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Dear Family and Friends,
Stepping into the second month of 2018, we pr*y that our Father continues to lead you and guide you to a deeper relationship with Him.
After more than half of our 1-year home assignment has gone, we took a short visit to the field in December. Meanwhile, over two hundred brothers and sisters were serving together to prepare for Chr*stmas celebration events. We are thankful that those events are usually powerful witness of Chr*st in the community every year. Nevertheless, it is not rare that spiritual warfare happens fiercely in the congregation at the same time. In G*d’s grace, Chr*stmas celebration events and baptismal services were held successfully and the Lord continues to bring people to know Him. During our visit, we seized opportunity to encourage brothers and sisters standing firm in their faith and walking in the truth. Moreover, we brought them comfort as another pastor had just announced his leaving the ch*rch earlier the same month. Besides field visit, we are grateful to have a brief reunion with Nick’s mother and some of his siblings in Hong Kong as well during this Asia trip.
In the second week of January, we got a privilege to participate in a retreat for m*ssi*naries, namely DAR (Debriefing and Renewal), held in the States. We thank G*d that He led us into many reflective meditations, restful moments, and rejuvenating processes. Especially through every heart-to-heart sharing among more than 20 participating m*ssi*nary families serving all over the world, both of us were comforted, encouraged, and inspired in interactive fellowships, as well as tranquil contemplation on the Word of G*d. It helped us to reflect on many past intercultural experiences on the field, find rest in J*sus Chr*st in the midst of deputation engagements during home assignment, and discern G*d’s will to focus our ministries of the next term of m*ssi*nary service. In particular, Nick was greatly inspired in the discussion about re-entry cultural adjustments and the freedom of service to the Lord while Iris was firmly reminded that we have to take a break in the Lord in order to keep spiritually healthy.
Right after the retreat, we were very delighted to visit one of our friends in Loveland, Colorado, who has been partnering with our ministries throughout all these years. We praised the Lord together and enjoyed the fellowship very much.
In the last week of January, we took a break and had solitude time with the Lord after 8 months of home assignment. Our physical, mental, and spiritual strength were refreshed. In the coming few months, we invite you to pr*y for our continuing deputation engagements in North America as well as His wisdom and strength to us for preparation of our next term of service.
In addition, please pr*y that G*d provides His servants to serve with us together in East Asia:
nabonmission.org/get-involved/missionary-job-openings.
Last but not least, we sincerely appreciate your continuing partnership with pr*yers and all kinds of support to our ministries. Your walking with us in the m*ssi*n journey means a lot to us. Thank YOU so much!
Your m*ssi*naries,
Nick and Iris