NEW START PRAYERS

Dear prayerful friends and family,


One of our convictions is that we live in the Acts 29 season of eternity.   Acts 28 closes with an awkward ending.   Paul is under Roman house arrest preaching the Gospel.   What happens next?  Is he released?   What fruit is born from his preaching?   We can conjecture from Paul’s letters, but we think the Holy Spirit leaves us with a clear point.   There will be seasons of mystery.   The task is unfinished.   Thus we pray.   Thus we preach.   Thus we wait in hope.


During this season in which we answered a call of God to return to the United States to serve the Diaspora of Africa’s Great Lakes we have repeatedly read Luke and Acts.   (For review of who are the Diaspora see http://jenkinsinrwanda.blogspot.com/2012/11/pray-for-diaspora-of-africas-great-lakes.html.)   In this reading we find great similarity to our entering of Chicago, and Paul entering Corinth (Acts 18.)  

Our community is convinced we have been called to another continent just as Paul’s team was convinced of the Macedonian Call in Acts 16.


Yet, like Paul our financial support is declining and we are practically without a team of colleagues and friends in close proximity (Acts 18 – Paul in Corinth.)   

However, we sense just like Paul the Lord is speaking to us in Chicago,

“Do not be afraid, but keep on speaking and do not give up, for I am with you. No one will be able to harm you, for many in this city are my people.” (Acts 18:9-10. Good News Translation.)”

This month we request you pray as Paul’s team likely prayed for him as he entered Corinth:

1.  Pray that we’ll find new friends like Aquila and Priscilla:  Those with whom we share a similar cultural and faith understanding.  Those with whom we can find a common way to make a living.   Those with whom we can mentor and nurture into a new ministry.

2.   Pray that like Paul we’ll be joined by those like Silas and Timothy who can lighten our load as the forming community needs us to teach and shepherd more.

3.   Pray that like Paul we’ll find good soil in the hearts of people such as Titius Justus and Crispus who can share living and leading with us.

Thank you for your prayers that sustain our family and ministry,

Mungu akubariki (God bless you),

Dave and Jana

P.S. For more reading on what life is like as missionary to the Diaspora of Africa’s Great Lakes in Chicago check out: http://jenkinsinrwanda.blogspot.com/2012/11/everything-i-needed-to-know-about.html.

P.S.S. For more reading on the shifts in contemporary missions discussions check out: http://jenkinsinrwanda.blogspot.com/2012/11/why-puzzle-in-contemporary-missions.html