By the time you read this, I’ll be in Uganda, Africa! I’m very excited to be visiting 3 of our missionary families. The Kanyikes, the Harrises and the Anikus, all of whom are serving in Uganda. Please be praying as pastor Joel and I. Our goal is to visit our missionaries and spend time with them, hangout with their families, see what works they are doing, and help meet any needs they may have. This is something that we love to do and our missionaries have expressed so much gratitude when people from the states come and visit them. It’s so exciting and I will be sharing an update when we get back!
Care Teams
I lead the South America and Africa Care Teams and both Hope and I lead the Japan care team. We meet once a month to gather with a group of believers from the church to get updates from the field and pray over the different areas and for our missionaries. These meeting fulfill 2 things in the body of Christ.
The first is that it engages the body in the great commission. Not everyone is called to go, but we are all called the be a part of the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 24:46-49; John 20:21; Acts 1:8). The care teams are a way that we can be involved in the great commission around the world from our homes as senders. I would encourage you to get involved in a care team or start something like this at your church! If you’d like to know how to do that, feel free to reach out!
The second is that it keeps the missionary and the church connected. We are communicating at least monthly, sometimes weekly, with our missionaries from all around the world. The care teams are the avenue we use for the missionary to communicate to the home base about what is happening where they are serving. It’s a constant process of gathering information, praying and then seeing how God answers those prayers. What a privilege to be involved in this task Jesus left for us to complete!
Another cool thing that has happened this month is I have been able to participate in a meeting online with a group of people going through the book Serving as Senders Today. My friend Marcelo is helping lead a group with some pastors and leaders from a few churches, which incudes a church in Canada, our church and a church in Mexico. It has been great to encourage each other and see other churches start this process of care teams for their missionaries! Please be praying for these meetings to be fruitful and for more pastors and leaders to join!
Youth Ministry
On the youth side if things, we are entering the summer which means we have lots of events coming up! It’s exciting but it is a lot of work so please be praying for us. Wednesday nights are still completely youth led and the guys have decided to teach through Jonah so pray for their studies and their growth as teachers!
Family
Hope is currently preparing to run a marathon in February and has started training. She prayed for and God provided a treadmill in the garage so she can run and still be with the kids. Fletcher just learned to ride a bike a few weeks after his 4th birthday! To say we are proud of him is an understatement! Both Fletcher and Theo are also swimming a lot more and are getting better every time we swim. Theo is speaking really well and is still extremely joyful and goofy. Titus is able to roll and hold his head up for several minutes now. We think he may crawl very soon!
Thank you for your prayers and support!
Love from Isaac, Hope, Fletcher, Theo and Titus
Prayer Request:
- For Isaacs upcoming Africa trip
- For the boys as they continue to grow
- For Hope as she is home by herself with the boys while Isaac is in Africa
- For the care teams to grow and thrive
- For the world to know Jesus!