The husbands and the wives

I got home from the mountains Friday after visiting my sister and brother in law there, and it has kind of hit me that my husband is out of the country for 2 more weeks. *twiddles thumbs*

I really....REALLY miss him. The longest we've been separated before was for 10 days when he went to Ukraine last year. The wives of the mission team guys were invited to eat lunch and visit together yesterday after church. We went to Brenda's house and had a great time visiting and praying for each other. It seems two of the wives have received phone calls, so the other three of us were feeling a little bit gipped and to be honest, jealous. ;)

This morning I got a call from Charles. lol I think word got around. I know they care and are missing us, but we women folk wanted a little tangible evidence! However it came about, it was great to just be able to talk to him and feel connected for a few minutes.

They are all holding up very well. No one is sick or having any physical ailments except for Kris, who is having some sinus, maybe allergies. The men went hunting Sunday night.

Adventures The missionary family there, the Dinas, always hunt for their meat. The only other meat available there is fish and on special occasions, chicken, which they raise themselves. The people there also raise their own rice, which is their staple meal, along with some vegetables. So the mission team went with John Dina to hunt. Charles used to hunt with his dad, but had never shot much of anything bigger than a squirrel, until we lived in northern Arizona. He got an elk tag one year and shot a young elk cow. But on Sunday night he shot a local antelope-type animal there called a Duiker and a rabbit. The men ate part of the duiker and then gave the rest to some townspeople, who were glad to have it.

Charles told me that he is not sure they are getting through to the people, and he thinks God is working on the team in more ways than they are probably influencing the people there. But it may just be a cultural misinterpretation. John Dina's mother was at our lunch yesterday and told us when she went there to visit, the people just stare at you, as a white person, they give no feedback like Americans do. They listen, staring blankly at you and take you in. So it can be hard to know what their impressions are.

The team is doing a retreat for pastors at a conference center about an hour from the Dina's home. They will have a full schedule for several days with teaching and traveling. Today they had a day of rest, which they really needed and appreciated.

Prayer needs:
~Strength, endurance and energy for the men
~Cross cultural understanding and deep learning
~Real spiritual growth as well as practical learning for these pastors who have little access to Bible teaching for themselves and are basically new Christians themselves.

Thanks so much!