The Wonder of Christian Community

When Alberta and I relocated to the US in 2020 after living overseas for 35 years, one of our goals was to establish ourselves in Christian community. After my rotator cuff surgery and recovery and Alberta's recent planned surgery and her current journey of recovery, we feel God has honored our desire and planted us in a wonderful body of believers. 

When our church small group heard about Alberta's surgery, a number of them texted us and asked us which day they could bring a meal. This Friday's small group gathering will give us a chance to return all the containers pictured above to our generous friends. A bouquet of flowers showed up on the front porch unsigned but we did track down the couple that sent them to express our thanks. 

We are continuing to have some amazing opportunities to minister around the world, but we are grateful for the family of God that He has placed us in here in Tennessee. Pray for us that we can, in like manner, be community to those among whom He has placed us.

Prayer Requests: 

1. Pray for Alberta as she recovers from a planned surgery. She is limited in how much she can lift for at least 6 weeks and leaves for the Philippines June 6 - so wants to be fully recovered by then.

2. As some of you may have heard, Bethany Global University (BGU) will discontinue in person training at the end of this Spring Semester. Education models today are undergoing major changes so pray for BGU's leaders as they innovate towards full online training for the next generation. For those of you who support us through Bethany, be assured that your donations will continue to reach us as usual.

Serving Christ with You, Steve and Alberta 

 What Get's You Up in the Morning?

In our work with the Bethany member care team, we are talking about ways to prepare overseas workers for transitions off the field and, for some, into retirement or career changes. We recently had a visit from Jim and Cheri Levine. Jim was on our member care team until last summer when he retired. 

Jim started his mission career leading short term teams for an organization called "STEM" (Short Term Evangelical Missions) which he loved. Now, in retirement, I asked Jim "so what gets you up in the morning, these days?" His answer: worship. Jim and Cheri have been fielding more and more opportunities to lead worship at various events. They have also been updating old hymns, eliminating some of the archaic language. Jim and Cheri treated us to a time of worship as they pulled violin and guitar out of their car and into our living room. 

As we make transitions in life we need to continue to ask ourselves "What is my passion and how can it express itself in this new season of life?" Pray for us as we continue to put together communications that will help Bethany's cross cultural workers navigate the changes coming their way.

Prayer Requests: 

1. Pray for us as we continue to prepare for our trip to the Philippines. Tickets have been purchased and we continue to work on our training sessions for both the women's trainings and the counseling training we are planning for the Bethany pastors.

2. Pray for me (Steve) as I also plan to stop in Thailand and renew relationships with a number of our friends there. The men's group I was a part of there is still going and I hope to connect  with the them and a number of other contacts.

3. Pray for Alberta as she will be having a medical procedure March 28. 

 Praise - I (Steve) met with my orthopedic surgeon last Friday and he and my physical therapist 'signed off' on my recovery from surgery.  I'm back to swimming again, a big motivation to have the shoulder surgery in the first place. Thanks to all who prayed!

Serving Christ with You, Steve & Alberta 

 The TCK Thread of Member Care 

About two weeks ago we got back in touch with one of Bethany's cross cultural couples serving in the big C country in Asia for 30 + years. They are beginning to plan for re-location to the US this summer and wanted to pick our brains about their coming transition.

In our conversation we were reminded that their younger daughter (we affectionately call a TCK or third culture kid) was finishing up her nursing studies at Liberty University this year. We've known Olivia since she was very young so it was a delight to stop off on our way back from a trip to northern Virginia, have lunch and catch up with her. 

Adjusting well to everything America, Olivia is excited about finishing school and taking her next steps in life. Pray for her that God will guide her to the right community and employment as she finishes school and takes her board exams later this year for licensure. 

Prayer Requests: 

1. Pray for us as we plan several pastoral care training workshops for Bethany pastors in Isabela this coming June. 

2. Pray also for Alberta and the Equipping Women Int. staff as they finalize their training schedule in Isabela - also in June.

3. Pray for Bethany's 40th Anniversary celebration in Isabela, Philippines on July 7. There will be several of us coming from the US and leaders from Bethany Mindoro also plan to join in. Lots to coordinate before folks arrive.

Serving Christ with You, Steve and Alberta 

Cow Dung Project Brings Hope and the Gospel to Poor Bangladeshi Community

We recently provided some ministry funds to our friends,  Omar and Shana (not their real names), in Bangladesh. Omar notified us that they have a unique project that they plan to 'invest' in. 

Fuel for cooking and heating is in short supply in this teeming country of 165 million. One of the creative resources used in making fuel is cow dung mixed with rice husks. Omar and Shana plan to use the funds we donated to help 15 poor families in their community produce this product. 

There are Muslim, Hindu and Christians in their neighborhood that God has put on their hearts to help. They met with 15 women representing these families to determine their needs. The women requested that Omar and Shana provide funds to help them purchase cow dung, saving them the time of collecting it in the fields. This  they can add to rice husks and form around  sticks (see picture above) to sell for cooking fire fuel. While the women mix the dung with rice husks, wrap it around the sticks and dry it, Shana will work with them and share the love of Jesus that 'fuels' their desire to help them.

With the profits of this product, the selected families plan to send their children to school. They are also requested to share a portion of their profits back to Omar and Shana's church to help keep the project going.  What a creative and self-sustaining way to reach others with the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Please pray with us that this project will communicate God's love for the poor and draw them to the Savior.  

Prayer Requests: 

1. Pray for us as we travel to the Washington DC area this coming weekend. We will bring a ministry update to our supporting church in the area and Alberta will speak at the church's monthly women's gathering. We will also visit other friends in the area.

2. Pray for the final details of our trip to the Philippines in June to come together. Alberta will be co-facilitating more women's seminars and we will do some pastoral counseling training with the pastors of Bethany in Isabela.

Serving Christ with You, Steve and Alberta 

 While She Was Away...

It is great to have Alberta home after her month in the Philippines. One of the neat opportunities I had while she was away was  co-teaching an online member care course to Nigeria (part 2) to a group we taught part 1 to over a year ago. I taught on "Expectations", an important topic for the growing mission minded churches of Africa. If we don't  teach new workers how to manage their expectations, burn out will drive attrition. 

We had lively Q&A sessions and I sensed one of the students had an experience that might benefit from an individual debrief. We met online about two weeks ago and I'm now in communication with this brother in northern Nigeria as he processes loss and failure in a healthy way. Pray for us as we stay in touch and talk about his ministry going forward. 

Prayer Requests: 

1. Pray for us as we move into a new year of ministry that we would hear God's voice and prioritize His concerns. 

2. Pray for Alberta and the Entrust staff as they plan new trainings this year.

3. Pray for God's blessing and direction on our girls in this new year. Krista is back in Atlanta and Heather will be with us for another 10 days then heading back to Scotland. 

We had a wonderful Christmas with Heather and Krista. We wish you all the best in 2024!

Serving Christ with You, Steve and Alberta 

'Period' Persecution 

'Period poverty' is a term used to describe the situation many women find themselves in all over the world - unable to afford feminine hygiene products for their menstrual cycle. There is another even more sinister state for many young women in in poor Asian countries, Period Persecution.  

Young women are told God doesn't hear their prayers during their monthly cycle. They are ostracized during their monthly cycles, sometimes being segregated away to dark sheds and often kept from attending school - all because they are experiencing their normal monthly cycle.  This leads to young girls not being able to keep up at school and becoming prey to human traffickers. 

After studying the outreach model of a cross cultural worker we visited regularly in Nepal, we encouraged one couple in India and another in Bangladesh to adopt this outreach  plan to reach poor young women in their rural locations. By our providing them with funds for sewing machines and fabric, they are now able to make reusable sanitary pads. This gives the young women the freedom and  confidence to attend school regularly without fear or embarrassment. As our friends meet with the girls, they share the love of Jesus with them as well as the beauty of the normal function of a woman's body as God created her. It is such a natural way to generously extend the hope of Christ to this needy 'community'. Pray for Omar and Shana and Raj and Smita (not their real names) as they head up these hope filled outreach ministries.

 Prayer Requests:  

1. Pray for me (Steve) as I have rotator cuff surgery this Thursday on my left (dominant) shoulder. I'm told my left arm will be in a sling for up to 6 weeks followed up by a 'fun' PT program! 

2. Pray for Bethany as they plan for a global conference of all cross cultural workers next May in Turkey. The geo-political landscape is challenging and our leaders need wisdom as they make decisions around this occasion.

3. Alberta is home from the Philippines and Heather is with Krista in Atlanta. Pray for the Knudtsens as we all come together for Christmas.

May the joy of Christ fill your home with His Goodness! 

Serving Christ with you, Steve and Alberta 

 The Beat Goes On 

The heartbeat of training goes on as Alberta continues to travel in the Philippines to facilitate women's ministry seminars. Now in Isabela province, Alberta and her fellow trainer, Emily, are putting in 12 hour days to adapt to the busy schedules of the ladies they are working with. Reception has been great among the trainees as they process their life stories. The staff always has time for personal prayer and encouragement with the trainees. 

Continue to pray for Alberta and her co-facilitator, Emily, as they wrap up this week with the 9 trainees in Cauayan. 

Also, pray for Alberta's multi-legged trip back to the US. She arrives in Atlanta on Dec. 7 as does Heather from Scotland. After a one day mother/daughters reunion, Alberta will fly back to Tennessee Dec. 8. Heather and Krista will follow later in the month.

Other Prayer Requests: 

1. Pray for the two cohorts Alberta's team has been teaching these past 3 weeks as they consider how to use the skills and information they have learned in the "Equipping Women Int." seminars.

2. Pray for our family Christmas celebration as we come together from different parts of the globe. 

Serving Christ with You, Steve and Alberta