Dear Friends,
Deanna had her birthday on January 28th and turned seven years old. So we had a party. She asked for a star-shaped cake, so that's what Tonya baked.
She invited her friends and we played games.
We've gotten a bit involved with a local youth group. They were looking for new kinds of outreaches, so we taught them some ministry board games that we've successfully used in our orphanage ministry (games like "Real Life"). They loved it and have been bringing their friends in, and the group is growing.
Just think, ministry can be fun.
The Amur river freezes over in the winter, so we've been taking walks on it (but not walking over to China, just to one of the nearby islands). The surface of the river is broken up with pressure ridges and goes on for miles. One time we took our Royal Ranger group on a hike across the river. Don't worry, the ice beneath our feet is over a meter thick. Here is Tim sitting on one of the ice ridges that is jutting up. And yes, that is a large coal-fired plant in the background.
And here is the rest of the family out on the river.
Cecil has been busy editing video files from the Pastor's Conference we hosted in December. He's now making copies for all the pastors of the teaching from the conference. They are looking forward to getting them.
Tonya has been heading up our ongoing ministry at a local orphanage. They have just completed a course and will be starting a new curriculum. The Lord has really given us some open doors and we've been able to stay in touch with some of them who graduated last spring. Please pray for us as we start this new course.
There will be a training for Royal Ranger leaders starting on leap year day. Aaron and Beth have been helping get new outposts started and there is a growing need for training. Please pray for the training that weekend, that the leaders would be encouraged and equipped to help their youth.
The Royal Ranger outpost that meets in our home had a cookout with a local church, as we hoped to let folks know more about what Royal Rangers is (it's like a Christian Boy Scouts) and to perhaps recruit some new members and leaders.
In March Cecil will go to Mongolia to get a new visa. The visa regime in Russia has really gotten much more difficult lately. He plans to take the train to Mongolia this time. Please pray that everything will go smoothly.
Some things really make you wonder. An entire 200-ton metal bridge was stolen from the outskirts of Khabarovsk one night. The police still haven't found out who did it, or how a bridge could be stolen so quickly.
Please pray for Cecil as he is working on another newsletter and needs some inspiration (or perspiration, or something like that) to get it written and mailed out.
Things never get too boring here.
Peace be with you,
Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera and Deanna
Deanna had her birthday on January 28th and turned seven years old. So we had a party. She asked for a star-shaped cake, so that's what Tonya baked.
She invited her friends and we played games.
We've gotten a bit involved with a local youth group. They were looking for new kinds of outreaches, so we taught them some ministry board games that we've successfully used in our orphanage ministry (games like "Real Life"). They loved it and have been bringing their friends in, and the group is growing.
Just think, ministry can be fun.
The Amur river freezes over in the winter, so we've been taking walks on it (but not walking over to China, just to one of the nearby islands). The surface of the river is broken up with pressure ridges and goes on for miles. One time we took our Royal Ranger group on a hike across the river. Don't worry, the ice beneath our feet is over a meter thick. Here is Tim sitting on one of the ice ridges that is jutting up. And yes, that is a large coal-fired plant in the background.
And here is the rest of the family out on the river.
Cecil has been busy editing video files from the Pastor's Conference we hosted in December. He's now making copies for all the pastors of the teaching from the conference. They are looking forward to getting them.
Tonya has been heading up our ongoing ministry at a local orphanage. They have just completed a course and will be starting a new curriculum. The Lord has really given us some open doors and we've been able to stay in touch with some of them who graduated last spring. Please pray for us as we start this new course.
There will be a training for Royal Ranger leaders starting on leap year day. Aaron and Beth have been helping get new outposts started and there is a growing need for training. Please pray for the training that weekend, that the leaders would be encouraged and equipped to help their youth.
The Royal Ranger outpost that meets in our home had a cookout with a local church, as we hoped to let folks know more about what Royal Rangers is (it's like a Christian Boy Scouts) and to perhaps recruit some new members and leaders.
In March Cecil will go to Mongolia to get a new visa. The visa regime in Russia has really gotten much more difficult lately. He plans to take the train to Mongolia this time. Please pray that everything will go smoothly.
Some things really make you wonder. An entire 200-ton metal bridge was stolen from the outskirts of Khabarovsk one night. The police still haven't found out who did it, or how a bridge could be stolen so quickly.
Please pray for Cecil as he is working on another newsletter and needs some inspiration (or perspiration, or something like that) to get it written and mailed out.
Things never get too boring here.
Peace be with you,
Cecil, Tonya, Timothy, Vera and Deanna
