Journals
Posted on April 27, 2021 “How Do You Say Good-bye?”
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Spring 2021 Newsletter

 

Dear Family, Friends, and Ministry Partners,

Greetings in the sweetest name of our Lord, Jesus Christ!  I trust this newsletter finds you all well and healthy.  I hope you are enjoying the SPRING weather!  Praising God for all the things He has done in my life lately and the plans He has for me in the future.  I am so grateful for all of you!  Thank you for your prayers and for your faithful financial support.  Through you, God’s plan is being fulfilled.  God is good and faithful!

Update:

God has faithfully answered most of the request I put before you in my last newsletter.  Praise God!!!  I reached my funding goal of 100%, I accomplished my last training, and I had my medical clearance signed off.  Another prayer was concerning my upcoming departure for language school.  I was hoping I would leave by mid-April. However, I needed to extend my stay here until June due to my parents’ health condition.  My dad is anticipating a surgery this month; and my mom is anticipating a major dental work next month.  I am so grateful I was able to switch my class and will start the next session in June.  I am praising God I can be here for my parents.  Please continue praying for my parent’s health.  We truly serve a loving and living God who hear our prayers and knows what is best for us.  “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9). I am blessed with this opportunity to “honor father and mother” as I continue preparing for departure to the mission field.

Since after my commissioning and achieved 100% funded in February, I have accomplished all requirements to leave for the mission field.  I feel like I’m in a holding stage; but, during this holding stage, I know that God is still at work; He’s working in me, preparing me and preparing my path.  I praise Him each day of my life.  My situation right now is very similar to when I was in the military and we were preparing to leave for our deployment in Iraq.  Before our deployment, we had been preparing for months and months.  We did non-stop of combat training and skill training.  We made sure all our equipment was in working condition.  Several times we had layout inspection to make sure we had everything in our packing list.  But after all that preparations, there was a waiting period.  In that waiting period, one of the things you do is to spend time with your family.  Time for good good-byes.

In this Covid-19 times, how do you say good-bye to your family and friends?  A very good friend of mine left for the mission field not too long ago and because of Covid restrictions, she wasn’t able to visit her family.  Thank God for advanced technology, she was able to video chat with her family.  I praise God I’m with my parents.  So, once again, I am in a holding stage.  During this “holding stage” let me share with you what I have been doing.  I take my parents to their doctor appointments, go get groceries for them, pick up their meds at the pharmacy, prepare meals and wash the dishes, take out the trash, watch game shows on tv with my mom and old western movies with my dad.  I have baked banana bread for my dad and make yummy Filipino desserts and snacks for my mom.  I visit my gramma at the assisted living home.  I get supplies for my gramma and I pay her bills.  I walk my doggy Dori at the lake and sometimes, I take her to the dog park.  Sometimes, when the weather is nice, I ride my bike.  Riding my bike is my alone time with God.  I attend an online Bible Study and group prayer meeting.  Once a month, I help with my Church ministry, feeding the homeless.  Also, my parents’ and I will drive up the mountain and enjoy the beautiful snow-caped mountains before it melts.  This time of the year the mountains here in Montana are gorgeous.

 

As you can probably tell, my “holding stage” is very much like a normal life, but I praise God I am able to honor my parents by being here with and for them.  I am enjoying and cherishing these moments with my parents and gramma.  I will sure miss my family when I leave!  I really don’t want to think of it as a “time for good-byes”, it’s more like “good quality time”, recharging batteries with my family before I head out to the mission field.  God is good!!!

Prayer Requests:

Your prayers are bringing God’s goodness on this wonderful adventure.  Thank you!  Please continue praying for me and my ministry as I pray for you.

· Please pray for Mexico and our MTS students and professors.

· Please pray for all my faithful ministry partners for physical healing.

· Please pray for all International Ministries Missionaries and Staff.

· Please pray for the members of my MPT (Mission Partnership Team) and their families for physical healing.

· Please keep me in your prayers as I prepare for my departure.  I already have my plane ticket for June!

· Please pray for my parents’ and grandmother’s health and prepare their hearts for my departure.

· Please pray for the school/people I will be encountering during my language school.

As I share with you my life’s journey, I would love to hear yours.  I’ve been praying for you.  If you have any specific prayers you would like me to pray, please feel free to email me.  May God bless you and keep you.  Thank you for journeying with me!

Yours in Christ,

Jae