Almost over? Hard to believe...

Our kids are nearing the end of their school year. That means they are all preparing for their big end of the year event "Field Day 2007". Each one of them is excited for their own reasons.

Susan knows she will be racing against the bigger girls this year, now that she is finishing Kindergarten. She will be having some of the races of her little life this time, because she will be running against her big sister. Susan knows she will have a chance and that she will have to be prepared to lose well, too. It must be hard racing against your bigger relative. I never had that experience.

Moriah is excited because she has the chance to repeat her specail times from last year and win some more 1st place ribbons. She will not be racing against her friend Anna Lee Oickle this year as Anna Lee is in Senegal with her family, now. Moriah will get to race agains her other classmates though and she is getting ready.

Elijah has his work cut out for him this year. There have been a few boys who have come off the mission field, with their parents, and they are in Elijah's class. They are stiff competitors as Elijah has experienced already this school year. These classmates of his are pretty good athletes and have been at r near the top in everything sport they have shared with Elijah. Elijah is working hard and has already achieved his 40 mile prize for running (he may be a little ahead in that).

RJ is working hard this year at having another good showing. Last year he was up against some pretty tough and older young guys. One of them has passed into the higher bracket of the competitive ranks, but like RJ his friends from last year have grown and developed. They will all be out to top one another (I remember what it was like as a teenage boy).

Jinni and I are also nearing the end of our classes here at the Missionary Training Center(MTC) in Durham. I can hardly believe it has been two years. The last four weeks are going to be JAMM-PACKED with the reamining classes and activities that come with planning a relocation. We are scheduled to graduate on June 2nd, that is less that 35 days away. Is this really almost over?! Yeh, but not over yet.

Our family has experienced so many blessed times since coming here. We have mostly been filled with the vision of seeing every human being have the chance to hear the MIGHTY Gospel message in their heart language. We have come to hear the Great Commission ring louder than ever, "to the uttermost parts of the earth". We are certain that God would have us be a part of His plan to reach those who have never been reached, more than we have ever before. That sense of purpose is one of the richest blessings we've received.

As the Lord brings us to your minds, please pray for our finish. We desire to complete this leg of the race with Him in focus, Him as our life source and sufficient One. We know this is not the end of the race but just this part of the journey with Him; however it must end for there to be more ahead.

2Co 4:5-7
(5)For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake. (6)For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.(7)But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

We thank God for your prayers for us.

in His wondrous care,
Roland (for the family)