Last June, Dennis and Valerie Easton were quite involved in the mission’s field conference in the Philippines where they serve. They are already gearing up for a smaller, regional conferences in April. Conferences are a meaningful time of connection, teaching, training and edification which as a family they always look forward to. Their role includes helping to organise the conferences, planning the schedule, arranging childcare, and communicating with everyone about it all.
They also had the privilege of joining a co-worker in representing the Philippines field at the mission’s training centre in Missouri, USA, during their annual ministry fair in September. Each year countries where the mission serves send representatives to help trainees understand the needs in their countries. For those in their first year, it can feel overwhelming to hear just how many needs still exist around the world. The task of taking the Gospel to every people group is far from finished. Second year trainees, meanwhile, have very specific questions as they pray about where the Lord would have them serve next. They were deeply encouraged to see the Lord raising up the next wave of missionaries – an answer to prayer. Continue to ask the Lord of the harvest to send more workers into His fields.
A major part of their role as ‘Personnel Directors’ is helping new members, associates, volunteers and visitors get to the country and supporting them once they are in the Philippines. It was a joy for them to welcome new members to the field in October. This month, more will arrive, along with a couple who will serve in a support role for one year.
In December, Dennis and Valerie took a quick trip down south to visit the region where the newer missionaries are engaged in language and culture acquisition. They want to be intentional about spending time in that region when they can, as fifty percent of the field’s members are now serving there. They also visited a new church-plant work for a few hours. Pray for this team as they have just moved into their new houses and will soon dive into language study with the goal of learning how to best communicate the Gospel to this people group of almost 8000 people!
Prayer Requests:
Pray for wisdom for their daughter as she seeks what is next and the timing of going back to her passport country of Canada.
Wisdom in working through various sensitive challenges as they seek to lead well.
Their co-workers, Jonathan and Heidi Bamford, have almost finished translating the New Testament into the language where they are planting a church. There are still a lot of details to finish.
For their co-worker, Carl Stevens, who is in Missouri having cancer treatments.
Another co-worker, Boris Bergen, passed away from cancer in August, leaving his young family in Germany. Continue to pray for the family.
Praise:
It makes their hearts happy to see how well their eldest two daughters are adjusting to life in North America.
They work with some wonderful people on the Philippines field, and the Lord continues to send great short-termers and long-termers. He is faithful!
The Lord has abundantly supplied their needs for additional travel that they need to do, and He has kept them safe in it all.