graders have to pass these exams,
and the twelfth-graders must pass an exam to get into college,
which is paid for.
The test for the 12th graders includes, among other things, the
very same SAT given in the United States, in English. This is
a time of intense stress for the students. It’s not just
a matter of the status of entering a university to become a professional.
The families of these students are relying on them to get an education
to earn enough money to help support the family. Please pray for
these students as they take these enormously important tests.
The rainy season brings the planting season for the Meshangir
people, who until recently were nomadic. The focus this year will
be for the people of the Ula-Wata community, who settled three
years ago, to teach what they have learned to the people of the
Dali-Sadi community, who have just settled north of Dembi Dollo.
This last week, a group of four from the Ula-Wata community went
to the Dali Sadi to begin sharing what they learned through the
efforts of the project in their own community. Three men went
to teach the Dali Sadi community plowing, care of draft animals,
planting and crop rotation, and other skills. An Ula-Wata woman
taught the women in the Dali-Sadi community the skills of refined
clay-pottery-making that she and other women of the Ula-Wata community
had learned. This trip shows how knowledge and love can spread
long after they have been first given. 1 John 4:19 says that “we
love because He first loved us.” Verse 12 says, “No
one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in
us and his love is made complete in us.” We have seen this
play out in many ways: people benefiting from the initial love
of generous individuals and churches who have donated funds to
these life- and love-giving projects.
We write today not only to tell you about the life of the people
and our work here, but also to ask for your assistance in carrying
out these good things. Like the rains that sustain the lives of
the people here, our work is sustained by funds provided through
donations of generous individuals who wish to share in this ministry.
The contributions that have been received by the PC(USA) for
mission support have been declining, both in Directed Mission
Support (for individual missionaries) and in unrestricted funds.
The Worldwide Ministries Division is preparing to launch a special
appeal to all PC(USA) congregations to each support a PCUSA mission
co-worker.
So now is a good time for us to ask the churches that are interested
in our ministry to support us as one of your regularly supported
missionary families. We send our great thanks and gratitude to
everyone who has been sending monthly pledges to the PC(USA) to
support our ministry. Despite all that good will, we still have
a long way to “break even,” that is, in having enough
support to cover our costs. Therefore, we’re supported partially
out of unrestricted funds. It’s the unrestricted giving
that has fallen the most.
We do not want to be a drain on this already stretched budget,
so please help us to achieve our goal of self-sufficiency in our
support. For more information, please contact Anne
Blair in Mission Connections.
Whether you’re about to contribute money or not, the best
way to support us is through prayer! We covet your prayers and
your letters and emails.
May God bless,
Mike and Janelle, and now 2-year-old Carolee
The 2006 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 330
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