Prayer Bulletin

Dear Family and Friends,

Our furlough is now coming to a close. On Monday, January 29 we will together as a family travel back to Rwanda. Furlough has been a delightful time to rest, reflect, and reconnect. We have enjoyed seeing many of you, but as we prepare to leave also realize how short our visits were. Regrettably, for some of you we just were not able to visit face to face. In the end furloughs are experiences that make us hunger for heaven as a place in which our entire community of faith will all be gathered. A few weeks ago, all of our government processes for Ruth and Timothy were finalized. We will remember this furlough as the one in which these crucial mile stones in our family journey were completed. Also, as we look to the future, the ministry opportunities in Rwanda are beyond what we ever could have expected two years ago. We nervously face the future with an eagerness to see what the Lord will do next. This month we ask for your prayers for the following matters:

1. Final Preparations: We are in the process of getting organized, paying last bills, counting costs, packing and repacking, selling our mini-van, and hoping we get it all done. The last week is usually one of great stress. May our final preparations leave us enabled to resettle quickly into Rwandan life, and prepared for ministry.

2. Purchase of the Caisse Sociale 2020 Vision School and Hall in Gaculiro Estate: We have been amazed at the affirmation so many have given to participate in this endeavor. The opportunity seems riper than ever. Funds are still needed for the purchase. In February, Dr. Mike O’Neal, Oklahoma Christian University President, and Steve Clark, an Oklahoma businessman will join us to negotiate for the property. May this historic endeavor receive favor from both the Rwandan government and donors. (For more details see http://www.rocfoundation.org.)

3. Wisdom: We’ve never seen anything like what is happening around us in Rwanda. Without a doubt the challenges are greater than either our abilities or resources. This will be a season in which God’s sovereignty is abundantly displayed through human vessels. We ask for an extraordinary measure of wisdom in the coming months.

4. March 4th is the due date for our new church plant of March Forth. In the next 5 weeks with the Lord’s help we hope to finalize arrangements on a meeting place, prepare those gathered around a vision of new church plant targeting current and future thought leaders in Kigali, and broadly invite many to this new church. It will be some of the busiest and most thrilling days of our lives. We feel much like expecting parents. May we be prepared and March Forth be a blessing of delight to Kigali.

Again thank you for your prayers, support, and encouragement that sustain our family and ministry.

Ukubere Uwamata n'ubuki (Let it be of honey and milk),

Dave and Jana