Michi and Manu have already been in Asia-Pacific for two years. If everything goes according to plan, they will move in a couple of weeks’ time. Their new home will be in a small town. Although they are ‘only’ moving within the country, the distance means they will have to adjust to a different dialect and a very different culture.
As they look back on the last two years, they have experienced so much that fills their heart with thankfulness! They thank God that He has enabled them to make good progress in learning the language. There are no other families from the mission living where they will locate, so they are pretty much reduced to speaking the national language and it is God’s work in them that has made them confident in doing that too.
The move will also involve saying goodbye again. They feel at home here in their current location and will miss life and many people there.
They need to continue with and complete their language and culture studies. In the meantime, they will try to get a better understanding of their future ministry and the opportunities. Their tasks are not yet defined but there will certainly be a variety of different tasks. There is an ‘Asrama’ (a youth-house) for teenagers/young adults who complete their schooling in the city. Many villages nowadays have primary schools, but not many secondary schools. It is not Michi and Manu’s plan to make running the youth centre as their main task, but they definitely want to become part of the young people’s lives. Above all, they want to build good relationships with those who work with the young people and support them in teaching the next generation.
Churches in this area are strong when it comes to spreading the Gospel. They have many projects running in which they tell other villages about the saving message of Jesus. However, they need encouragement in discipleship – especially the discipleship of the next generation (children and youth work).
When Michi had the chance to attend a Bible conference in one of the villages earlier this month, the leaders of the churches there clearly expressed a desire to be supported and guided in this area. There is already a team in a city in the east that is aware of this need and is already working with those churches. Michi and Manu are grateful for this team and are pleased that they will have the opportunity to join this ministry from the west and hopefully be able to visit the villages regularly and be a help to the churches.
They are excited to see what exactly their life and ministry will look like there and are sure that God will lead them step by step, showing them how to get involved.
At the beginning of June Michi will travel to their new location to prepare and buy a few essentials for their home so that they don’t arrive to a completely empty house.
They do not want to focus primarily on the move ahead of them but to follow Jesus’ example and focus on the joy that is set before them.
They are currently planning home assignment to Germany in December for just over six months!
They are grateful to God for…
…two years in Asia-Pacific
…the joy of eternity with HIM that is set before them
…a house in the area they are moving to
…continued good progress in language learning
They ask God that…
… the last weeks in their current location will be good
…even though the farewells will be hard, they can make them special and memorable too
…He would guard the hearts of their children and that they experience that HE always remains the same in times of change
…HE would prepare the hearts of people in the new area and that they would quickly build relationships and friendships
…HE will give them the wisdom they need in parenting