Monday, July 12, 2010
Oh Creator one… Please make it a boy!
"Oh Creator, please watch over Degapiyaa's (Scott's) and Ugidataauwo's (Jennie's) baby. Help it to grow well and please watch over them. And God, please make it a boy because then we will really love it! And if it's a girl, that's okay too I guess...............but God, please make it a boy! Amen."
This is the prayer we heard every time we gathered as believers during the last couple months we were in Dao before we departed to have our baby here in the States. We couldn't help but chuckle every time we heard it and there is not a doubt in our minds that the Dao people will love our baby to pieces no matter what it turns out to be. Even they would giggle a bit after they prayed these words but it does go to show how similar their culture is to that of many of the Old Testament stories where it was considered a blessing from the Lord if the firstborn was a male child. Whatever the case, you can see by the top center photo above that Jennie is coming along just fine! Only five weeks to go and we will see whether or not God has answered the Dao people's prayers for a boy.
As we think back to some of these good times and funny situations we have taken part in in Dao over recent months the words and feelings expressed in the writings of Paul seem to become more and more of a reality to us. Specifically Paul's words in 2 John 1:12 where he is writing back to some of the groups of believers and friends he has ministered to and says "I have many things to write unto you, I would rather not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, so that our joy may be full." We often wake up in the middle of the night thinking about our Dao friends and wondering how they are doing and we begin praying for them. We would love to write them letters just like Paul wrote back to the places he ministered too. The problem is that even if we were to write back to them, there are no roads to where they live and there is no post office or postal address to which we would be able to send them our letters!
There is however approximately four to five days hike from our area another mission station where NTM missionarries are also church planting and translating in a related language. It is not too common that people from Dao are over in that area but every so often a few of the Dao men go over to that area to look for a wife or to trade. So the thought occured to us that we could at least write a letter to the Dao believers and send it to that mission station where some of our good friends work. Then just in case some of the Dao believers where to happen to show up over there for any reason they would receive some additional instruction and encouragement in their faith and know that we will Lord-willing be back with them soon. So we wrote the letter and put in it some much needed instruction for the Dao church leaders and evangelists and also some encouraging words for the group of Dao believers as a whole. Then we sent it to that closest mission station though we had serious doubts that it would ever make it into the hands of the Dao believers.
As it turns out the letter got to station last Thursday, first thing in the morning, and right around 12:00 that afternoon a group of Dao men (Two of which are my good friends - Painaa and Kogeku - top left and right photos) showed up in that village and picked up the letter! They had made the four day hike over for their own purposes, having no idea that a letter was waiting for them there and they arrived just in time! While they were there they passed on to our missionary friends over in that area that the teaching and outreaches are still moving forward well over in the Dao area. Amazing isn't it?! A little bit too ironic to be anything but God's directing. God is so faithful! He is leading and directing His people both here and all around the world. Praise Him for His intriquite working and encourging both our hearts and the hearts of the Dao people. Praise Him also for His Word and the example of Paul which we can follow in writing letters of encouragement and instruction back to the groups of believers we have ministered among.
Please continue to pray for the Dao believers that they will grow in their faith and passion for Christ and His Word. Pray for the teachers and evangelists we have trained up that they will stay faithfull and keep teaching and outreaching! Pray for the Grants as they continue to spend time with their families and seek to minister to Derek's mom there in Canada. Pray for Jennie as there are only 35 days till her given due date! She now has to carefully moniter her sugar intake so that the baby doesn't grow too big as she has been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Pray also that the finances will be provided for that we need in order to pay all the doctor bills involved in the birth of our first child! We appreciate you all so much and thank you for your faithfull prayers for our family and for the Dao people!
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