Margaret, Phoebe and I had an amazing time in Boston last month. We managed to see many of you, my sister and her two kids, Ana, Isaac, baby Radley, and my parents. My dad is pictured above with us.
This year’s trip was short because Margaret only had three weeks of vacation from college, seeing it was her winter break. Since I need all the help I can get when I travel, I was committed to squeezing everything into that time frame, and that included 14 appointments at Children’s Hospital. Many of those appointments were routine checkups for areas of concern for people with Down syndrome, although this year there seemed to be an unusually high number of concerns: a new auto-immune skin condition, slight hearing loss, gut inflammation, and possible tonsil problems. On the bright side, her rash and alopecia have healed, her thyroid tested normal, and her diabetes is in excellent control!
Alberto stayed in Cape Town while we were away, since he had recently been to El Salvador, and since there were many new open doors for Restorative Justice processes in nearby prisons.
Recently, Alberto and his teammate Alex were invited to preach in a prison. Some of our friends from the Restoration Fellowship short-term team joined them. It was a blessed time where about 25 men committed their lives to Jesus. Please pray for the guys to stand strong in their commitment to the Lord, as they often experience fear of being rejected by their families, especially when the victims of their crimes are their own family members. Upon release, many of the ex-offenders turn back to crime, as their families do not believe they have changed, and they feel like they have no alternatives.
This week, the team from Park Street Church is here. They are running a “Bootcamp” designed by Andrew May with the intention of encouraging ex-prisoners as they readjust to life in their communities after prison. Veteran ex-prisoners share their testimonies and strategies (such as staying committed to Christ) with the newly released. Alberto and PSC team members are helping to facilitate.
Last update, we asked for prayer for three Muslim men. Please continue to pray for them. Alberto is still following-up with two of them, while the third man was transferred to a higher security setting as he was caught using a cell phone.
I am still enjoying my role at YWAM in accepting new missionary candidates (less enjoyable is when I have to reject them). And it’s always a joy to watch the DTS students arrive, grow in their relationship with God, and head out on outreach. Maggie recently left for outreach in Ghana. Please pray she has an impactful time. (She is the cousin of a friend I mentioned in our past update.)
It is always a pleasure to host short-term teams, like this group pictured above from Restoration Fellowship. The Park Street Church team is currently here, and pictured below.
Alberto shared at a recent Restorative Justice conference on guilt and shame, and the new creation we become through Christ.
The soup kitchen is still feeding all the kids who line up for a hot meal in Ocean View. Deon and Deborah struggle to keep up with the demand. (Picturesque town names like Ocean View and Lavender Hill are actually areas the government forcibly relocated people during apartheid. They remain some of the most dangerous areas in Cape Town because they have very few social services.)
Phoebe’s former aide Nicole recently resigned, much to my shock and dismay! I did not feel like I had the emotional capacity to start a new search. Gloria stepped in shortly thereafter. I believe Gloria was a gift from God, as she used to be an aide at the school, and had inquired if anyone needed her services. Perfect timing! Phoebe is still practicing her name. Right now she calls her “Glorify”.
Prayer Points
* Blessing on the “Boot Camp”
* Healed relationships, protection, and jobs for ex-offenders
* Revelation of Jesus the Messiah to come to the three Muslim men Alberto has been following up with
* Safer housing for Alex, who currently lives with his extended family in a high-crime community
* God to work in and through the short-term teams
* Healing for Phoebe’s various medical concerns
* Energy and creativity for Margaret in her last semester at college. Her final art presentation is in November, so the pressure is on
* Ana, Frenchie and Radley as they move to Charlotte, NC next month, and for Isaac who is staying in Hawaii
* Protection on our family
Thanksgiving
* A wonderful time in Boston and the chance to see so many friends and family
* Margaret and Phoebe have returned to their respective schools
* An unexpected aide change for Phoebe, which seems to have taken place seamlessly
* Recent Restorative Justice processes and lives changed for Christ
* Short-term team visits
* Phoebe’s good medical reports
* Baby Radley who turns 1 on Sunday