April's ups and downs

Bible study
It has been good to reconnect with our brothers and sisters at church. We have especially appreciated the group of young leaders who meet in our home on Monday nights for Bible study. Stephen has been leading studies on James, which they then lead with the people in the youth group on Wednesday nights. Gonzalo and Conny, two members of the group, are getting married on May 15.

Our home group

Accident
We are sad to report that Rebecca had a bad accident in the car on Thursday evening, hitting a pedestrian. He suffered a badly broken leg and concussion. There will be a court case in the coming months, and in the meantime Rebecca can't drive. We would greatly value your prayers for the injured man, as well as for us as we process the trauma, and for Rebecca when she has to manage on public transport with all the children.

Give thanks...

• For the renewing of relationships at church.
• For fun and encouragement on Monday nights with our Bible study group.

Please Pray...

• For our Bible study group members to grow in their understanding of the Bible.
• For Gonzalo and Conny as they get married on May 15.
• For the man injured in the accident.
• For us as we process the trauma of the accident and all its implications.
• For Stephen as he preaches for the next 3 weeks at our church.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. -- James 1:2-3

March 2010 newsletter

You can download our March newsletter here (either as a small PDF or a larger one for high-quality printing).

This is our first full newsletter after the earthquake - and CEP classes have also started for the year (yes, the CEP is still standing!). We would love to know you are praying - we already know many are.

A collapsed shop front 500m down the road from our place, 27 Feb.

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!