Wow! Thanks for reading our blog!! We know you have plenty to read, think and pray about so thank you for being dear enough to read and pray with us, especially this week!
(This is Jess filling in for my better half.)
Things are going well here. We continue to see the organization as a good fit for us and vice versa. That is so encouraging! The people are warm, honest, and without pretense. And, they laugh at my jokes! 🙂
Phil’s schedule for this week could look something like this, but is weather dependent.
Tuesday – Phil’s sheet metal project
Wednesday – Phil has a two hour oral with his flight facilitator, Scott, who will review / teach Phil MAF’s Standard Operating Procedures (how they like to see their planes flown), followed by a flight. That evening Phil will plan a Cross Country flight (to demonstrate his ability to properly read and utilize charts, maps, weather information, and other flight services).
Thursday – Phil will conduct his cross country flight and his flight facilitator will evaluate his skills and present Phil with unexpected in-flight emergencies, etc….
Friday – AM Phil will finish any flight that he was not able to complete due to weather.
1:30pm we sit down with the candidate committee and find out if we are invited to come on with MAF.
If Phil is unable to complete these flights this week due to weather we will have to stay an additional week which presents us with a host of logistical unpleasantries. If we can avoid this and get the flights done this week, we would be totally blessed. So, prayers for good weather are on the top of our list. In either case, we’re in it to win in it!
Additional prayer requests include: (1) blessings on our host family, (2) peace and joy on our kiddos as they are now five months into being homeless nomads (Road trips and vacations can be a fun break from normalcy, but this much travel wears out even the best of us. We know the Son of Man had no place to rest His head. Indeed the Vana kids are sharing in this suffering and as such, their momma prays extra blessings on their sweet souls and covets the prayers of friends.), and (3) strength and joy for me as I serve Phil and the kiddos.
Thanks a whole ton for the prayers.
And now, if you’re in the mood for a cool God story, I’ve got one for you!
Two nights ago we were invited to sup with Roy and Sue Hagland. Roy and Sue have served as missionaries with MAF all over the globe. They have two grown daughters both of whom have miraculous genesis. While Roy and Sue were serving as missionaries in South America they had come to the point in their marriage when they started thinking about having a family. They had been married about six years and had never considered adoption or discussed it even once. They had only just started dreaming about having a child of their own. One day an expatriate doctor friend came to them and said, “a baby girl has been born and will be given up for adoption. The Lord put the two of you on my heart and I wonder if you would consider adopting her.” Roy and Sue were stunned at the proposition but both agreed to pray about it. The next day they both felt strongly that “yes indeed” the Lord was calling them to adopt this girl. Within twenty four hours the baby was dropped off at their home. With no diapers, no milk, and no way to comfort his brand new daughter, Roy waited and held the little girl while Sue ran into town for the necessities. It was Christmas Eve and the stores were packed but when Sue walked in the door and could feed the baby, Roy was beyond relieved. The baby’s first bed was a drawer and little by little this young couple found their footing as parents. A few days after they brought her home, Sue felt the Lord speak to her that the child’s name was to be Sarah Joy.
Fast-forward to today, Sarah is now in full time ministry (working with gangs in the inner city), a wife, a mother of three, and truly the JOY of her parents and family. All because one young couple said “Yes!” to the Lord.
Seven years from the time Sarah was brought home and laid in drawer Sue and Roy were disheartened that they had not yet conceived a sibling for Sarah. They had now been married fourteen years and had nearly given up hope for conceiving a child. One morning, in a quiet time Roy heard the Lord say that he would be giving them a child that year. Overjoyed Roy wrote down what he heard the Lord say and folded up the little piece of paper. He brought the paper to Sue and with a knowing smile he said, “Sue, I want to to write down today’s date on this paper.” “What is this about?” She asked. But Roy just smiled, “You’ll see.” A few months later, lo and behold, Sue was pregnant. Daughter number two, Bethany, was truly a child of promise and this precious couple, now married 40 years, calls her a treasure. Bethany was married last summer and has been a blessing to her parents since her first breath. Roy said, “She never rebelled or gave us a bad time. She has always walked with the Lord and made us very proud.”
We all know ever so many missionary kids / pastor’s kids that have lived another story and when I asked Roy and Sue what they credit for their girls’ lives of faithful obedience, Roy and Sue were quick to say, “We have so many people who have taken an interest in our girls and prayed, really prayed, faithfully for them. That, and God’s grace!”
So, if you think of us and if you pray for us, we would consider it the greatest gift of all if you would remember Adelina, Jeremiah and baby number 3 (due this July) in your prayers. May their stories be graced by the prayers of faithful friends and family.
Wholeheartedly Yours,
Jess and the rest of Team Phil
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