March 1, 2022
Hello Dear Friends and Partners,
I have a few quick updates/prayer requests for you tonight. Thank you for your continued support through prayers, giving and words of encouragement. It is exciting to watch God at work in the lives of different individuals.
1. It has been a while since I updated you on M & A, refugee friends in Canada. I have had several chats the last couple of weeks with the parents and children. Overall they are doing well but do have a few requests. ‘A: had a serious case of COVID and continues with some lingering issues. PRAY for restoration of full health. Pray for both parents to be healthy and able to work to support the family. Yash, the son, is now 16 and in the 9th grade. ‘Anna’ the daughter is 13 and in 7th grade. Remember their years in Thailand the children were not allowed to go to school. They had limited home school due to a lack of resources for studying. Both children ask for prayers in learning French. The family moved during the Pandemic when they loss their previous jobs. They now live in a French speaking province and must use only French in classes. It is very hard but they are working at learning French alongside their other classes. This is either their 3rd or 4th language.
2. Congolese Church – the Pandemic and times are hard for them. I visited them recently and while the fellowship was good their numbers are down quite a bit. The pastor and leaders want to meet but it will be a few weeks before I can do so with my limited mobility for a while after my surgery.
3. Knoxville is a refugee resettlement city and we are blessed to have people of many nations that God is bringing to our area. The needs of helping them resettle, adjust to this new culture and language and to share the hope of Christ are great. Pray for wisdom as I and others seek to help our churches have a heart for these people and to know how to reach them.
4. TN WMU Annual meeting will be April 1-3. I am leading the planning for 2 booths in the Exhibit Hall. One is focused on refugees which is the focus of the entire conference and one is our KCAB booth. I am taking the lead to coordinate these special booths with the hope to cast vision and share what God is doing. Pray for our planning and for the time together at the meeting.
5. Pray for a friend and co-worker in the ministry that will have a heart procedure on Monday. Pray for the many others that are facing issues of health and/or the loss of loved ones in this time.
6. Tomorrow, Thursday-Feb 24, in the afternoon I will have my surgery on my right foot to repair damage due to arthritis and bone spurs. Pray for the team doing the surgery, for my body to respond as it should and heal well and for my friend Luanne who has invited me into heer and her husband’s home and will helping take care of me in these early weeks. If you know me even a little bit well you know that being still and quiet is not my strength. Please pray I will do that – Be still and quiet – and hear, respond in the positive about whatever God wants to speak into my life. I will update you as soon as I can after surgery.
7. HIspanic English Language Classes – We are so excited that within a 2 week period God brought us 17 new students. We are also VERY SHORT in the area of staffing. We need at least 10 new assistant teachers or language helpers and for childcare workers for our children’s program. Pray they will all return and become regular students. Pray for workers! and Pray for hearts open to the gospel and they we can find ways to share so that they truly understand.
I know there are other things happening but for tonight I will leave this with you. Thank you for lifting each of these up before the Father.
How might I pray for you? I will have extra time of prayer as I am in a ‘slow down’ session with the foot surgery and recovery.
Blessings,
Bonita