PRAYER CONNECTION > ASIA


PrayerNet 88: Across the Pond Again -- Our Top 7 Goals
Mike & Katie

Katie and I leave tomorrow for a trip to BigC in Asia. We'll visit the earthquake zone (3-8 Sept) and the capital (8-17 Sept).

This will be an important fact-gathering trip laying the groundwork for launching J-Mentors (Jesus-in-Context: Multiplying Jesus Mentors).

Here are OUR TOP SEVEN GOALS & PRAYER REQUESTS:

  1. Meet with Trainers: I hope to meet with both nationals and expats who are training leaders in BigC. I hope to do several things: (a) SWOT analysis* on J-Mentors, (b) SWOT analysis on digital vs. paper-based training, (c) critique & feedback on J-Mentors, (d) network for future cooperation.
  2. "Taste & See" Event for Potential J-Mentors: I'd like to meet with several potential participants** and let them experience a taste of J-Mentors. Feedback from their perspective is vital.
  3. Double-check the Budget for J-Mentors: I need to research the in-country costs for J-Mentors, plus what kinds of fees are realistic and reproducible in that setting.
  4. Identify a Visa Sponsor: this includes identifying the right kind of visa, as well as building a good relationship and understanding with the people who might sponsor it.
  5. Budget our Personal Living Costs: we plan to move to BigC in 2010 and spend 3~5 years launching J-Mentors. We need to know the best place to start, and the living costs.
  6. Security Guidelines: we need to better understand the security situation and how we can best serve in that context.
  7. Safety & Health: we will visit both the disaster zone and the capital city. Pray for safety and health in both areas.

* SWOT = Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
** I'm looking for people who are: (a) 25~35 years old, (b) university-educated, (c) fluent in English, (d) called and gifted as teachers / disciplers / small-group leaders, (e) who have led small groups with at least 10 or more people. Thanks again for being part of our lives through your love, prayers & support Mike & Katie Crow

LAOS

Jeff and Coiya September 2008 Update
Have you ever gotten a song – or one line of a song – stuck in your head and just couldn’t get it out? At odd times and unplanned moments you kept finding yourself singing (talented or not!) whatever refrain it might be that had lodged itself in your brain. In my stage of life, that song is as likely to be a Veggie Tales song as it is anything else, much to Coiya’s annoyance. :) But for the past few months, the line going through my head isn’t from a song at all – although if I were a songwriter, it would be. It’s simply this: We serve a good God! It’s like the soundtrack to my life lately. Maybe in part it’s because His goodness stands in such contrast to what surrounds us here. As I sit on my front porch in the morning, reading Psalms that rejoice in the power and faithfulness of our God, I can smell the morning incense my neighbors are burning as they try to placate evil spirits, honor their ancestors, and attract good luck. As I drive into town, I pass people kneeling on the ground, hands together, offering food to processions of saffron-robed monks. All of the players in this tragedy are seeking the same thing: good karma. None of them has tasted the peace, the joy, or the security of being held in the hands of a God who truly loves them. It’s no wonder that I’ve never seen a smile on anyone’s face during such rituals. Our God, however, actually loves us! He is our Shepherd, and we will lack no good thing.

Speaking of God’s goodness, He has rather miraculously provided the money we needed to purchase tickets for a visit home. We
should arrive in our beloved Portland on the 19th of September. We’ll be in the States and Mexico through the end of December, and we are eagerly anticipating seeing you all. Please let us know if you want to connect – we will be working out a rough itinerary soon and want to see you! We don’t want to be a bother either, however, so please let us know if you’d like to see us while we’re home.

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As always, we continue to be so grateful for your prayers. If you have been or are interested in praying regularly for us, please let us know by email or in person when we come home. This fall, we want to organize a prayer team to whom we can send prayer requests directly. It is more encouraging than we can express to know that we are not over here on our own! We would greatly appreciate your prayers these next six weeks as we wrap up almost innumerable loose ends before we go home. Jeff, for example, has been juggling the jobs of English teacher, language centre team leader, computer network administrator and repairman, and math tutor! All those jobs need covered while we’re gone, so as you can imagine there’s plenty to do before we go! Pray also for our children, as for the next few months their lives will be quite full - and very unpredictable from their point of view. Thank you all for your prayer and financial support these past two years, and
we look forward to giving you thanks – and hugs – in person next month. God bless you!

Thomas' Travels October 2008
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AFC -- Ambassadors for Christ, Inc.
www.afcinc.org
Reaching Chinese Intellectuals for Christ in This Generation
October 2008 prayer calendar