I have an urgent prayer request for you. There is a 3 year old girl named
Kate Thornton who attends the same play school as my granddaughter. Kate
has leukemia and has developed a viral infection that is spreading rapidly
throughout her body. The doctors are afraid they may have to amputate her
hand as a result of this infection. The family has asked for urgent prayers
on Kate's behalf. They have asked specifically that God would touch her
body and destroy the virus quickly so that she doesn't lose her hand. They
also request that as many people as possible pray for her complete healing.
They don't want to lose their precious daughter. Let's all put this child
and her family at the top of our prayer list and please stop and say a
prayer for her as soon as you read this. Please forward this request to
any of your friends who know the power of prayer.

Thank you

Linda F. Savage
*God Bless our Troops*

Our evangelism pastor's wife is planning to join me in the prayer walk in Laos early December. Do pray that we will have the Lord's guidance and blessing in carrying it out in accord with His will.
Edith (and Dick)

CRUEL PERSECUTION ESCALATING IN LAOS
Christians in Communist-ruled Laos report escalating persecution with hundreds of families experiencing horrendous tribulation. Christianity is labelled a ‘foreign religion' there and embracing it is akin to sedition.
The authorities violently intimidate Christians to sign papers renouncing their faith and when that fails they expel them from their homes and villages. When that fails they arrest and torture them. So Pastor Sompong Supatto (32) and Boot and Khamvan Chanthaleuxay (both 18) have been handcuffed and in stocks since 3 August for refusing to renounce their faith.
Pastor Supatto faces a life sentence and the teenagers, whose health is in a very bad way, will only be bailed if they renounce their faith. Interference from Hanoi, Vietnam, is possibly contributing to the persecution.
----------

LAOS: VILLAGE TO EXPEL 55 CHRISTIANS
Community decides to resolve ‘problem' of families refusing to recant faith.
The chief of Boukham village in Savannakhet province, Laos, on Friday (Sept. 19) called a special community meeting to resolve the "problem" of eight resident Christian families who have refused to give up their faith. The meeting concluded with plans to expel all 55 Christians from the village.
Although all adult members of a village are usually invited to such meetings, on this occasion the Christians were deliberately excluded, according to rights group Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom (HRWLRF).
Pastor Sompong Supatto, 32, and two other believers from the village, Boot Chanthaleuxay, 18, and Khamvan Chanthaleuxay, also 18, remain in detention in the nearby Ad-Sapangthong district police detention cell.
HRWLRF earlier reported that police have held the men in handcuffs and wooden foot stocks since their arrest on Aug. 3, causing numbness and infection in their legs and feet due to lack of blood circulation.
Authorities have said they will release the three only if they renounce their faith.
----------

INDIA: PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY
Huge armed Hindu mobs continue to rage against Christians in several states, assaulting and murdering them and torching their homes and churches. Since violence erupted on 23 August, at least 57 people have been killed, more than 18,000 injured and over 4,300 houses, 150 churches and 13 Christian schools and colleges destroyed.
Two Christian women have been gang-raped and some 50,000 people are now homeless. On 29 September three relief camps in Orissa sheltering displaced Christians were rocked by bombs. The camps are heavily guarded and there were no casualties but terror has increased substantially.
----------

INDIA: CHRISTIAN COUPLE KILLED, HOUSES TORCHED IN ORISSA
Displaced Christians survive bomb blasts as violence continues in Kandhamal district.
A Christian couple was found murdered, a woman killed, numerous houses and churches burned and low-intensity bombs exploded at relief camps in the past week in Orissa state's Kandhamal district, where Hindu extremist violence began more than a month ago.
On Sunday (Sept. 28), police found the body of Priyatamma Digal, an auxiliary nurse and midwife, in a river. On Monday, the body of her husband, Meghanath, was recovered. According to The Times of India newspaper, the Christian couple was killed last Thursday (Sept. 25).
This morning, September 30, attacks by unidentified armed groups in the villages of Rudangia, Telingia and Gadaguda in Kandhamal resulted in more than 100 houses burned and the death of Ramani Nayak of Rudangia village, reported The Hindu. Her religious affiliation was not known at press time.
Eight people were seriously injured in the attacks, according to reports, and about 20 people received minor injuries. Bomb blasts yesterday rocked three Kandhamal relief camps in the Nuagaon area, Mahasinghi village and Baliguda town, reported the Press Trust of India (PTI).
No casualties were reported, but the explosions left residents of the relief camps fearing for their lives. "Since they have been successful in exploding bombs near the heavily guarded relief camp, there is no guarantee that the explosions will not take place in other camps," one refugee told correspondents.

Love, Dottie

Over the last several weeks I have been frequently visiting and praying with a Wycliffe colleague in the nearby hospital. Her name is Linda and she works in Indonesia. Her home country is El Salvador. In January she had back surgery due to a herniated disk. After she finally returned to Indonesia her pain only increased so she came back to the hospital here. The doctors discovered an infection of a bacteria that is resistant to all but two antibiotics. She's been on intravenous antibiotics twice daily since then and for a while the level of infection was going steadily down. But day before yesterday a blood test showed a drastic increase in the infection and an MRI confirmed it. She's had a lot of pain for several days. Yesterday three doctors have been discussing together what is the best course of action to both get the infection out and further repair the space between two vertabrae. It is likely she will have surgery tomorrow or the next day. Please pray for Linda and for the Lord's hand upon her to bring healing -- eradication of the infection and healing of her back. Ask God to guide the doctors to make the best possible plan and to give skill and wisdom in carrying it out. Pray too for the Holy Spirit's ministry to Linda as she struggles against dispair after so many weeks in the hospital. She is single, in her 40's and I'm her only friend here in Singapore. Of course she has friends and family at home and in Indonesia, but you can imagine how one needs friends who are present with you in these circumstances. I too need the Lord's help to be the friend she needs and to not succumb to back problems which threaten me if I over-do in running around.

Thanks so much for standing with us. We are so thankful for the Lord's hand in all aspects of ministry here.

Edith and Dick

First I'd like to ask for your continued prayers for Djiastuti, the Indonesian lady with cancer. Last week, when I read with her, about Jesus' talk with Nicademus, she confessed Jesus as her savior and Lord. She has been listening as Lilik reads Scripture to her, and copying verses that she finds especially meaningful. Saturday she developed a severe pain at the sight of her operation after coughing. Yesterday she had a second surgery to put the spacer back where it belongs in her back-it had slipped, and to see if there was anything else wrong. I don't know all the result; only that the doctor said the operation was successful. He had to do another operation, so did not talk extensively to the family then. He has said that Djiastuti can live several more years as the cancer she has is a slow growing type. He hopes to give her a better quality of life through the surgery and treatment. My friend Pat is helping to supply a high-nutrition supplement to help the process. Please pray that she can keep it down in spite of the chemo and that all the treatments will be successful for her. Pray too, that in whatever ways, the Lord will supply financially for this family who are not at all wealthy.
Also, please pray for the younger sister who is here helping: Sari. She is also Catholic, I learned yesterday and her faith is not as strong as Lilik's. She is worried about her job, with being away so long, and she has suffered some unjust treatment from others that she needs to forgive. Thanks so much for joining us in prayer for this family whom the Lord loves and is reaching out to.

Now I have copied for you a report on the situation in the state of Orissa, India from a friend here who is closer to the situation.
While the media has focused on the Presidential campaign, a major crisis in
Orissa (India) has gone under reported or ignored completely.

On Christmas Eve some 100,000 Christians who are Dalits and Backward Caste
were attacked by higher-caste Hindu militants. Here are some of the figures
that have emerged since Christmas:

-95 churches burned down
-730 Christian homes destroyed
-21 Christian villages destroyed
-Thousands of Christians have fled into the forests and are homeless
-At least 15 Christians are missing and suspected killed and buried
in the nearby forest
-Two Christian pastors were killed and burnt in front of their churches and
another murdered in a market

Over the years one of our partner ministries, Joshua Vision India, has
trained several women and men from this area in holistic ministry (community
development). These Christians are not only victims of the persecution but now are
able to take leadership in the recovery process.

The forests where the Christians have fled are in hilly, high mountains where
it gets down to near freezing at night. We are sending blankets, saris and
food. We hoping to send funds to help build shelters back in the devastated
villages. The government has tried to intervene, but the persecution continues.

Please pray:

1. For the safety of our workers trying to bring relief.
2. That in spite of the human tragedy and suffering, the Christians will
practice restraint in revenge.
3. That the hearts of the militants will be softened and opened to the Lord.
This happened some when they burned to death Graham Staines and his two sons
a few years ago in Orissa.
4. That peace will return to this region of Orissa and the Christians can
live in safety.

May the Lord hear and answer our prayers, for His Name's sake.

Edith and Dick

First let me pause to wish you each a very happy and blessed new year 2008! May you see the Lord move mightily in answer to your prayers and may you become more and more the person He wants you to be, and may Jesus Christ be glorified in your life.

I don't know whether the persecution of Christians in the state of Orissa, India has reached your newspapers or not--but it is indeed a fact and our brothers and sisters in that area are asking for prayer and for protection from the government authorities and police. I saw in the Singapore paper today, an article in which the federal government promised to ensure the rights of all Indian citizens, including the Christian minority. I can only pray it is more than empty words. A friend of ours in India wrote : " 300 houses burned to the ground and over 40 Christians are feared killed in Barakuma a Christian village in Palvana District (this was reported by a pastor living in the area)... They are asking for prayer and protection from the government authorities and police." Let's pray that indeed the authorities both federal and local and state will do what is right and protect these Christian villagers from the militant Hindu group that is perpetrating these atrocities. Pray for courage and a spirit of forgiveness for the Christians so that they may glorify the Lord in what they do and not perpetuate violence by retaliating.

I'd also like to ask you to pray with us for an Indonesian 48 year old lady who has cancer. Here's the story. On Christmas eve I (Edith) got a phone call from Pat, a friend in our church here in Singapore. She was at the hospital near our home with her son who had a serious surgery. She saw a lady in the waiting area, all alone and looking sad and decided to sit by her and see if she could comfort her in any way. She found she could only communicate a little with her because she only spoke Indonesian and Pat understands very little of that language. But she did understand that this lady's sister is very sick and wants to be ministered to. Pat remembered that I speak Indonesian and called me. So on Christmas afternoon Dick and I went to the hospital room of the sister, whose name is Djiastuti, taking elements for communion. We found out that Djiastuti has a very dangerous cancer in one breast and had just had a tumor removed from her back. The doctor in Jakarta had told the sister, Lilik, that there was no hope. Lilik and her other siblings did not want to just give up. Djiastuti has worked hard to help her younger siblings get education and they love her very much. She is Catholic, while the two younger sisters with her here in Singapore are evangelical Christians. Lilik had been praying the Lord to send her some encouragement when my friend Pat sat down by her. In fact the Lord has been sending her encouragement along the way, answering various prayers. Clearly the Lord is showing His love to this family.

I don't know whether Djiastuti is saved or not and I don't know whether or not it's God's plan to do as He did for Hezakiah and give her more years to live here. I only know that Lilik and Sari are calling on the Lord and asking for their sister's life and her salvation. Will you please join us as we join them in this prayer? Also, please pray for me to have the Lord's Words and wisdom to share with Lilik and Sari as I visit them each day I can. Also pray that the Lord will supply the finances they need for Djiastuti's treatment. (It is not common for Indonesians to have health care insurance.) One brother owns two houses and is thinking to sell one of them to help pay the bill. Her treatment is to be 6 chemo treatments and 10 radiation treatments and then a mastectomy, as far as I understand. It will take all their resources and then some, for they are not wealthy. Please pray also, that if indeed the Lord does not plan to heal her, that the doctors will see and advise wisely so that this family's resources are not wasted.

Thanks for helping others through your prayers.

Edith and Dick

Also, during her echocardiogram last week she did something that resembles the seizures Jagger has. I had stepped out of the room for a minute and when I came back in I noticed what was going on. My mom was concerned as was the tech. She did the same thing right after her blood work on friday. So the ped called Jagger's neurologist and because Jagger has epilepsy, the neurologist wants to do an EEG on her wednesday. I have a feeling though it might just be a quirky thing she does.

So that is where we are right now. So, just think about us Tuesday and Wednesday while she is having more tests done. If you believe in prayer send us some and if not we will take good thoughts and vibes. We'll take all we can get right now.

Also, Jagger meets with a new OT tomorrow and we are crossing our fingers that they mesh well and she "gets" him if you know what I mean.

Today while I was driving I was listening to a praise and worship CD from our church worship team. There is a verse in the song that says:

I'll stand,
With arms wide and heart abandoned,
In awe of the One who gave it all.
I'll stand,
My soul, Lord, to you surrendered.
All I am is yours.

This is where my peace is coming from. I'm surrending to God. All I am is His and our children are a part of us. They are surrendered and not mine to keep. They are His and He knows what he is doing. This thing with Hazel could be very serious and I am finding peace in that surprisingly.

Again, we will keep everyone posted.

Kellie and Eric

I just received a message from a close friend in India requesting prayer for a couple who are Bible translators in the eastern part of the country. Their names are Samuel and Ivy. The request is for their baby born the end of August this year, and for Ivy, who has several physical problems. They are at a crucial phase of their work and yet, due to the baby's situation are forced to be at the hospital for several months, due to the difficulties in feeding him and the need for several surgeries. Samuel does not mention the financial cost of all the medical needs, but I'm sure that is considerable and beyond their means. Here is a portion of Samuel's letter:

"Our second son - newly born B'Day: 31.8.2007 - has some deformities which is medically known as the Pierre Robin syndrome, which involve some physical disorders inside his mouth and also the lower jaw. The tongue is tied - that may need to be freed, a hole/cavity in the soft palate - that needs to be filled in/corrected, etc. As of today UNLESS THE LORD DOES SOME MIRACLES, he may need some 3 or 4 or 5 surgeries, and pease understand what does these things involve! There was trouble - and is still - in feeding him........And Ivy has some bone problems due to the delivery that needs 3 weeks bed rest.
This is our present condition. And the future plans - ministry plans - look dim and unclear!
Many of you know how much struggle we already have with Ivy's Menier's disease and other & related health confusions. And now this!"

This precious baby, Ivy and Ferdy (our last prayer bulletin) are instances of humanly impossible situations. But if we will ask God to have mercy on each of them and show them how very much He cares for them, we may next hear of God's undertaking for them in ways we never dreamed of. So please join in believing prayer that God will mercifully minister to Ferdy, to Ivy and Samuel and their precious baby.

Blessings,
Edith and Dick

Many of you have prayed for me and those in my area during the approach and passing of Hurricane Felix. Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness and your prayers. It is so encouraging to know that people are calling out to our Father on our behalf. On Monday morning the hurricane was a category 5 and the most likely projection put the eye of the hurricane right over La Ceiba. We battoned down the hatches and helped some friends of ours move out of their mud shack into more secure lodging on Tuesday morning. Then we only received 5 inches of rain in 24 hours and were not struck by strongs winds. The hurricane dimenished and went south, hitting a much less-populated area of the country. There was some flooding in other parts of the country and some people had to evacuate their homes. But Felix was not the destructive force that it was shaping up to be. So thank you for your prayers!

Thank you also for praying about the situation involving death threats for which I sent the prayer alert last month. The couple involved, whose names are Elsa and her boy friend Efrain, and I have come to an agreement for the next six months, but there are issues that remain unresolved. Please pray for Elsa and Efrain who are tied up with the spirit of fear, anger rage and bitterness, that their hearts would be freed by the redemption available through Jesus. Pray for me to grow in faith and trust in the Lord who is my shelter and righteousness.

Thank you also for praying for direction and fruitfulness at Finca Shalom. I will continue describing what we are doing there in later news letter.

Right now we are in the middle of the "True Love Waits" seminar at Instituto El Rey, and believing that God is doing a good work in each heart and mind. The first day of teaching, as I looked out over the audience of 180 students plus teachers I realized that every single life has been marred by sexual sins in some way. I felt the responsability and the hope of proclaiming the truth of God's perfect love, his fantastic truth, his healing and redemption to this flock of his little ones. So pray for us on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons, from 1 pm to 2:15 (US Mountain Time) we are bringing to light the truth about love, sex and marriage. The Spirit of God has been speaking powerfully through Ester and me, and the students are soaking up every word. He is the one to do the work and get the glory.

In August we enjoyed a visit from Jack Dyer, the man who laid the foundation for the work which I and many others are continuing on throughout Honduras. It was an encouragement to spend time with Jack, be challenged and encouraged by him and be reminded of his faith in Christ, the heritage that this faith has set up and the shared vision for the future of God's kingdom.

Please continue to pray for Mariela, the only girl among the Acosta orphans. She has continued to reject the love, advice and care that we and some of her relatives offer her. Now, though she is pregnant, just last week she has left with another man to a village some 45 minutes drive from us. Please pray for her protection, yet a new understanding of the evil path she is choosing, her return to her Heavenly Father and his Spirit of Love to be revealed to her through us.

Thank you once again for all of you who are praying and involved in what God is doing here. You are each an integral part. We are all one "body," each with our own role to play for the One eternal purpose.

Praise the Lord for:

1. his Sovereignty over hurricanes and people who swear violence against us
2. the truth of God's love that is being communicated through the "True Love Waits" seminar
3. the challenges and yet continued growth in Lilian's life and mine in learning to express God's love to her

Pray to the Lord for:

1. Elsa and Efrain to trust God's love and let go of their anger and bitterness.
2. his truth and love to be clearly communicated and to transform lives in the "True Love Waits" seminar
3. Mariela to return to her loving heavenly Father
4. direction in finding ways to help Joel have fewer epileptic siezures


For the glory of the Lion who is the Lamb,

Larry


"Love never fails"

"Love never fails."

We're in Singapore! Arrived on time after midnight the 28th, after a smooth trip and slept a lot on the 2 flights. Thanks to all who have been praying for us during these final weeks of packing up our house. The sale is progressing through the process, but won't be final until sometime around Sept. 10, give or take a few days. Our two pieces of big furniture we wanted to sell were purchased by Wycliffe friends, who said they exactly filled a need. That makes us very happy.

My back held up very well -- with the help of some physical therapy and your prayers--thanks to the Lord!!

Yesterday we went the the Ministry of Manpower and got our Permanent Residence ID's and Dick's employment pass. By the time that was finished I was ready to hit the bed, but Dick went back out and got our cell phones so the church bulletin this week could publish his number, and it could go on his new business cards.

On arrival we were met by a delegation from the church pastoral staff--wonderful to see those smiling faces, and they helped us get to a "maxi-cab" -- van type of veicle, which carried our 7 boxes and 3 suitcases to a hotel for the first few nights. The driver left us his card and promised to help us move it all to the apartment when we are ready--that should be either Friday or Saturday. We fell into bed about 2:30 AM and were having breakfast at 8 the morning of the 29th. Today is actually the 30th here, but I haven't changed the date and time on my computer yet. Our room on the 9th floor doesn't pick up the wireless signal very well, so I cam to the coffee shop to do email. Today we plan to open our bank account and begin looking for a computer table and office chair for me to use at home so I can write in comfort and hopefully not put my back out doing it. We have to wait until next week to get wireless in the apartment after we live there, so our email use will be limited until then.

We do feel better this morning than yesterday morning--jet lag, you know--it decreases day by day as we get our sleep patterns in local rythmn. How we thank the Lord for His goodness to us, and for the blessings of His presence and enablement for the hard work of last week. Our last few minutes in the house we called ours for 20 years were spent in prayer of thanksgiving for that cozy abode and commending to Him, those who will live there next, and asked that they may be good neightbors to our good neighbors there. So be it, Lord Jesus.

One of our first acts in the apartment at Cairnhill will be to commit that abode to the Lord, and ourselves for His service there. I sense that He wants us to partner with the owners in ministry to God's servants in the neighboring large country, and to pray and engage others in prayer for His church in this region and around the world. We hope you will also join us in the latter.

Thank you so much for your prayers for us through this strenuous time.

Dick and Edith

Bob is recuperating nicely from his gall bladder surgery.
He had gallstones and it was enlarged and infected. The surgery took a little longer than anticipated but all went well and he
is back to "wow! I feeeel good!! I knew that I would, now."
Praise God for that. He is getting his energy back. Before he slowed down with this, some friends up here called him the
"energizer bunny" always on the go, always doing something.
- We thank you for your prayers!!!!

I had my yearly physical and mentioned casually that I had
a little spotting every now and then. My Gynecologist thought it best to do a (endometrial) biopsy and we got the resuslts:
The diagnosis says endometrial adenocarzinoma, stage 1.
Praise the Lord it is an early detection and the lowest grade
of cancer. I have an appointment with a Gynocological Oncologist
on the 23rd of August, a week before I am scheduled to fly to Germany to see my sister Heide for 3 weeks. She has lungcancer, brain tumors and a new lump on her neck, and is in permanent care in a nursing home. Some of you knew about her and have been praying
for her - thank you, and please continue.
Whatever this Doctor says as far as my surgery date (full hystorectomy) will determin if I still go on this trip now or postpone till (most likely) spring, unforseen any emergency
with Heide.
As to my situation, God's grace is so awesome. It again brings out the point that we cannot store up grace - He will provide it for us when needed. I am surrounded by His wonderful grace and presence.
I describe it as like being in a bubble, or a cocoon.
Our friend Mike says, "you are in His rest" and that is exactly it -
and without my striving to enter that particular rest.! The Lord just provides it. I am overwhelmed by His goodness! And I know He will receive all the glory out of this, irregardless of the outcome!
I am able to thank the Lord for this - "in everything give thanks
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus, concerning us."
I know that this is of Him too, because in the natural I am not
that spiritual,(does that even make sense??) I have yet so much to learn of Him and His ways.
So, we covet your prayers - many of you already are lifting us up and we both appreciate you and your loving concern.
Our family is trusting God for the best.
With love and gratitude,
Rita

Blessings,
Rita

I'm writing tonight to ask you to join us and our colleagues Rick and Susan (who work in SE Asia) in praying for a young man who is very sick. He has been working on translating the scriptures into his own language since 2004. He became very ill the last week or so and Rick and Susan have taken him to a hospital where he is diagnosed with active chronic hepatitis B and cirosis of the liver.
Ferdy is 36 years of age, is married and has 5 children, some still quite young. He has been helping do translation in his language since 2004. He is a simple, quiet man from a village of 300 people who is starting to understand more about what it means to follow Jesus. Please pray that he will choose to trust in Jesus completely for his health, and not bow to family pressure to run to the ancestors or any other spirits. Please pray for him not become angry, or to give up hope, but to see how much God loves him.

Would you also join with us as we ask God to heal Ferdy, to show his power and gain glory among the people of the A Islands?

Thanks--lets expect a miracle, for the glory of the Lord.

Edith

It is rare that I experience leg cramps, but two days ago woke up with a
cramp in my leg. I take only two meds, one for blood pressure and the other
to control cholesterol (and a minute dose at that). With the cramps has
come some tingling sensation in my legs. I do not know whether this might
be some kind of side effect relating to either of the above, even though I
have taken both for some time. However, I do react differently to
medications some times. Next Monday I have an appointment with my primary
care doctor, who is out of town until then. I'd appreciate prayer that
whatever this is will go away, just like it came J. Quietly and without
fanfare.

Thanks much.
Loys

Yes, Ha Ha very funny.

We were down in London over the weekend, after the rain, so we had really
very nice weather with just a couple of rain showers while we were in a bus
or eating lunch. We came home to Scotland after the rain and it is a lovely
day today. BUT, it is not very warm.

Could you please send out this prayer request to your friends. This is
little boy is the grandson of a man that did some work on the house.

Ethan McAllister is 4 years old and has just been diagnosed with a disease
that weakened his hip bones through a lack of blood getting to this area. He
feels a lot of pain but loves to play with his older brothers. His parents
are just beginning to find out what this will mean for their family and what
Ethan will face for the rest of his life. They are a Christian family.
Please pray for healing, wisdom for the doctors, strength for the whole
family. (This family lives near Aberdeen in Scotland.)

Love and blessings
Ariana

As I write this, I'm sitting in my hotel room in Madison, Wisconsin where I'm taking a class on Evangelistic Preaching and Apologetics. InterVarsity offers several courses each summer, at great discount to their staff. I chose this course out of a desire to better learn how to reach this generation of students with the Gospel, as well as train up Christian students to be confident and active in sharing their faith. Please pray for my time here that I would absorb all that we are taught as well as being able to implement it back on campus with all students I meet.

Recent updates and requests:
Funding__As our fiscal year draws to a close, I wanted to ask if you would be willing to consider giving a year end gift. Currently my budget is $2000 short of where it needs to be to end our fiscal year in the black. You can give online, by June 30, at http://www.intervarsity.org/donors/ or by US mail: P.O. Box 7895 Madison, WI 53707. Thank you!
May 26th-June 10th__Jekhari and I (Danna was working a lot back home) were a part of the Orlando Urban Plunge. OUP is a two week mission trip to the inner city of Orlando. This was an amazing time as students and staff wrestled with God's word about living half of the Christian life. This came for me from my time in Isaiah 58 where God rebukes his people about many things close to His heart, that they have forgotten the poor, fighting injustice, and rebuilding the broken places and people. During our time there we were assigned to work at a community center, Frontline. It truly was a place on the frontlines. I was able to talk with Andy, now a college student who grew up in the surrounding neighborhood and who was now mentoring and helping other kids to be all that God wanted them to be too. During the course of some of our readings, we talked about being marked by the city, that we would allow it to leave an imprint on us: the people, places and what God is doing there. This is how I have left. Marked, by the people we met, the ways God opened my eyes to see the forgotten and by a desire to live the whole Christian life. Pray that students who went would be the same and go out to their cities as change agents for God's kingdom.
Summer Bible Study__This has been so awesome! The students that are here over the summer have done a great job initiating and inviting their friends to this study. It has been great to watch them wrestle with their friends questions about what it means to be a believe and follow God. Please pray for this group that meets each Thursday at 8:30pm, that God would grow them together, reveal Himself through His word and for students like Hamza and Kelly would put their faith in Jesus.
On July 7th Danna and I are going to attend the wedding of two of our students, Tim Gonyer and Cassie Moll. It has been great to see God bring them together and the model of a godly relationship that they are to the chapter. We had the joy of doing their premarital counseling and look forward to walking with them this next year as they begin their marriage.
Family__Please pray for Danna and I as we take a course on The Intimate Marriage. This summer we will have been married for 8 years! We have a lot to celebrate as well as a lot to continue to work on so that our marriage will continue to declare the glory of God to each other and those we meet. Jekhari is well. He has grown almost a half foot since we've had him. At a recent physical, his doctor said that he was going to be at least six feet if not taller. So, this summer we are trying to keep him fed and growing as well as continue to pour into him and keep him growing spiritually. Thank you for your prayers for our family.
As always let me know what is going on with you and how I can pray for you too. Thanks for your prayers and support to make another great year here on campus. May your summer be blessed and may you be a blessing.

God's grace,

--
Ron Lorusso
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
Campus Staff Member at Florida Tech and BCC-Melbourne
o: 321.676.7865
c: 321.951.8062
www.intervarsity.org
http://activities.fit.edu/ivcf

THANKS
We want to thank you for your prayers for us and our family recently. Our daughter, Melinda's surgery on her shoulder went well and is healing well. Just a few months ago a Swiss physical therapist came to Vientianne and also a Belgian doctor. These two people are certainly a 'God-send' for the expat community there. The doctor took out Melinda's stitches today and the physical therapist has already given her some pointers in caring for her shoulder and will guide her physical therapy for the whole recovery period. She says it should be better than ever by the end of the therapy. So we are indeed thankful to the Lord for all His benefits. I'm also thankful to have been with Melinda for the first several days after surgery as she had quite a lot of pain and could not do so many essential things for herself -- like opening a bottle of drinking water. Have you ever noticed how much strength from both arms is needed for that small task? Thank you SO MUCH for your prayers for us and for Melinda.

Thanks too for praying for our son, David in his job quest for the coming year. He has decided to go with the job offer at the medical university. I assume that since it is not a private school they won't have a problem getting his work permit and visa. We are grateful to the Lord for placing David in the city where he is as we have observed his growth professionally, personally and spiritually while there. The Lord is surely at work through him too, in the lives of students and friends he has made.

FOLLOWUP
I have not received any further word yet on the young man and his exams and on Danish Johnson. I'll try to follow-up and see what is the update.

HMONG PEOPLE OF LAOS
While in Bangkok I read an article in the newspaper that prompts me to ask you to join us in praying for the Hmong people of Laos. Some of them helped the Americans during the VietNam war and have been "black-listed" (persecuted in many ways) every since by the communist government that rules Laos. Many Hmong fled the region and settled in western countries after the VN war--but not all. Over 7000 Hmong people are in Thailand and being seen as illegal immigrants. The article said that the UN High Commission on Refugees and the organization Doctors without Borders are working with the Thai gov to get them refugee status as most of them truly deserve. I have read that there are some 1500 Hmong Christians in Lao. The Christians in Lao often endure various levels and forms of harrassment and persecution. Please pray:
1) that the Hmong refugees will be recognized as such and
2) that those seeking to help them in various ways will be wise and truly helpful.
3) Pray that the gospel message will reach to all the Hmong people and that the Spirit of God will draw many of them to Himself.
4) Pray for an end to persecution of Christians in Lao and that there will be freedom in that land to share the Gospel.

May the Lord bless and encourage you as you interceed for others.

Edith and Dick

"Indeed, our God is a prayer answering God. Sumi and Mathew will testify it again.

Sumi delivered a baby girl in the afternoon (around 3pm) weighing 2.5 kgs. Eventhough there were complications initially about the foetal heartbeat, after some time everything was perfect. And Sumi had a normal delivery.

PRAISE BE TO HIS GLORIOUS NAME.

Mathew has asked me to convey their gratitude to all who earnestly prayed and stood with them. "

And this from friends in Nepal: -- I think I have asked your prayers for this nation in the throes of setting up a new government and trying to satisfy all parties and some areas still unhappy with the way it is -- Do keep praying for that nation. At the same time rejoice in what God is doing at least in some locations like this one:
"In the wake of the Maoist revolution, a peace has come to this mountain area and the people are open to the Gospel in a way that we had never dreamed of. The church is growing in leaps and bounds and there is a thirst for the Message that is astounding..>.People are coming to the believers for prayer and are getting healed."

God is indeed at work in our world and as we pray He will continue to do mighty things--beyond our imaginations.

Serving Him,
Edith and Dick

Melissa Quinn
South Asia

Randall A. VanLandingham 405124
Mound Correctional Facility
17601 Mound Road
Detroit, MI 48212

Please, please keep him in prayer. Every time he gets established, safe, and is trusted to preach and teach he gets moved and it starts all over again with intimidation and attacks on him because of his gentleness. Pray for God's favor and protection on him and that the Holy Spirit will empower him to love, preach, teach and serve the Lord in that hard place.
Peter and I have non refundable tickets to go up to his old prison in April for a visit. Detroit is just too far from our base, so we will have to go later and fill in all the visitors forms again for the new place.
Anyone know an evangelical pastor in Detroit??

The website email will also be sending out duplicate information.

April 1 is Randy's birthday--Please don't forget to send him a card and
letter. Thank you, Joan Whiteman