For two days and one night (August 31-September 1) LaMon was privileged to participate in a contemplative retreat with 26 international masters of divinity students and several faculty members. The following is a little of what was shared on Saturday morning.

Nan Lum a first-year student from Burma plans to be a minister. She came to McGilvary College of Divinity in order to experience deep Bible study in an international context. She expressed thanksgiving that during the meditation time the previous evening that God had removed her fears related to her studies at McGilvary.

Danny is a second-year student from Vietnam. He prays regularly for his family, none of whom are Christian. God, through a dream, led him to come to study with us in order to increase his Bible knowledge and his experience. His vision is to be involved in a church planting movement in his country.

Nit is a third-year student from Thailand. She grew up in a Christian family. Her father is a pastor. She has done a lot of translation work and continues to help her family with their ministry. However, she came to realize that she had not really thought enough about what God might want her to do. She thinks that God may be leading her into youth work.

Thanny comes from a non-Christian family in Cambodia. He is a third-year student. At the conclusion of his studies he will return to his home country to pastor and to serve as a national coordinator for his organization. During the meditation time he came to realize that he had misused his tongue. He wants to use his speech to praise God.

Tien is a third-year student from Vietnam. Her father is a pastor and that is not what she wanted to be! Twice she rejected God’s call to the ministry, but God was patient. She has accepted God’s call. At first she thought it would mean studying at McGilvary and then returning to her country perhaps to work with youth or children. However, she feels that God may be leading her to serve another people group. This became a little clearer to her during the evening meditation time.

Remember to pray for these five students and the other 21. Each of them has a personal story about God’s call and direction in their lives. Many of them come from places where it is difficult to openly practice one’s Christian faith. Pray that we at McGilvary will be faithful in teaching and mentoring them so that when they go to their places of service they will be better equipped to minister in the name of Jesus Christ.

We have one other prayer request. Pat has been seeing a doctor and doing physical therapy for over a week now. She has some bone spurs in her vertebrae that are apparently causing shoulder pain. If the physical therapy does not help, she will need to have surgery.

Thank you all for your prayers and your support.

Peace in Christ,

LaMon and Pat Brown
lamonandpatb@yahoo.com