Walker prayer requests - Asia - March 2009

Note: Information from the Walkers is edited as they've requested - specific location information has been removed.   ~Gina

Here are some things to talk to Father about.

• We are in [Asia] finishing up our first (of three) Come Together through Conflict courses.   It is going quite well.
• Tomorrow is our final day -- [pray] that the administrators taking the course will apply the Scriptures to their own lives and be able to help their people handle their conflicts in ways that bring glory to God.
• we fly to [a city in Asia] on Sat. and make revisions on the course over the weekend.
• for the 3 colleagues here who are learning to teach this course.  They are each teaching part of the course in [this city]; then again in another city the following week.  the goal is to enable them to go on teaching the course a number of other times.
  

If you write back, please don't use religious terminology.
Roland

Bridgman Update - Japan - March 2009

Praise:

 

1) For a retired Japanese missionary  who has agreed to pastor Sanyo Grace Church from this summer when we go on home assignment

2) For Jeffrey and Kevin who continue to walk with the Lord and seeking His guidance

3) For you our supporters who continue to give towards the ministry here even in the midst of this economy

4) For a significant increase in the average attendance in February

5) For 2 members who have returned to more active involvement in the church

6) Two Japanese women accepted Christ through American friend here who used Violette's English Bible course 

 

Prayer:

 

1) That the Sanyo Grace Church congregation will be able arrange good financing for the new building that we are planning

2) That Mr. Taniguchi would really seek the Lord (he attends worship service about once a month)

3) That Mr. Hamada would be well enough again to come to church and English class.

4) That the Japanese wives of three foreign men who come to prayer meeting would accept Christ.

5) That someone would be found to continue the English part of the ministry here during our home assignment from July 2009 to 2010.

6) That Sanyo Grace Church would continue to grow in numbers and in spiritual maturity.

 

Thanks for praying.

Walker Update - Asia - March 2009

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)