Heart of a Warrior

In January I attended a mission's conference in Portland at Mulnomah School of the Bible. I had a wonderful time speaking with students about our ministry and meeting many that were former military now attending the school. I also was able to see many of our older Cadence missionary families that live in the area.
One of these families is the Shryocks. I had lived with the Shryocks in Hanau Germany during my first summer-fill job with Malachi back in the 80s and we have stayed somewhat in touch since then. Bill and Connie moved back to the states a while ago but never stopped doing hospitality ministry. I kept hearing about how they were opening their home to Multnomah students and the incredible impact they were having.
They have slowed way down these days and are both struggling with different physical issues.
I called Bill and Connie to see if I could see them during the conference and we agreed to meet. When they came I was meeting with another couple whom they knew and Connie proclaimed to them that I was one of their "sons" from long ago.
Bill came in pushing a walker in front of him and I must admit I was taken aback a little at this site. Here was a man before me, stooped, that I only knew as full of energy and very active. He sat down in the chair across from and leaned in on his walker to ask me about how things were going for me personally and with the mission. His speech was strong and direct, full of life, eyes, sharp and clear. I realized at that moment that I was looking into the eyes of a warrior trapped in a body that was falling apart around him. I found myself admiring him deeply and challenged in my own commitment to fight the good fight of faith and service.
Bill is now beginning 10 days of radiation therapy for his 2 brain tumors. Dr.s believe this will shrink the tumors but not make them go away. He is experiencing double vision from the tumors and they hope this will deal w/ that. They fear, however, that this treatment will alter his personality. Connie is soul weary and sounded very tired today. Family is coming to visit him from out of state while he is still coherent. He is recovering mobility from his recent stroke. They are arranging to receiving hospice care. Bill is asking for prayer that he will not need to go into a nursing home.
Please join me in praying for this warrior and his wonderful wife.

Moving Fast

Just recieved another email from Sareth in Cambodia.

This is my prayer request for an opportunity of preaching the Word to the military officers. Last two weeks a go I met a general, he is a Christian. His name is Kep Kan is working in a department of Geography and Map in the ministry of defense of Cambodia. He told me about his department will conduct a training for officers about 75 days (the training will start from the middle of May 2005). There are 90 officers and 20 trainers from around country. General Kep Kan (chief assistant commander) said if Cadence ministry wants to use some days to offer a special training is ok! He will prepare an available schedule for us. The special training is relate to Leadership, military value, lively hood, military skills ---or medical assistant for a few days during their stay 75 days in training. Gen. Kep Kan suggested if the teacher is from overseas is good because they want to hear from out side experiences (they are rarely to learn from foreigner teacher). Our purpose through this opportunity is to build a good relationship with the department of geographic and map. In the next step we will find way to share gospel to them openly. Sareth

I was already to go next month but will now be delaying unitl May to participate in this incredible opportunity.

World Watch List

Just wanted to let you all know that I have confirmed with Sareth, our Cambodian leader, that we will indeed be visiting a new contact in Vietnam next month when I go. We have to meet him in a public place in Ho Chi Minh City so that we will not draw attention to ourselves too much. It is now illegal to talk about Christianity outside the walls of the “official” church allowed by the government. We are hoping to encourage this man in his desires to reach the military and police in Vietnam.
Open Doors International, an organization that monitors Christian persecution across the world, has just published its Watch List:
“The deplorable situation facing North Korea’s Christians again causes the country to hold first position on the World Watch List. Saudi Arabia is ranked second, followed by Laos and Vietnam. Iran climbed five places, to number five, due to massive arrests of Christian converts, which took place last year. As a result, Turkmenistan moved down one place, to number six, followed by the Maldives. Bhutan, Myanmar and China complete the top 10.
Islam is the majority religion in four of the top 10 countries: Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, Maldives and Iran. Four countries have communist governments: North Korea, Laos, Vietnam and China. Two countries, Bhutan and Myanmar, are Buddhist.”
Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar are countries that we are trying to establish believing military and police communities in.

News from Cambodia

News from Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Remember the report I gave you all from my trip to Cambodia in November? I wrote to you that we had 4 Generals attend the training conf. in Phnom Penh. Since Nov. 6 additional Generals have become Christians! The Lord is doing something incredible there. These guys are asking us to do ministry in each of their commands! Please continue to pray for these new believers. I am going to be there again in April and am looking forward to being with these men. Also… I met a retired Chinese Lt. Col. who is interested in partnering with us to begin reaching the Chinese military. To his knowledge after 20 years in the Chinese army, he knew of no believers. He came to the Lord after he retired. I will be meeting with him sometime in the next couple of weeks.

8 year old glimpse of God

Tyler: "Dad?... wouldnt it be cool if God made this sunset just for us and we were the only ones who could see it?"
Dad: "Yeah it would be."
Tyler: "Maybe we ARE the only ones who can see it."

Poor, Poor, Tom Daschle

This is probably the first and last post about anyone political you will ever see here but I had to rant for just a second. I was listening to NPR on the way into work today and they were doing a piece on Tom Daschle and what life is like for him now that he is out of a job in South Dakota. The interviewer was asking him to tell us about the challenges he has faced since being defeated and this is what he said; "I spent the first three weeks getting into the back seat of my car and closing the door, waiting for it to go." He also went on to explain that he no longer has a personal assistant that tells him when his next appointment is so he is has been late to things. Poor, Poor, Tom Daschle has to drive himself everywhere now and be responsible for getting himself to places on time. Will someone explain to me how this is news worthy? I love NPR because of the broad (although mostly liberal) reporting that they do but what in the world were they thinking doing a piece like this? Surely there are more news worthy world events going on to report. Or... maybe this is a sad testimony on the shallowness of our country that we would not raise such a voice that this kind of reporting should be left to People magazine and the such.