Spring Update 2019
We are so excited to share with you what's going on here at the training center!
First off, let us share a snapshot of some of the classes we have taken this past year:
*CP1 (Church Planting 1--aka our first semester)
Worldview
Stewarding Relationships
Foundation Bible Teaching
Child Safety
Romans 1-5
Families & Education
Form & Meaning
Culture Intro
*CP2 ( Church Planting 2--aka this second semester)
Phonetics and Phonemics
Field Health
Grammar
Honor & Shame
CLA (Culture & Language acquisition) Methodology
Animism
Suffering
Romans 6-8
Folk Religions
continuing Stewarding Relationships
Simple Living (coming up!)
Digital security class (coming up!)
Some Highlights:
We got to share during our Day of Prayer about our family in Florida and their ministries at the Ethnos360 Headquarters. It went so well and we even got to send letters down to the missionaries at the Ethnos360 Retirement Home, aka "The Homes." We loved getting to encourage them and many wrote back to say that our letters came at a vital time and were thankful for us lifting them up in prayer.
The most asked for prayer request from the Home Office is for more skilled laborers that have a desire to serve there. The vast majority of the current missionaries serving at headquarters are within 5 years of the mandatory retirement age. Meaning there will be huge roles that will need to be filled. If you know anyone who is looking to serve in this capacity, please consider sending them our way! We are very passionate about missionaries serving in support roles and would love to share more with them. Also, please pray for more laborers!!
As of right now, we have decided not to take Greek and to possibly take Linguistics next summer. What does this mean?? Well, it means we would be in training for another six months. Please be praying that this is the right decision for our family and ministry!
Simple Living!!
We are about to move out to the woods for 16 days. We will have no technology so you won't be able to reach us until we get back on May 12! If you are in the area and would like to come visit us, you can on May 11th from 1-4 here at the Missionary Training Center Campus.
Or you can send us a letter! The aviation guys have scheduled a "mail drop" just like we would have in the tribe and we will get it while we are out in the woods! Just mail it by May 2nd to:
SOAR
attn: Nathan or Kelsey Brendle
4460 Airport Rd
Bolivar, MO 65613
God is growing us. Thank you so much for supporting us and praying for us as we train for cross-cultural ministry. The Lord has truly been growing us while we have been here. Though it has been hard at times, it has been SO good and we are thankful for this time and thankful to you for your partnership!
Praises:
For clarity about the Greek course. We have decided not to take it!
For this school year coming to a close and for all that we have learned!
Nathan has been given the opportunity to help teach lessons on Wednesday nights at our church here in Missouri! This is such a great way for him to learn and grow in his teaching abilities. He taught over a few chapters in the book of Joshua and will continue to teach throughout our training here. Praise God for this awesome opportunity!
Nathan was in a car wreck last month. He went to Florida for a wedding he was in and the night before the wedding the groomsmen, bridesmaids, and their significant others got hit by a drunk driver. Nathan just had whiplash, but a few of the other passengers had worse injuries (broken leg, ribs, etc.). Praise God for keeping them safe and that no one was more seriously injured!
Prayers:
Please pray for healing for the other guys who were more seriously injured in the car wreck!
Staying an extra 6 months and taking the Linguistics course!
For safety out in Simple Living and that Simeon would adjust well!
For team unity among our Simple Living team and that we would glorify the Lord!
Please continue praying for the field of PNG!
This is our house that we will live in! Nathan has been hard at work wrapping it in plastic and getting it ready for us to move into. I can't wait to share more pictures of what it looks like all finished!
Our team fit the weight and height allowance! We have a mock-flight where the "plane" will fly out all of our food and supplies for our 16 days in simple living and we were 1.5 pounds underweight! Phew. That was close. So thankful for how our team worked together and planned every last detail to make this experience a positive one.
Both our packs weigh 40 pounds and Nathan will be carrying Simeon who is almost 20 pounds! We will hike out to Simple Living which takes about an hour and a half to two hours. Pray for stamina! We will finish setting up camp once we get there so we would love prayer for strength!
This is our classroom while we are at Simple Living. So far we have learned how to use a chainsaw (& safety precautions), how to cut down a tree, how to mill wood freehanded & with an Alaskan saw, how to tie knots, and how to make different types of fire. We have also had some wonderful Stewarding Relationships classes where we are learning how to work well as a team.
A friend and I got to use the Alaskan saw mill! This is like what we will use in the tribe to mill all our wood for our houses. It was HARD work!!!
The fruits of our labor!