Thursday, January 29, 2009
blech
Please pray for my health. On Monday evening, my throat was feeling a little sore or scratchy. It got a little worse Tuesday, and by yesterday, it was affecting how much I wanted to talk. Yesterday congestion started as well, so it seems to be a full blown cold. Pray that it won't progress any further and that I could get appropriate rest to get over it. Pray for a balance of relying on God's strength to power through to still meet with people and of recognizing and taking opportunities that he's giving me for rest and recovery. Pray that I'd be relying on him and seeking him in all cases.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Follow Up
Please Pray for:
Follow up: I'm finally just going to do it. I've got an appointment for tomorrow morning (Tuesday) with a student named Jorge who I was hoping to follow up with as Christmas break started. He felt sick that day and didn't make it, and I've finally managed to set up tomorrow to talk to him. I originally told him I'd like to hear about his church background and I pray for the opportunity to take the resulting conversation deeper to really talk about the character of God and knowing him. I texted another student, Rafa, to see if I could talk to him on Friday, but I have not heard back from him. Pray that God would be at work in both of their lives and hearts, and that he'd use my intentionality in seeking them out to bring about his transformation.
Please continue to pray for:
Follow up: Even as I feel like I'm finally at least making a start, there's part of me that still doesn't feel like I know what I'm doing and is a little afraid that I'll somehow screw it up and botch this person's chance at being drawn to a real life changing relationship with Christ. That's silly because it's the Holy Spirit that is at work in them and in me, and it's not my job to make any change happen, but I guess I sometimes get concerned that I'll get too caught up in trying to be systematic and will fail to care enough. Enough for what is a good question, the most obvious seeming answer being to cause the change, which gets me right back to needing to remember it's ultimately God at work and not me. I guess ultimately that's a request that I care for the people that I meet like Christ cares for them, and that I wouldn't see them as a bullet point on a to-do list, or simply another task as part of my job.
Wart remains: I still haven't gotten to the doctor to have the is-it-scar-tissue-or-is-it-wart-making-a-come-back spot on my knuckle looked at. Continued prayer for healing would be appreciated.
Congreso: Having worked on a few things in preparation for Congreso today, it has reentered my mind that prayer for God to provide our every need for Congreso is really important. Pray for him to provide so much that all students could go free of charge and experience 100% gracia 100% gratis (100% grace 100% free). Please also join me in consistently praying for over 60 students to go to this year's Congreso from Valencia.
Praise God:
Movement meeting: It went well, did not go too long, and we got some good feedback from students as well as getting a general idea of what events we'll be doing this semester. That was good for both us and the students to have.
Discipleship: Even though I didn't feel like I had really good direction going into my discipleship meetings last week, I came out of the week feeling like I all the meetings went really well. I felt like I had relevant things to speak into the guys' lives even though I hadn't necessarily planned them, and that all parties walked away edified.
Safe travel: Sarah's parents got here fine. It appears they are enjoying their time here. If you can pray for their safe travel home on Friday, that would be appreciated.
Follow up: I'm finally just going to do it. I've got an appointment for tomorrow morning (Tuesday) with a student named Jorge who I was hoping to follow up with as Christmas break started. He felt sick that day and didn't make it, and I've finally managed to set up tomorrow to talk to him. I originally told him I'd like to hear about his church background and I pray for the opportunity to take the resulting conversation deeper to really talk about the character of God and knowing him. I texted another student, Rafa, to see if I could talk to him on Friday, but I have not heard back from him. Pray that God would be at work in both of their lives and hearts, and that he'd use my intentionality in seeking them out to bring about his transformation.
Please continue to pray for:
Follow up: Even as I feel like I'm finally at least making a start, there's part of me that still doesn't feel like I know what I'm doing and is a little afraid that I'll somehow screw it up and botch this person's chance at being drawn to a real life changing relationship with Christ. That's silly because it's the Holy Spirit that is at work in them and in me, and it's not my job to make any change happen, but I guess I sometimes get concerned that I'll get too caught up in trying to be systematic and will fail to care enough. Enough for what is a good question, the most obvious seeming answer being to cause the change, which gets me right back to needing to remember it's ultimately God at work and not me. I guess ultimately that's a request that I care for the people that I meet like Christ cares for them, and that I wouldn't see them as a bullet point on a to-do list, or simply another task as part of my job.
Wart remains: I still haven't gotten to the doctor to have the is-it-scar-tissue-or-is-it-wart-making-a-come-back spot on my knuckle looked at. Continued prayer for healing would be appreciated.
Congreso: Having worked on a few things in preparation for Congreso today, it has reentered my mind that prayer for God to provide our every need for Congreso is really important. Pray for him to provide so much that all students could go free of charge and experience 100% gracia 100% gratis (100% grace 100% free). Please also join me in consistently praying for over 60 students to go to this year's Congreso from Valencia.
Praise God:
Movement meeting: It went well, did not go too long, and we got some good feedback from students as well as getting a general idea of what events we'll be doing this semester. That was good for both us and the students to have.
Discipleship: Even though I didn't feel like I had really good direction going into my discipleship meetings last week, I came out of the week feeling like I all the meetings went really well. I felt like I had relevant things to speak into the guys' lives even though I hadn't necessarily planned them, and that all parties walked away edified.
Safe travel: Sarah's parents got here fine. It appears they are enjoying their time here. If you can pray for their safe travel home on Friday, that would be appreciated.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Thursday movement meeting and other details
Please pray for:
Movement meeting: Thursday we'll be getting together with the students to talk about a concept of "transformational community" and how we really want to see one develop this semester. We'll also be talking about some specific events we're hoping to see and how we hope they'll help toward that goal. Please pray for focus and clarity in communication. Meetings with students that focused on the movement as whole have in the past had a propensity for tangents that prolong meetings and distract from the original purpose. Pray that God's direction would really be presented and that students would be excited to get on board with it.
Discipleship: I've got meetings this week with my disciples, but I've been wondering a little bit about what exact ground I should be covering with them. Pray for continued guidance and discernment and attentiveness to areas where I can help foster growth.
Wart remains: I had a wart frozen off several times in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. On my last visit to the dermatologist, it seemed that the wart was dead and all that remained left to do was allow time for full healing. It's now been two months, and I'm beginning to wonder if the skin on the affected knuckle looks funny because it is scar tissue or because the wart is returning. I had hoped to finally return to the doctor today to have it looked at, but I didn't make it and probably won't have time until next Monday. Pray that it really is just scar tissue and that it continues healing and start looking less suspicious.
Safe travel: My teammmate Sarah's parents are coming down to visit for a week, arriving this Friday. Pray that they'd have safe travel, a quick recuperation from the time in transit, and an enjoyable stay.
Movement meeting: Thursday we'll be getting together with the students to talk about a concept of "transformational community" and how we really want to see one develop this semester. We'll also be talking about some specific events we're hoping to see and how we hope they'll help toward that goal. Please pray for focus and clarity in communication. Meetings with students that focused on the movement as whole have in the past had a propensity for tangents that prolong meetings and distract from the original purpose. Pray that God's direction would really be presented and that students would be excited to get on board with it.
Discipleship: I've got meetings this week with my disciples, but I've been wondering a little bit about what exact ground I should be covering with them. Pray for continued guidance and discernment and attentiveness to areas where I can help foster growth.
Wart remains: I had a wart frozen off several times in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. On my last visit to the dermatologist, it seemed that the wart was dead and all that remained left to do was allow time for full healing. It's now been two months, and I'm beginning to wonder if the skin on the affected knuckle looks funny because it is scar tissue or because the wart is returning. I had hoped to finally return to the doctor today to have it looked at, but I didn't make it and probably won't have time until next Monday. Pray that it really is just scar tissue and that it continues healing and start looking less suspicious.
Safe travel: My teammmate Sarah's parents are coming down to visit for a week, arriving this Friday. Pray that they'd have safe travel, a quick recuperation from the time in transit, and an enjoyable stay.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Call it a new year's resolution
Please pray for:
Consistency in communication: Sometime in the last couple months, I sat down to think about goals I want to pursue, things that I want to be true in my life. One of those is being in better communication with people. That means taking the time to call friends at home, but it also means being more consistent to post prayer requests here. With the new schedule that we've set up, I think I can be consistent with posting on Mondays. Now I have a day to post regularly. Pray that I'd stick to it.
The schedule: we made several adjustments to our weekly schedule over the break, but I think it will be good for us. It reflects realities of Venezuela, and gives us a better flexibility in the afternoon, and much fewer evenings dominated by language lessons. It even factors in time to work on things ahead of time, so definitely pray that I utilize that well (old procrastinating habits from college die hard...). Also, this week is a little topsy turvy with our team leaders coming back midway through the week from a retreat, moving our staff meeting and rearranging a few schedule elements. Pray for their safe travel and for smooth schedule rearranging.
Praise God for:
Our internet: Having not posted in a while, I see the last post was about the internet. I think we got it about a week and a half later. I recall it being something like November 12th because I think I remember it still possible to consider it a gift to correspond to my birthday on the 11th.
I'll leave it at that for now. Hopefully more next Monday if not sooner.
Consistency in communication: Sometime in the last couple months, I sat down to think about goals I want to pursue, things that I want to be true in my life. One of those is being in better communication with people. That means taking the time to call friends at home, but it also means being more consistent to post prayer requests here. With the new schedule that we've set up, I think I can be consistent with posting on Mondays. Now I have a day to post regularly. Pray that I'd stick to it.
The schedule: we made several adjustments to our weekly schedule over the break, but I think it will be good for us. It reflects realities of Venezuela, and gives us a better flexibility in the afternoon, and much fewer evenings dominated by language lessons. It even factors in time to work on things ahead of time, so definitely pray that I utilize that well (old procrastinating habits from college die hard...). Also, this week is a little topsy turvy with our team leaders coming back midway through the week from a retreat, moving our staff meeting and rearranging a few schedule elements. Pray for their safe travel and for smooth schedule rearranging.
Praise God for:
Our internet: Having not posted in a while, I see the last post was about the internet. I think we got it about a week and a half later. I recall it being something like November 12th because I think I remember it still possible to consider it a gift to correspond to my birthday on the 11th.
I'll leave it at that for now. Hopefully more next Monday if not sooner.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Internet and Discipleship
Please pray for:
Internet: We went and filled out the paperwork to get internet in our apartments exactly one month ago today. They had said something about a 3 week wait for cable modems, but then 2 hours after we missed a text message at 6:30am (somewhere around week two, two and a half), the technician said he'd already installed the modems elsewhere and was once again out. I called the company a week later, and then finally went in and talked to them in the office a few days later (I think Tuesday of this last week). They took my information again and said we should be getting a call from the technician this week. We didn't, and so we are still without reliable internet in our apartment (I say reliable because we can get one 5-minute trial per day of one signal and can occasionally get other stray wifi connections, which probably aren't that secure). In any event, please pray that we'd hear from the technician this next week and have internet installed in our apartment by Friday at the latest.
Discipleship: we are finally starting some formal discipleship relationships. This last week I met with 3 different guys (Ingve, Samuel, and Gustavo) to try to nail down regular times to meet with them. Please pray for another few that I haven't been able to meet with and that I don't know yet if they want discipleship (Anthony, Deivids, and Alan). Also please pray for relevancy in the material we cover, that God would use these interactions to draw both them and me deeper into his love and plan, and that the guys would be able to take what we do and model it into discipleship relationships of their own in the future, hopefully before this STINT year is over (if you feel like asking for something seemingly ridiculous or on a level that only God can bring about, pray that they'd be ready by the start of classes in January after the Christmas vacation).
Internet: We went and filled out the paperwork to get internet in our apartments exactly one month ago today. They had said something about a 3 week wait for cable modems, but then 2 hours after we missed a text message at 6:30am (somewhere around week two, two and a half), the technician said he'd already installed the modems elsewhere and was once again out. I called the company a week later, and then finally went in and talked to them in the office a few days later (I think Tuesday of this last week). They took my information again and said we should be getting a call from the technician this week. We didn't, and so we are still without reliable internet in our apartment (I say reliable because we can get one 5-minute trial per day of one signal and can occasionally get other stray wifi connections, which probably aren't that secure). In any event, please pray that we'd hear from the technician this next week and have internet installed in our apartment by Friday at the latest.
Discipleship: we are finally starting some formal discipleship relationships. This last week I met with 3 different guys (Ingve, Samuel, and Gustavo) to try to nail down regular times to meet with them. Please pray for another few that I haven't been able to meet with and that I don't know yet if they want discipleship (Anthony, Deivids, and Alan). Also please pray for relevancy in the material we cover, that God would use these interactions to draw both them and me deeper into his love and plan, and that the guys would be able to take what we do and model it into discipleship relationships of their own in the future, hopefully before this STINT year is over (if you feel like asking for something seemingly ridiculous or on a level that only God can bring about, pray that they'd be ready by the start of classes in January after the Christmas vacation).
Monday, October 27, 2008
October Prayer Letter
Dear Friends,Three Sundays ago, my alarm went off at 2:15 am, signaling the start of my part of the Fall Break Merida trip. Four hours later, I was in the Caracas airport, welcoming Christine and Ashley to Venezuela. Even though their trip had started Saturday morning, they still chose to go to church with us. It was the first of many instances in which these girls from University of Portland demonstrated their character and trusted God with the details. It made for a great week.
Later that day, we had “Christmas in October,” opening the suitcase of rare-to-Venezuela-goodies that my mom had sent down with the girls. We started our week-long study of Galatians, covered schedule details, and then spent some time together as one big team, eating dinner and talking. Monday, we went to Universidad de Carabobo here in Valencia and the girls got their first experience sharing in Venezuela, striking up spiritual conversations and presenting the gospel. During that time, Ashley saw a guy and a girl pray to receive Christ as their personal savior. That night Sarah, Ashley, Christine and I got on an overnight bus and embarked for Merida.
Once in Merida Tuesday, we went up to the humanities campus and met with Keren, one of the student directors of the Merida ministry. After a time of worship and fellowship with another Christian group on campus, we once again went out sharing. Christine paired up with Keren, and while sharing, saw another girl pray to receive Christ. We finished out our day with another student-led activity: a prayer walk around the university grounds. On Wednesday, the girls handed out weekly meeting flyers and continued to meet Merida students during the games, worship time, and teaching time of the meeting itself. That night at a fiesta, after playing games, dancing, and talking more with students, both girls were asked to give their testimonies. Even though it was really impromptu and hard to hear over the torrential rain outside, both did an awesome job of sharing their stories. After a typical round of Venezuelan goodbyes (hugs/cheek kisses to every girl and handshakes/hugs between guys) to everybody in the room, we ran through the pouring rain, crossed a few shallow rivers (aka streets), and finally caught a taxi back to our hostel. Thursday, after an early lunch of arepas with the student leaders (arepa: traditional Venezuelan cornmeal pocket/patty), we went sharing on the technical campus where, as I translated for Ashley, we saw one more girl accept Christ.
Friday morning we arrived back in Valencia, and the girls had a relaxed day as our STINT team met with the student leaders here to plan for a few weeks. Saturday we went to a nearby beach and a spent a little time debriefing about the week and a lot of time enjoying God’s creation. Then, early Sunday morning, we were once again in Caracas, this time to see the girls off to Oregon. As the girls left us to go through security, I felt a deep sense of affirmation that the trip went well. While there were a few learning moments for me, I felt like I engaged and initiated throughout the trip and did not hold anything back. In short, I would not change a thing, and I am incredibly encouraged by the fruit of the trip. Christine and Ashley felt accepted by our team, they connected with the students in Merida, and God changed lives through their being here. I feel like that is exactly what I had hoped to see, and God made it happen. To Him be the glory. In his grip, ~Eben
Please Pray:
-For wisdom and time for filling out reimbursements for Merida trip expenses; that it would process quickly.
-For God’s continued work in those we shared with, especially that they could connect with other Christians.
-For our STINT team as we start establishing discipleship relationships; that what we relay would be relevant, and that we would develop a fully functional method for us and for students to follow up with new believers.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Merida Trip
The two girls coming down from University of Portland (Christine and Ashley) to go help in Merida for the week arrived this morning. It's been a long first day, so please pray for their/our rest and energy for this week. Pray that God's vision would be cast in this trip, and for safety in all the traveling we'll be doing. We're overnight busing to Merida tomorrow (Monday) night, and coming back on another overnight bus on Thursday. Pray for a fruitful time in Merida, and for good connections to be made and for the student leaders to be able to follow them up. Also pray for Friday as we'll be meeting again with students here in Valencia to continue planning for the first 6 weeks of classes. Pray for our debrief activities for the UP girls Saturday, and their safe journey home Sunday, that they would return to their classes rested, ready, and radically met by God.
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