Sheads in Shorts!

The last four months in Australia have been a time of rich blessing and refreshment -- although at the moment we are missing Santiago's more moderate summer weather! We have now finished our period of church deputations, and are frantically preparing for CMS Summer School in Katoomba.

Our time sharing with supporters was a constant encouragement! As another year draws to a close, we thank you again for your love and prayers, your generosity, and your partnership with us in the great worldwide rescue mission which began 2000 years ago in a feeding trough in Bethlehem. Merry Christmas!

Our children have had a great time getting to know
their cousins again (or for the first time)

Dates for your diary
2-8 Jan: CMS Summer School. Why not come for a day?
Sat 6 Feb: Our commissioning service. 3pm, St Paul's Carlingford

Give thanks...

• For an encouraging time with churches and supporters
• For another year of fruitful labour at the CEP, and for the growth and learning that we saw in the students

Please pray...

• For our preparation for CMS Summer School, and that the entire conference would bring glory to God
• That Stephen will complete the work he needs to do in the coming weeks
• For a relaxing holiday after Summer School, before we return to Chile

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. -- 1 John 4:10

Thankfulness mixed with sadness

So much to be thankful for!
We arrived safely in Sydney and have enjoyed the opportunity to reconnect with many people. Ben had a rough landing, breaking his arm after just 2 days, but it has healed well. The boys are happy at school, renewing old friendships and forming new ones.

We have also enjoyed our time with two of our link churches, first at Sylvania and then at Tea Gardens and Bulahdelah. It has been very encouraging spending time with people who who have been praying for us and helping to provide for our material needs for the last 4 years. We are about to have some time off over the school holidays, then we will visit our other five supporting churches.

Sad news
After his long battle with cancer, former CEP student Danilo Hueche went to be with the Lord on Sept. 15. He was joyful in his faith to the end. Thank you for your prayers for him, and please continue to pray for his family as they mourn his passing.


Give thanks...

• For safe travel and happy renewing of relationships in Australia.
• That Ben's broken arm has healed well.
• That the children have settled well into their new home and school.
• For encouraging times with supporting churches.

Please Pray...

• For Danilo's family and friends as they grieve.
• A refreshing family holiday over the next two weeks.
• For strengthened partnerships with our supporting churches and individuals as we continue visiting.

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? ... But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. -- 1 Corinthians 15:55, 57

Exciting conversations ... just before we leave!

Exciting conversations
A couple of weeks ago, we spent a very happy afternoon with Veronica, Rebecca’s old language tutor. She recently returned to Santiago after spending a year working in another city. She was very excited to tell us that her sister had just lent her a book which had transformed her understanding of God’s grace in Christ. The book was the Spanish version of Ray Galea’s “Nothing in my Hand I Bring”. She came to church with us, along with her two sisters, and is very keen to keep going and learn more.

We have also had some great discussions with B and E, the parents of Ben’s school friend, as we have worked through Mark’s gospel. Last week they also reached a turning point in understanding grace.

Veronica with the book

Sydney, here we come!
We are currently in the crazy final stages of packing, and trying to see our friends here to say goodbye. We leave at 11pm on Tuesday and arrive in Sydney on Thursday morning.

Give thanks...

• For exciting conversations with both Veronica and B & E about God’s grace and forgiveness through Jesus, and for Veronica’s eagerness to join a Bible-teaching church and keep learning more.

Please pray...

• For B & E as we try to tackle some tricky issues with them, just as we are leaving the country! Pray that God would open their hearts and minds and that they would respond wholeheartedly to Jesus’ call.
• For our adjustment to life in Sydney, and for the boys as they say goodbye to their friends and settle in to a new school (in English!).

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith. -- Eph. 2:8

4 weeks and counting

We are all starting to feel excited about coming to Sydney. Praise God for providing a family to rent our apartment for the time we are in Australia! We are only waiting for final approval from the church office here. This means we have very little packing to do, and has greatly reduced the burden we feel as we prepare to leave.

The CEP students have just done their mid-year exams, and Stephen now has a big pile of marking.

The challenge of exam marking: Deciphering the handwriting!

The school holidays have begun -- it has been a long semester, 19 weeks without a break. We have been blessed with good health for the most part, and are looking forward to the slower pace of the holidays.

Unfortunately several times sickness has prevented us meeting with our friends to read the Bible. Please pray for everyone to be healthy, and that we will make progress with our reading and discussion of Mark's gospel.

Give thanks...

• For God's provision of a family to stay in our apartment.
• That God has sustained us through the long semester.

Please pray...

• For good health so that we can meet with our friends who are keen to learn more about Jesus, and that they will put their trust in Him.
• For our preparations to travel to Australia, and especially for the children to know God's faithfulness as they cope with the changes ahead.
• For an urban mission across Santiago next week. Stephen is running workshops on discipling for team members.

"The Spirit is the One who gives life. The flesh doesn’t help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life." -- John 6:6

June newsletter

We have just sent out our June newsletter, which you can download as a PDF here (or as a high-resolution version for printing here).

CEP mission team in Quilpué

Highlights are:

• A report on CEP missions to various parts of the country.
• The chance to share the message of Jesus with friends from school.
• Plans for returning to Australia for 6 months of "home assignment."

Enjoy reading ... oh, and please don't forget to pray!

Technology and Teaching

Technology woes
In the last few months we have had a series of computer problems, and have had to waste a lot of time trying to get them fixed. At the moment we have no working computer in the house - which is why this Sheads in Short comes to you as a "low tech" edition!

Teaching challenges
The latest round of computer problems is badly timed for Stephen, because this week he begins teaching a new course on Deuteronomy at the CEP, on top of his current load. The preparation is still tiring and time-consuming for him in Spanish, but the classes themselves have been very rewarding, and the students are very enthusiastic about the things they are learning.

Pastors and preaching
One of the subjects Stephen is currently teaching is a course on James for Anglican pastors. The idea of the CEP courses for pastors is to help them keep studying and learning, and also to maintain and strengthen the ties between the CEP and the Anglican churches in Santiago. Stephen has been very encouraged by the level of interest and keen participation of the pastors.

As well as his course, Stephen has had opportunities to get to know a number of Anglican pastors and churches in recent weeks, and is receiving many invitations to preach around the place.

Give thanks...

• For the chances we have had to visit churches and build relationships with pastors, and for the invitations Stephen has had to preach.
• For the encouragement and enthusiasm of the pastors who come to Stephen's course on James.

Please pray...

• For a quick resolution to our computer problems.
• For energy and enthusiasm for the whole family: there are no school holidays between March and July, and everyone is feeling quite tired.
• For good health in the cold weather, which has suddenly arrived, and for an improvement in various allergies that we are suffering from.

How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path of sinners, or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the LORD's instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. -- Psalm 1:1-2

More new students!

Classes at the CEP have begun in earnest, now with 10 new full-time students and around 12 part-time. The classroom is only just big enough to fit everyone—what a wonderful problem to have! At the moment Stephen is teaching Biblical Theology, and this week he will begin teaching the first of the CEP evening classes.

CEP students and faculty (well, most of them) for 2009 - click for bigger image

Unfortunately, just before classes began, Stephen’s laptop computer stopped working. He is working around it at the moment, but it has made life more complicated.

… and returning students
The boys have settled back in to school very happily. We celebrated 2 birthdays in February—thank you to everyone who sent cards and messages.

We want to thank you for your generous support of us through CMS, despite the financial crisis. We pray that God will provide for all your needs and ours, as you continue to give generously!

Give thanks...

• For the new and returning students at the CEP this year.
• For the boys’ happy start to school, especially Tristan in Kinder.
• For our ongoing partnership with you through CMS.

Please pray...

• For Stephen’s class preparation and continuing work on his thesis for publication, especially without his laptop.
• For the Sunday School at our church (classes began for the year on Mar 15). Pray that the children will grow in their understanding and love of God. Pray that the teachers will be faithful and enthusiastic.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 2 Cor 9:6