Cumin Edition #9

Can I ask you a favor?  Yes, you, reading this.  When you are done reading, would you take ten minutes to lift me and these people up?  Just ten minutes.  It’s so important, and it would mean the world to me.

I have less than a week left in the Middle East.  As with the end to any trip, this time will be filled with goodbyes and important final conversations to ensure that my friends have clearly heard the Good News.  But this final week also happens to coincide with the holiday that commemorates the end of Ramadan.  Everyone will be visiting many neighbors and family, just a few minutes at each home.  So we could potentially have many opportunities to share, but it also has the potential to disrupt the longer visits that we long to have.  Your requesting on our behalf will make the difference.

Here are some people that you can lift up.  You can pick a few, or go for extra credit ;-) and lift them each up:

Naomi and Levi have been our best friends this summer.  I shared about them in my third update of the summer.  The thing I love most about Naomi and Levi is that we can be ourselves around them.  With some friends, we feel like we have to be guarded because they are so strict and conservative that our normal behavior, which is conservative by American standards, would be seen as scandalous.  While other friends, who would be normal by American standards, we have to be guarded around because they may ask us to join in things that observers may see as shameful here.  But we can be comfortable around Naomi and Levi. This couple has read some of the Book that we gave them earlier, and they always engage with curiosity when we discuss eternal matters.  We love them and want them to know true peace and joy.  Please ask that they would continue to read the Book that we gave them and that we would be able to give them a clear invitation before we leave.

Lucy is our “bad-girl” friend that I shared about earlier.  Multiple times we had to leave early from hanging out with her because she was participating in things that are shameful here and could ruin our witness to her and others.  But each time the Father gave us favor, and she was not offended that we left.  She believes that her wild behavior is not wrong (some of it is only considered wrong by her culture, while some she truly should be convicted by), and she believes that all people go to heaven.  We plan to give her a Book as a going away gift.  Please ask that she reads it, understands it, is convicted by it, believes it, and chooses forgiveness and freedom.

Kelly’s daughter, Colleen, is a follower.  I mentioned Kelly in an earlier update, but I would like to focus on her daughter.  She was born in Britain and accepted the Son while she lived there.  But she is fearful (naturally) and doesn’t let anyone know that she is a follower. Please lift her up.  Ask that Colleen truly understands what it means to be a follower and does not hide her light. Please also ask that we get to walk through the Good News with her once before we leave, to make sure she truly knows what the Word says.

Ron was a student in my English class.  He is a S refugee. I haven’t heard from him since classes ended, but his honesty and curiosity earned him a special place in my requests.  Please lift him up, that he would keep searching until he finds the truth and ask that he connects with one of the guy summer volunteers before we leave.

Natalie is a woman with whom we have gotten to hang out often and talk extensively about eternal things. She lived abroad for over 20 years and is quite socially liberal.  She doesn’t follow the cultural religion and doesn’t feel the pressure to conform like other people feel. We have given her two clear invitations.  Please ask that we can give her one more invitation, that she will accept, and that the material that we will leave with her will help explain the Good News better.

One of our students from the children’s classes invited us to celebrate the holiday with her family.  Their English is rather poor.  We have been teaching these children all summer with restrictions from sharing in the classroom. But please ask that we are able to communicate the Good News somehow while in their home.

We may have opportunities for other small visits with acquaintances and neighbors.  Please ask for unexpected opportunities to share.

I’m hopeful for the week ahead and trust that He will go before us and also behind us.

Thank you for faithfully lifting us up this summer! See you all soon on the other side of the pond!