Ethiopia/Somalia Conflict

Here is a helpful article on the subject.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5201470.stm

Random events

So, I just got back from yet another youth trip that involved me driving a 15 passenger van. We went to Greer's Ferry Arkansas. It was a lot of fun playing on the lake. I'm in the process of losing the toe nail on my big toe after falling from a small rock face by on the lake. Not fun.

I have also had the opportunity to visit St. Jude Research Hospital in downtown Memphis the last few weeks to see their AIDS clinic. It was a great experience. I can't say much about the patients because of confidentiality, but I did learn more about the importance of adherence to the medications. It was also nice because I got to shadow a nurse practitioner and a social worker as they met with patients. Based on the recommendation of a nurse in my church who works there, I am somewhat considering taking some pre-reqs for nursing school this fall with the goal of coming back from africa and getting a masters to be a practitioner. This has all happened in the last few weeks, so I'm going to give it another few weeks of prayer and seeking advice. It will at least give me something else besides seminary to think about while I'm in Africa. I'd appreciate your prayers conerning this.

The time I had with Heather was amazing. We did lots of cool stuff and had a lot of things confirmed about our relationship. Distance is difficult. Also, I should have my one-time complete in the next week or so. Hurray!

July Update

Psalm 27:13-14 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Dear Supporters,

I just returned from a mission trip to St. Louis with my youth group. It was an incredible time of seeing God work as we helped New City Fellowship in their outreach to the inner city. We tutored inner city kids (many had been abused), helped widows, and lead Bible Clubs in inner city neighborhoods. I also lead a team to help clean out a warehouse that will be used for job-training/discipleship in a bad area where the men have trouble getting hired for jobs. This ministry will be called More than Carpentry and will focus on woodworking skills. The Lord is definitely moving in that area as well as in our youth group. We were able to encourage and help the workers their, and we left with great ideas and questions concerning how we can do similar work in Memphis.

This month has been encouraging regarding my support. My one-time is up to $11,320.67 and my monthly is at $518.33. Again, I know of a few hundred monthly dollars that have not been pledged. The Lord has also been faithful regarding my attempt to contact the churches in my presbytery for monthly support. I mailed and called all of them and have already heard back from some. This will be a continual and hopefully fruitful process over the next few months. I am also looking into how I can incorporate businesses into supporting my ministry opportunity.

Your prayers have been encouraging to me as I go through this time of waiting on the Lord. He has been faithful to me in allowing me to feel more settled here in Memphis, as he has given me a general contentment about being here. I do feel that God is preparing me socially for Ethiopia by taking me from a lot of my friends and I’ve learned my lessons about depending solely on him.

Prayer requests:

1. Heather is coming to town this Wednesday for 5 days. Pray that God allows this to be a time of encouragement and direction.

2. I am speaking at Zion Presbyterian Church in Columbia, Tennessee on August 16th around 6 p.m. This is Andy’s dad’s church, so they are very familiar with the work in Ethiopia.

3. I am very hopeful that a lot of my monthly support will be gained this fall through contacting and visiting churches in my presbytery. Pray that God would open these doors.

4. I continue to struggle with having patience with God to get me to Ethiopia and give me a firm call on a particular vocation where he can use me to satisfy the needs of people around me. Pray for patience and that he would be faithful to give me a particular call where I can serve.

5. Thanksgiving for the mission trip to St. Louis for safety and the seeds planted.

6. Pray that God would open a clear avenue to a job in the next month that would be flexible during my time of support raising.

7. I will be completing my church internship in the next month. It has been a great experience. Pray later laborers in the kids’ lives would water that seeds planted.

In Him,

Jim Plunk
Missionary to Ethiopia
plunk.memphisblogs.org or jimplunk.blogspot.com

Italy vs. Germany...a commenatary

Well I was glad Italy pulled it off. Their defensive performance was superb as the Germans had few chances. That's to say the Italian D did it without Nesta. Cannavaro is my age as well. I realize Totti took four too many dives, but I have much respect for the play of Gattuso. I love watching him sprint the field for the full 90 with AC Milan.

Now concerning the world cup, since I've played a bit of soccer my family and friends (who don't care about soccer) often ask me interesting questions. I had a cousin on saturday ask me why the scoring is so low. He thinks that's why there is not much interest in America for the game. He would prefer another goal to be placed above and behind where the original goal is and let that one count for three points, much like a field goal. Americans can't seem to enjoy a game, like the one today, where two teams are on the brink of scoring for 2 hours and don't until the very end. I felt like the game today was one of the best so far and I'm glad it did not go to penalty kicks. As Americans, we want instant gratification, or at least to have it more often than every 2 hours. But this is one time (of many) where the rest of the world has it right and we should learn something new. Congrats to Italy.