Note: The Walkers are allowing their prayer letter to be posted to our blog with specific locations edited. Where this has happened, you'll see [Asia]. Gina
Dear Friends,
I was on my way to buy a roasted chicken for supper when I saw this poor woman sitting on the sidewalk with her baby. The baby’s head was way too big, like one of those heart-shaped foil party balloons. One more beggar in [Asia] for whom I felt pity, but what could I do to help in a significant way? The woman and her baby were gone when I came back with my chicken, but the image in my mind remains. Our time in Bangladesh, along with reading Scriptures about helping the poor, have been re-shaping my thinking.
Coming back to the USA, seeing money flow like water for all kinds of non-essentials that are huge luxuries for the rest of the world, has been upsetting. And so are the stats on how many people die of starvation in the world each day. I find myself questioning the way I spend money. And how I spend my life.
Jean and I have been asking ourselves, “Who are the poor that God has put in our path? And what can we do to help them?”
The young people of [Asia] immediately come to mind. They are suffering a ‘poverty of education’. Young lives with wasted opportunities because of the lack of dedicated, well-trained teachers. What do Jean and I have to give? We know Jesus and have His Word to share. God has given us good educations and the heart and abilities to train teachers. Two colleges which train teachers have asked us to help their staff, and we have decided to respond.
Once again we are waiting for visas for [a specific country in Asia]. In the meantime, God has put together a challenging schedule for teaching in two other countries in Asia through May 1. Looking at how the pieces fit together, there is a theme: promoting healthy relationships. We want to be a part of the answer to Jesus’ prayer that we might ‘be one’ (John 17.21-23).
In one country, unresolved conflicts have taken their toll. The Enemy must be smiling as he watches people leave the field because they can’t get along with their teammates. How can 160 believers from 18 countries work together in harmony? We’ll be teaching Come TOGETHER through Conflict (CTC) in three locations in March, as well as training some of our colleagues there to go on teaching CTC after we leave.
The principles of CTC are really quite simple: Repent. Forgive. Love each other deeply. Ah… but how to actually carry these out? We don’t have the ability in ourselves. But with God, all things are possible.
That is good news because I feel inadequate for the task. Why is God calling me into this relationship- mending role? I often get into conflicts and struggle to build strong relationships. God delights in using weak people to do mighty things.
So PRAY that
- Jean and I depend on God for everything
- those we teach will experience God’s love in new ways and respond to His Word
- we can live out the following verses as our theme for this year:
“We tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That's why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ's mighty power that works within me” (Colossians 1.28-29).
We thank God for you,
Roland (for Jeannie, too)
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