re-hired on the spot. When you have a boss who believes in you and understands what you contribute, who sees the gifts God gave you to share and wants to keep them in her school, you stay with her. And when you have a boss who tells you your worth so directly, it makes any other bad words said about you by co-workers (and satan) not matter at all. The kids and Mrs. Curry want me and see me. That is more than enough. I'm not sure I've ever felt truly seen by the people I try to honor and please until today.

I kept wondering why it was that when I left James Irwin after two years I felt at peace, why it was that when I left North Davidson after an even shorter time I still felt at peace...and yet I didn't feel at peace leaving Lexington High School. It was because God isn't done with me there yet. I am grateful He showed me that, that He was kind enough to give me a glimpse of the difference I am making there through His power and love. He was kind enough to show me that my ministry there is far from worthless and is intricately connected to my ministry in the community and to my future at Cornerstone Church Plant and eventually in Japan.

I also told Mrs. Curry...and this is going to be another big surprise...that Isaiah and I were asked to come much sooner to Japan. I asked her if it was possible to teach for just one more semester, to squeeze all I could out of myself until January because that is when our friend, Kurt Saban, wants us to join him in Japan! We were planning on going in a year, but Kurt wants it to be sooner, and we couldn't be more excited. So, the plan is to teach until the end of first semester (Mrs. Curry is good with it) and then pack up and head off the Isaiah's "home country," to the land where God has called us. It's a much quicker time frame than we expected, but if the Lord wills it, it will happen! Kurt is going to be meeting with us via Skype every few weeks whilst we arrange things for me to work at his English school and for Isaiah to get work upon arrival. And the Sinks are heading home soon too, which will hopefully lend itself to fruitful discussions and prayer as well. We are uncertain of many details. But this, right now, we do know for certain: The Lord is directing our steps. I am so grateful to serve a God who shows me His love and directs me when I lose my way, who opens up the way before me and walks with me all the way.

Learning Japanese. Core team with Cornerstone Church plant. Teaching at Lexington High School. Running a Bread Route. One more Christmas at home. Japan on the horizon...Life is beautiful. God is good.

Japan Vision Trip: What we did in Japan!

Hey folks! Warning up front: this is going to be a pretty short blog due to the fact that I am pretty exhausted and Cafe'oke here at Heart & Soul Cafe in Nagoya, Japan starts soon. So, here goes: a summary of what I am truly unable to summarize in a time frame which won't do it justice.

Isaiah and I arrived in Nagoya, Japan on Sunday around 3pm. Jeremy Sink very graciously picked us up. We had planned on being here Saturday but Delta airlines in Detroit cancelled the flight. (However, we got vouchers and a full night's sleep on a mattress, so no lasting complaints here.) We met Jeremy's wife Gina near a local park where the Sakura blossoms were in perfect bloom and hanami (cherry blossom watching!) was on full display. People were lying on tarps and picnic blankets, eating KFC and sushi and watching the sakura above them as they fellowshipped together. It was truly the perfect introduction to Japan! We have been told that we came at the perfect time for this as well. God is kind indeed. For dinner, we ate at the most delicious Indian restaurant I have ever been to. The curry was to die for! We then returned home to the Grace House (a local share house) with plans for Jeremy to pick us up in the morning for a tour of Nagoya and introduction to the subway station.

We enjoyed our first morning in Japan very much, walking to the 7/11 to get Green tea Ice Cream and Yen from an American-friendly ATM and then to a small grocery store to grab items for our 10 day stay here in Nagoya. We came back to Grace House and made a simple breakfast complete with delicious Japanese eggs (so much better and more healthy than American ones!). We also met a few of our housemates. We are sharing the house with both folks who live there continually and one other short term visitor like ourselves. Our housemate Hao-chin has made mornings highly entertaining and energetic and other housemates have helped us remove our laundry from the washing machine we couldn't understand (it locked our wet clothes inside!) and have taught us about the detailed system of recycling here (there are 5 different trash cans!). We are very grateful and happy to be living among others.

Jeremy picked us up right on time (that is the case with everything here; the people, subway, trains, always right on time). We road the Nagoya subway system all over the city and walked quite a bit as well. We saw the rest of the lovely park from the night before, visited the business district, stood atop a tall building with a glass bottom you can see the city from, had Starbucks at a half-indoor-half-outdoor mall whilst talking about Japanese literature, saw two different shopping districts, and most impactful--visited one of the oldest shrines in the city called Osu Kannon. I will need to write a more detailed account of that later, but suffice it to say that Jeremy, Isaiah, and I prayed near the shrine for the people inside and about who continuously go through motions they don't understand dedicated to stone gods who cannot speak, hear, or help them. Japan needs workers indeed.

When our tour was completed, we went to pick up Jeremy's son, Josiah, up from ICAN, a Christian school in Nagoya. We dropped him off at a piano lesson and visited a local farmer's market. Isaiah and I were very happy to find good yogurt for our aching tummy's there as well as to discover the wide variety of fish and vegetables available in this country. After getting Josiah, we headed to the Sink home where Gina had prepared us a feast for our second night in Japan. We ate salad with dicon on top (a wonderful veggie here that adds great texture to almost everything), baked spaghetti, and grapes while talking about Jeremy and Gina's journey of faith here in Japan. We truly have wise and gentle guides helping us along here in these short 10 days! And we are grateful. We then went home to Grace House via the subway with detailed instructions via text and pin on google maps (a must here in Japan).

The next day Jeremy picked us up once more (we were going to brave the subway, but, alas, we got one more morning to relax) and gave us a tour of CBI (Christian Bible Institute) where a lot of the MTW team works (although there are other organizations involved and helping too!). We saw a theology class with a guest speaker on Genesis, witnessed the awesome library here, and saw the Heart & Soul Cafe (where I am currently sitting!). He talked with us about the different aspects of the CBI ministry including the seminary and library, church planting team, and heart & soul cafe. We also met a dear Japanese brother & sister in the Lord in the Cafe' who talked to us about their God stories. They taught us much about the Japanese culture and challenges of the gospel in the time we talked...which was quite a long time! This dear brother will probably be leading one the ANF (All Nations Fellowship) churches in Nagoya come summer. He and his wife are beautiful people whom we long to see again. We then rushed to meet with Brett, the leader of the CBI team. We enjoyed another Indian restaurant per the request of Brett's young son who accompanied us. He requested "daddy, Naan please," and we had no problem with that! Brett spoke to us about some practicalities of the ministry. After speaking with Brett, Isaiah and I headed home to Grace House for a nap, with plans to return to help a new friend, Kuni, later in the evening. After a subway ride home and fairly long walk (we hadn't yet discovered the shortest route), we made it to Grace House and took a nap. However, when we "woke," and I use that term very loosely, I found myself quite unable to move or function. The jet-lag Jeremy warned us of had apparently set in, and I could do nothing other than cancel the plans with Kuni and sleep. Though sleep this evening was sporadic, with a lot of waking by both Isaiah and I and sometimes both in between, we did get a lot of sleep and plenty of great Jesus talks in-between our sleeping and doses of melatonin. :)

The next morning, Isaiah and I hopped the subway alone, and, thanks to the efficient and intuitive systems here in Japan, faired very well. We arrived at a Starbucks to have breakfast with Jeremy and debrief about the days before. It was a very fruitful talk! Our new friend Creed met us there to take us on our Journeymen IMB (International Mission Board) adventure for the day. Creed is very passionate and zealous for the Lord, and we enjoyed him very much. He reminded us a lot of our dear brothers and sisters at the Boardwalk Chapel. Creed took us for "second breakfast" at Mister Doughnut, and we talked about our hearts for Japan, God stories, and about how much Creed enjoys each day here lived for the Lord. We then visited a JSL (Japanese Sign Language) class and next a local university where Creed often meets students, but unfortunately, though Yuki--a university friend of Creed's--saved us spots and was ready to chat at lunch, our cafeteria ramen took too long to make, and Yuki had to hurry to class. Creed, Isaiah, and I still had a fruitful discussion on campus, and he answered a lot of our questions about evangelism in this great country. Our brother's heart very much beats with ours, and we were very happy to see this! We then got a tour of Creed and his roommate Ian's apartment and picked up Yuka--a new Japanese sister in the Lord! After seeing more Sakura trees with our new friends, Ian, Creed, Yuka, and Isaiah and I had a praise-jam session in their apartment and learned our first Japanese song. Hanging out with Yuka was definitely a major highlight, for she felt very much like my own sister and child--a lot like Ginni Corsello feels to us! I loved her right away and my heart is so happy around her! After dropping Yuka off at the station, we met up with Arissa, a friend Creed & Ian met when offering 10 min English lessons over a year ago. Though our meeting with Arissa was random, it was so sweet and providential. Isaiah and I enjoyed very much teaching Arissa some English for her exam this coming Tuesday and discussing life with her. We all went for ramen afterwards and headed home for a hard night's sleep.

On Thursday, Isaiah and I traveled our longest to visit ICAN and get a tour of the school from Rebel Houston, who we had already met over Skype 2 years ago and then once more last year. We took a break between the subway and train ride in order to explore Fukigaoka, one of my favorite spots in Nagoya thus far. The cherry blossom trees were beautiful, and the homemade bread we picked up was delicious! Rebel and one of the current English teachers, Alison, gave us a tour of both the lower and upper schools and ate sushi with us as we discussed ICANs role in Nagoya. It was cool to see people and places we had formerly only seen over Skype. We then traveled to Nagoya before hopping a subway back to a former spot so we could meet with Chad Farmer and some of the founders of Mustard Seed, another growing Christian church in Japan. Chad gave us tons of very practical information and lots of spiritual wisdom as well. He answered just about every question I've had about missions organizations, options for getting over to Japan, and why things function the way they do. When our sweet and very useful conversation with Chad was over, we headed to a burger joint called "Handsome Burger" for some much needed American food for my aching stomach. That's right, the best burger I've ever had in my life was in Japan. :) Isaiah and I then headed for the Maundy-Thursday service at All Nations Fellowship. The occasion as very special because this was the evening where 3 different international churches (churches mixed with Japanese & missionaries) and a few visitors from All Japanese Churches all came together to worship the Lord. Yuka, my new Japanese sister, sat next to me with Isaiah on my other side, and all of the people we had come to know were all around us. All from different places, and all here as the body of Christ in one place worshipping the Lord. The service was the most beautiful I've ever experienced. Three different pastors led different aspects of the service and Japanese and English were spoken eloquently, one never dominating over the other. I truly felt that the body of Nations was in the CBI building and my heart was so happy! Jeremy Sink offered the sacraments and spoke with such authority, passion, and emotion that I could barely breath for the glory in the room. Jeremy has always been a good pastor, but the way he speaks in Japan--man! Such power I never heard from him in the states. God has grown him and anointed him in our beloved Japan, and it is beautiful to see and to hear!

Friday was a bit more chill (which was nice after such business). We met Jeremy at CBI, were joined by a new member of the CBI team who reminded me very much of my dear friend Susan Mitchell, and took the subway to Cynthia Ruble's cafe'. Cynthia is a resurrected Amy Carmichael, a kick-butt single missionary who knows the vision for her mission and fights with feminine, strong weapons of the Gospel. She runs the only crisis-pregnancy ministry in all of Japan, and through the government once disliked her, they now look to her as a great resource! :) She has accomplished so much in all of her years in Japan. She is also a very busy woman. She houses women who need assistance with their pregnancies, helps them put their children up for adoption or keep them, gives them work and skills in her cafe', does post-abortion counseling through email and phone, and has adopted a child who is now 11 years old! Isaiah and I couldn't help but see a place for our friends Londa & Griffin here, for Cynthia and the cafe' reeked of what these two live their lives for (not to mention Cynthia's desserts were the only things I've ever tasted which hold a candle to Londa's). After speaking with Cynthia, we headed back to Heart & Soul Cafe' and met briefly with Will, the guy who runs the Heart and Soul coffee shop. The main thing we learned about Will is that he is in the right job! This guy is such a coffee nerd and definitely has a distinct vision of what his purpose is on the CBI team. We then went to dinner with Kuni. Over udon noodles, Kuni both encouraged us and convicted us. He is a great brother, and by the end of dinner I was weeping tears of repentance for not enjoying everyday intimacy with the Lord where I am. I will never forget that dinner and will probably write more of it later.

We then headed back for Cafe'oke and met the infamous Josh, whose soul missionary job in Nagoya is to go around meeting people and hosting bang-up karaoke as an in for the gospel. Pretty cool! However, though we had planned on staying, after being convicted over dinner and again, feeling quite exhausted from the day, we said goodbye to Josh and took the subway home to sleep.

Saturday was one of my favorite days in Japan. Isaiah and I woke up and felt like natives in this beautiful country. We walked our own neighborhood around the Grace House, discovered new places, and checked out the local subway, heading to Nagoya station for some breakfast. I enjoyed french toast and cappuccino complete with Japanese coffee art at an Italian-inspired bistro, and Isaiah and I walked the newest Nagoya building and mall, stopping for healthy drinks and bible study outside of a pizzeria. After a leisurely and very enjoyable morning and afternoon, we met a new friend, Kurt, an E-Free missionary who was different than almost everyone else we'd met on the trip thus far. Kurt runs a homeless ministry in Nagoya and he and his Japanese wife, Akane, also have 3 English learning schools and 2 teenage sons. Kurt showed us all of the cool, cheaper Japanese stores where we stocked up on snacks to bring home and got a feel for the less-posh section of Nagoya, which I felt much more comfortable in. I also had my first experience with a non-western Japanese toilet when we picked up bentos for the homeless ministry. It was a success. LOL. Kurt also took us to eat some local grub, including Tacoyaki & Okonomiyaki while telling us about his story of getting to and working in Japan. We found easy camaraderie with Kurt because he is very similar to my dad. We helped with his homeless ministry, giving out bentos, worshipping in Japanese, offering copies of Manga Messiah, and Kurt even let Isaiah preach while Akane translated. It was a beautiful experience, and we met even more brothers and sister in the Lord there--some who are homeless and recently converted along with Norweigen missionaries and an old friend of the Cummings named Nathan. One of the most wonderful things about Japan was seeing missionaries from all over the world from totally different denominations and mission boards working together for the gospel. If only the States could learn from these warriors! To end the night, Kurt, Akane, and their son Luca showed us some of their English schools and took us to the most delicious sushi. If you want to know more, check out the pictures on Facebook! So good!

Easter Sunday was church day. Jeremy Sink preaches at two churches now, both branches of All Nations Fellowship. First we went to a brach near Fukigaoka, having lunch at Freshness Burger afterwards with new friends, Brie & John Patton, who met at ICAN and are heading back to Japan to help with the Kobe Mustard Seed church plant after raising funds. We then took a quick nap and headed to CBI near Nagoya station where the second branch of ANF meets. Here, we kept nursery and read bible stories to the kiddos before grabbing bentos and heading back for bible study and to hear some amazing testimonies from our Japanese sisters. I cannot even begin to describe the gospel power in the sermon on Sunday, so I will simply say to conclude that I have never heard the gospel so clear and moving, nor have I ever cried such joyful and sorrowful tears on a Sunday.

On Monday, we visited Nagoya castle with Jeremy and enjoyed ourselves immensely, later meeting up with Kurt for a final chat and awesome dinner at a place with grills in the tables! We cooked our own meat and ate our fill that night whilst learning even more about Kurt's ministry and training.

Tuesday held great sorrow as we packed up, said goodbye to housemates, and headed for the airport. And now, we are home. I promise to write again soon and fill you, dear readers in, on more details. But for now, simply know that we know we belong and are called to Japan, and feel as if we have left our home and are now aliens in our current lives. But praise the Lord for the joy He can and will give us in the now despite this, for He is good! We have some ideas about where we might fit, but we must go before the Lord now and seek His wisdom. We cannot trust our own limited human ideas about where we fit in Nagoya. We must seek the Lord. Will you please seek Him with us? Will you pray, dear reader, for God to show us what ministry to become a part of in our start in Japan? Will you pray and make sure he wants us in Nagoya? Will you pray that if we are to be in a ministry we did not meet, God would show us? Will you pray for us to be content and joy-filled where we are, and yet passionate for Japan? Will you pray for us to seek intimacy and answers from God instead of ourselves? We thank you. ~Calli & Isaiah

Please pray for:
>The CBI Team, IMB Team, Norwegian Mission, Brazilian Mission, Reliant Missionaries, TEAM missionaries, E-Free Canadian Missionaries, MTW (which has two other teams), the spread of the gospel in Japan!
>Jeremy & Gina Sink: MTW-CBI Team, ANF
>Brett & Taylor Rayl: CBI Leader
>Ian & Creed: IMB-Nagoya Team, Journeymen
>Kurt & Akane Saban: E-Free Canadian Mission & Saban English Schools
>Chad Farmer & Family: Reliant Mission, Mustard Seed Church
>Cynthia Ruble: Business Woman & servant of God

It's Finally Happening!

As the title suggests we are finally making plans to visit the country that has captured our hearts even as we began to solidify our own relationship; Japan.

We are calling this a "vision trip" because we are hoping to catch a vision of what God might have for us to do there. (In fact, we are asking you who are reading this to pray for us to that end.) If God is calling us to Japan, He will certainly show us. And, although we will almost certainly not receive all the answers on this trip, we do expect Him to lead our hearts to desire that which is in His will and to make clear to our minds possibilities in which our already-developing gifts from the Holy Spirit are intended to be used.

"How long?" you might ask.

April 7th is our departure date and our return ticket is for the 18th of April. So we will be there roughly 10 days. We wish it could be longer, but we pray (along with you) that it will be a very full 10 days indeed!

"What will you do there?"

As is always the case with trips in general, and for some reason it seems mission trips, flexibility in plans will be key. However, we do have a rough schedule planned out.
Friday, we leave the US and arrive in Nagoya on Saturday (8 April). Sunday, we worship at the congregation Jeremy helps to pastor (as long as we are not too overcome by jet lag). Monday, we intend to see Nagoya, the city, with the Sinks. Tuesday, we tour CBI, meet the ministry team, and meet the church leaders and their families, along with hearing testimonies of Japanese believers about their own faith and their sense of what it means to effectively minister in Japan. Wednesday and Thursday, we will be tagging along with a ministry team to see what they do. Friday, we may help out at the youth event at the Sinks' home or with the Heart and Soul Café. Saturday, we would also go out with another ministry team/meet with more missionaries. Sunday we would worship at Jeremy's church (hopefully minus jet lag this time), and on Monday we might try to visit some Buddhist temples or see some other nearby cities and get a further sense of the culture of this country. Tuesday, we depart for the US (and because of the time change actually would arrive home on the same day we departed). (Also, a big shout out to Jeremy Sink--mentioned more below--for planning this thing out for us! What a wondrous help he has been.)

"How did this come about?"

We have arranged this trip with our good friends (and potential mentors) Jeremy and Gina Sink who have been serving in Japan for several years and have relatively recently begun working with an MTW team in Nagoya. We reached out to them early this year once we got Calli's spring break schedule for her teaching job.
We decided that there was only so much we could plan for and think about this country from across the water, and it was time to really go and see for ourselves.
Jeremy has been incredibly helpful in arranging a place for us to stay, missionaries for us to hopefully meet, giving us recommendations on ways to prepare for coming to Japan, and offering to be a kind of tour guide while we are there.
We owe him a great deal for already spending a good deal of effort and time into helping us make this trip. It really wouldn't be happening if not for him.

What can you do?

Most importantly you can pray for Japan in general, the people we will meet, and also, us.
Our expectations for this trip are less about our usefulness to the people there (although I hope our presence will be an encouragement to the believers there) and more about God giving us direction and vision for our own future involvement in laying down our lives for the sake of the salvation of the Japanese. So pray for us that we will have very humble hearts which exalt the name of Christ and remain open to all that God may be telling us on this trip (including waiting on Him before we go). Our greatest desire is for Him to receive the glory in our submitting to His leading and direction.

Besides praying, you can also give. This trip will not be cheap. We anticipate a cost of nearly $1,000 for our lodging, food, and travel within the country (besides the $2,300 we have spent on the plane tickets). We are not asking this out of our need as much as giving you the opportunity to partner with us for the sake of the gospel. If you are able to spend your money with us in this way we will surely be grateful to God and hope you will see yourself as playing a part in bringing encouragement to God's people and the gospel to this dark land.
(The easiest way to send money is via PayPal using the "friends and family" option [isaiah . english @ me . com without spaces]. However, if you would like to mail a check that works just as well—let us know if you need our address.)

Most of all dear friends, we want to update you on our happenings and where God is directing us in our seeking His will in our lives. Our God is great and He deserves the praise of the largest unreached people group currently on the planet. So pray with us that God will send workers to proclaim this eternal good news to this land of Satan! Hallelujah! The Lord God Almighty reigns!