Off To Christmas Eve Service
We’re currently sitting on the couch of our 8th floor flat with a nice breeze rolling in through our porch. Once again we find ourselves surrounded by moving boxes. This time our move is from the east side of Singapore island to the west side, about 35km, to get within walking distance to the international school our children attend.
Our kids are being resilient as we take in the last few memories of our current residence and get set to figure out living in a new part of town. A new grocery store, new food stalls, new neighbors, new bus routes and new aunties and uncles to befriend. Of course, there have been bumps along the way, a difficult landlord, procedures that seem obscure/unnecessary and fears that mom and dad will throw out all the toys instead of packing them.
Having arrived one year ago in Singapore with 10 suitcases and three young kids, we are amazed how God has grown us as followers of Jesus, as a family and as missionaries. We’ve been forced into dependence on God and each other as we’ve navigated the stress of adjusting to a foreign environment. The hardest part has been loneliness and feelings of isolation at various times paired with the emotional intensity of constantly initiating to become known in a culture that is often reserved and transactional.
On the homefront we’ve made some friends, integrated into a church and enjoyed exploring all the sights and sounds of Singapore, especially the playgrounds - one even has 26 slides! Going to bed tonight the kids were singing songs in Mandarin Chinese, cementing their hard work in acquiring a second language.
On the mission front, we travelled to 15+ countries to serve, equip and learn from indigenous missionaries. This included Japan, Indonesia, Thailand and India, some of the least Christian and hardest to reach places with the gospel on the earth. Our greatest joy is helping local leaders access tools and strategies they could never otherwise have access to and then watching them reach their local sphere of influence. Our proximity in the region enables this.
As the year draws to a close, our dashboards show over 185 million people from 240+ countries and territories have engaged in some way on our websites and apps. Behind each of those numbers is a name and each name has a story and every story matters to God. A highlight was working behind the scenes to give the leadership lift necessary so that 500,000 people heard a clear gospel presentation through the online streaming of Singapore’s Celebration of Hope events.
All of this wouldn't happen without you. Your prayers and sacrificial giving are making an eternal impact among the last, the lost and the least. We get to experience it first-hand, you are enabling it. Your partnership in the gospel is deeply valued.
We could write you ten pages about all the opportunities ahead in 2020. Leaders in Pakistan, India, Vietnam are asking for help. The 2020 Olympics in Tokyo are a major push. Hundreds of thousands are virtually knocking on our door each day and we’re working hard to show them the true hope found in Jesus.
2019 was an expensive year for us on mission in Asia and leading globally. The opportunities in 2020 will be demanding. If you’d like to help us get started on the right foot in 2020, we welcome your partnership.
Thank you for continuing to stand with us in leading the next generation of digital missions into 2020.
Our New Address:
46 Lakeside Dr
10-11 The Lakefront Residences
Singapore 648324
Photos below:
Merry Christmas from our family
Christmas Morning at 30 degrees C
Christmas traditions in the tropics
