February 07 Update

Dear Supporters,

Well things around here have been busy. We had a construction team come from Chattanooga and they did some touching up on Derek and my house and we moved in last week. We now have a medical team from MTW here and have been doing clinics for the last week. I have had the opportunity to do some pastoral counseling with lots of different patients with some pastors on the team. I have even done some on my own! This has been an incredible experience as I have been learning what it means to counsel someone emotionally and spiritually by genuinely listening to their narrative, entering into their pain, applying the gospel with care, and praying with them. These people lead a difficult life, and their stories would shock you. I have learned many valuable lessons that I will try to practice and implement when I do home visits when the team leaves.

I have a new men’s support group, which brings the total to three. We continue to study through the book of Mark. It has also been a successful start to the new boys program. We have built coat racks, model airplanes, and this week I hope to take them to Bingham to play with the team I coach. I am still trying to keep their interest in hopes of allowing them to build good friendships, a group identity, and so I can teach them about sex issues and of course the gospel. This is an incredible opportunity since most of their fathers are dead from AIDS.

Language school is taxing/tough but good. It takes up every morning but is important for my ministry here. I’m about half way done with a few weeks left. Coaching has been a great experience. We are half way through the season and it has been a lot of fun and relieved pressure from my work. I have enjoyed getting to know the guys and giving them the opportunity to play with proper instruction as I had growing up.

Even though it’s been busy, we’ve had time to explore. We took the first team out of town to Debre Lebanos to see an old Orthodox Church and a large gorge. This weekend we took the medical team to the historic Lalibela to see the rock-hewn churches that are nine hundred years old. We flew there and rode mules up to an old monastery. It was fun and good to get out of the city.

Prayer requests

1. Pray for my attitude that it would be one of compassion/comfort/empathy to the beneficiaries I see and to my co-workers.
2. Pray for my cultural stress that is setting in. I’m realizing how different this place is from home and only get a glimpse of something familiar at night when there are only lights on the horizon.
3. Thanksgiving for being able to do spiritual counseling with experienced pastors.
4. Pray that I could persevere as I finish up language school and the soccer season while trying to start up the boys ministry and maintain my other jobs.
5. Thanksgiving for the work the teams have done and for the fellowship they have provided.

praising him,

jim