Here are our prayer requests for July:
1. The Guesthouse: We have been working in Dartsendo at a guesthouse ministry for the past 9 months. For the most part, it has been a great experience and an awesome opportunity. It has been frustrating at times with the political closures, landslides and lack of water, but overall we have really enjoyed it. We are now on the last 3 months of our commitment here. Pray that the guesthouse will be used as a ministry tool to reach the local Kham Tibetans through tourism. Two of our staff, whom we have known for many years, have shown immense interest in the G.spel and we have taken time to answer their difficult questions in a way we hope they are understanding. Pray that Tamara and I will continue to have great opportunities to share the G.spel with our Tibetan staff.
Nomads on horseback in rural Tibet
2. Tyler’s health insurance: In September we can apply for Tyler’s secondary insurance policy to cover the needed surgeries regarding his birthmark. Pray that everything goes well and that he get’s accepted without any problems. Our plan is to begin his series of surgeries in January 2012 in Seattle, WA.
3. Growth of the church among the Kham Tibetans: Since the earthquake in Yushu over 15 months ago we have heard and been a part of some amazing things that G.d has been doing across the Kham region of Tibet. A few days ago, one of my old students that I taught in 2006 and 2007 contacted me. This guy, a yak herder named KG, became a believer several years back and has spent the past couple of years being discipled on the east coast of China. KG, who is one of only a few fully discipled and solid believers among the Tibetan people, is now leading short-term teams of Chinese believers through the Kham region each year. For many years we have been praying that G.d would raise up people from the Tibetans to carry out the Great Commission among their own people and our friend KG is now doing it! KG reported to me that he knows of between 8 and 10 new Tibetan believers spread across the Kham area, which is slightly larger than the state of Texas.
Pray for KG and these small teams of Chinese believers who are going through the Kham region preaching the Truth about the Creator. They have already faced many problems from local police both in eastern China and on the Tibetan Plateau.
Pilgrims spinning prayer wheels in Shigatse
4. Our upcoming trip to the US: In January 2012 we will be coming back to the US for our first extended stay in nearly 9 years. As I stated last month, by the time we return to the US, we will have spent 90 of the previous 100 months in Asia. The biggest reason we will be coming back is to address our son Tyler’s medical needs. However, the past 15 months since the Yushu Earthquake have been extremely stressful and we realize that in order to be as effective as possible in our ministry among the Tibetan people, we need to return home for an extended time of rest. We plan to be heavily involved in our local churches in Olympia and Shelton. We plan to be in the US for 9 to 12 months before returning to Tibet. Pray that we will adjust quickly to life in the US and that our time there will be restful as we have others minister to our needs.
Thank you for taking time to pray for us and our ministry among the Tibetan people!