Our Last Semester Has Begun

We are 1 week deep into our final semester of training with New Tribes Mission. Our current class is dealing with Health and Wellness. It has been an enlightening time of learning how to be physically prepared now for staying healthy when going for a long stay on a field assignment. With 30 years experience as a foundation which includes 13 years in the field of Senegal, Faye Brown has been a delight to sit with and learn from these past several days. She will be teaching for two more sessions next week and she will return to her home in Pennsylvania where she serves on hospital staff. If ever there was a place where I knew I would receive the best treatment I know it would be where Faye is serving.

As parents we could not ask for a better place to have our children educated than the NTMC Academy on campus. Each of our precious ones has had an exciting time during the last 3 1/2 months of school. Susan has started into the joys of reading - she is happy and growing in her ability by leaps and bounds. Moriah has developed her artistic ability and loves the idea of being able to draw horses. Elijah is becoming quite the athlete, although he is small in stature he makes up for it in quickness and prowess. RJ, is such a joy to watch grow in his understanding of the need for weakness, which shows up for him occasionally. The kids are thriving, I can't say it enough. The best part of the Academy is the teaching staff's heart to see each child grasp that intelligence is what God uses to provide a way for them to understand Him. They desire the best possible spiritual understanding to come from their time at school while they acquire skills at the same time. Jinni and I agree this has been more than we could have ever prayed for our kids, thank You Lord.

With the beginning of this semester comes the inevitable questions, 'What will you do next?'; 'Do you know where you will be serving'; 'What are your plans after you complete the training in Canada?', questions we, too, have been taking to the Lord in seeking wisdom and guidance. Our plans are beginning to formulate in our minds and many conversations have to take place between now and our graduation June 2, 2007, which is oh so close at hand! With that said, we especially are glad for your prayer on our behalf and with us as we look to the Lord for our future. We are privileged to be praying with you, too. Thank you for your ministry to us in the Lord.

This is an exciting time for the Shafer family. We are already getting a greater sense of God's hand upon our lives and His desire to use us in service to Him, seeing the unreached of the world to hear the gospel. As we have sensed all along this journey, we know we have come this far as God's people have upheld us in prayer before our wondrous and gracious Lord. With the knowledge of those praying for us and the timely financial outpourings of family and friends we have been granted the joy of this adventure with God 'at the helm'.