Dear Friends and Family,
Thank you for your love and support.
Things are going well here in Omaha, NE. I'm surprised by how different the last winter has been depending on where you live in the US. In Omaha we had the coldest winter since 1981. I've heard that my family in Wisconsin had the most snowfall ever recorded there, and parts of the Southeast had very little winter but also had difficult drought conditions.
It made me think of the seasons of life. Everyone in life is going through something different; how do we celebrate AND mourn and not let them blend into each other?
How can we see beauty in a fallen world? How can we trust in a good God in the midst of suffering? How can we mourn and not always try to escape those feelings?
These are age-old questions and I think they require age-old answers (maybe with a modern context). I woke up a few mornings ago singing the following song in my head: Centuries by Aaron Strumpel. To me it translates David's cries in the Psalms into present circumstances.
You will turn your ear to me. You will hear my cry for mercy. You will loosen things unseen. You will be my help in time of trouble. You will be my place of refuge. You will cut these bindings free.
What can man do to me?
I'll sing for joy in your place of rest. I'll sleep in peace resting on your chest. And Your voice will sound like a thousand waters. Your song will rush for 10,000 centuries.
I think this is maybe as close as it gets. Crying out to God but also resting in His presence and being happy in that alone. As we just finish the Lenten season and the celebration of Easter, I hope that we can all rest in God's presence, listen to Him, and take steps of obedience.
I have been speaking with our staff in Bolivia and Peru and I will be able to travel there in late June and early July and will focus one week in Bolivia and one week in Peru. My trip overseas would focus on three components: staff care, administration, and plugging into WMF ministries.
I'm also hoping to take one of our administrative staff with me. We try to take our office staff overseas for enculturation and to help connecting what we do every day as a service to Jesus and the various ministries around the world. In addition, our WMF staff in Bolivia have asked for Jose's administrative help, especially with their finances. At this time, I believe Jose would just be present for the Bolivia trip and not go on to Peru.
There are several hurdles before this trip for Jose might be possible. Because of the uncertainty surrounding his travel, I want to ask you to support both my trip and also Jose's but will wait to let you know about costs until I know more. If I am traveling, I can see the cost being close to $2,000. If Jose is traveling as well I can see the costs approaching $3,500. I would hope to purchase the tickets some time in May.
You all have been so good to me. I am grateful for your presence in my life.
Love,
Brent