ARIZONA! (November 21, 2008)

Wondering why we haven't updated?

Well, Sharon and I are headed out to Arizona for the week of thanksgiving. Should be a blast! But... we'll be putting over 45 hours of driving on our car.

Well, please pray for us. We've been very busy this week with packing, extra homework (we're taking two days off school), and the usual life things.

Pray for safety during our travel, that we'd stay awake, and that our time with family would be blessed and fun. Thanks so much!

PRAISE THE LORD! (November 19, 2008)

We're thanking God for his provision as the entire amount we needed for our Chenier Tool Kit Project has just come in ($400). Thanks so much to those who gave, prayed and sent emails. We appreciate it and need it desperately.

FUTURE PLANS (November 12, 2008)

Please pray for Wisdom as the Lord directs our path toward Cambodia. We still have many details of our plan to work out, and God is certainly going to have to prove himself faithful as He always does!

75% THERE! (November 5, 2008)

We are praising the Lord for over 75% of the funds need for the Chenier Tool Kit having come in! This project ends on November 30th. Visit our Give Page to learn more.

FINISHED AT LAST! (November 3, 2008)

Well, it feels really good to have our latest update letter out! We sent 232 of them this time, a significantly larger number than we sent previous to this mailing. Once all of them arrive we'll post the information as news!

Are you on our list??? If you don't get one this week then you're not! We'd love to add you. Just send us your email and mailing address using the CONTACT button in the upper right of this screen. It's totally confidential, we'll never sell your info obviously.

TOOL KIT (October 22, 2008)

Immediate need for the field: tools. Please help us reach our goal of raising $400.00 for a tool kit by the end of November by giving online securely here. Thank-you!

DYING COMPUTER? (October 21, 2008)

Our CPU fan is dying! At least, that's how it sounds. This may sound totally shallow, but we really need this computer and the data on it for our classes and someday, for church planting. The computer is a little over a year old... just out of warranty. Thanks for praying!

CAMPING WEEKEND (October 17, 2008)

Sharon and I are no strangers to hiking (read story here) but this weekend we're going camping. This weekend simulates a more permanant type of living involving learning about axes, chain saws, knives, camp fires, tarp shelters and other dangerous tools if not handled properly. Please pray for safety: we have taken every precaution, but would appreciate your prayers this weekend. Thanks!

NEW MINISTRY (October 11, 2008)

I (Ric) am learning a lot in my new role working with the development office here at the Training Center. Please pray for me as I transition into this new role... I'm reading several books and helping to critique new coursework for first semester students. It's thrilling to be a small part of the team!

MICAH'S SISTER (October 6, 2008)

Micah Jackson, who went on the Cambodia trip with us this summer, needs our prayers. His sister Joanna has what the Doctors are calling terminal cancer. She and her husband Curtis and young children need our prayers during this time as well as the whole family.

DOBU LANGUAGE SESSIONS (September 30, 2008)
Please pray for us as we process and file massive amounts of culture data acquired during our current class, the Dobu Practicum. This is pretty overwhelming as we try to get the information into a usable form and digest it so we can write summaries and conclusions about the culture of the Dobu people. If this prayer request is confusing to you, read our article below to get an idea of what we're talking about. Thanks so much for praying! Find out more -- read the story >>

PRAY FOR SARAH! (September 23, 2008)

Sarah is Ric's sister. When we were down in Oklahoma (Read about it here) we picked her up and brought her to Missouri with us so she could get a taste of what the training is like because in the future she hopes to return as a student.

Before her return she hopes to study nursing. Please pray for her as she makes some big decisions about her life and lives at home for a bit while she gets her feet on the ground. Another big request is for her upcoming test to get her certification as an EMT.

PRAYER MATTERS! (September 6, 2008)

Do we really believe prayer matters? Sharon and I have a hard time remembering that sometimes. One of our goals is to keep this page up-to-date with prayer requests... one way you can be involved in what God is doing in our lives is through prayer!

How can pray for us this week:

1. Busyness. This one is big. We have a lot to do this week and next. Please pray we will keep our relationship and our Lord first.
2. Decisions. In more ways than one, we're at a crossroads in life. Please pray the Lord would give us wisdom and discerning.
3. Safety as we travel to Oklahoma. We're traveling to my uncle's church in Calera, Oklahoma on Friday to share what God is doing.

Your are a vital part of our ministry. We appreciate that many of you take the time to pray for our ministry daily.

PRAYER UPDATE FROM CAMBODIA (June 3, 2008)

We are praising the Lord for a quick adjustment to the time change here in Cambodia and for the time we've spent here getting to know what was previously unkown. Please continue to pray for the requests we mentioned earlier as well as the following:

1. It's hot here. It's been up to 100 plus degrees in the sun and the humidity has been very high. Pray the team wouldn't get dehydrated and for energy and strength as we adjust.
2. Mosquitoes. Can carry nasty diseases... we use mosquito nets at night but they can also make things very warm. Pray for a bug-free, good nights sleep (during your day).
3. As we visit more remote areas in Cambodia the food is less and less familiar.  Noodle soup is pretty much the main staple for many remote Khmer people and good drinking water is something we have to purposely look for. Pray we wouldn't get food poisoning.
4. Please pray for the NTM missionaries working here and for their families. Discover more about them by exploring Cambodia here>>
5. Please pray most of all for the Cambodian people and for the church here. They have been through so much as a people and many of their hearts are ready to recieve the gospel.

Thank-you so much for your interest in praying for us on this trip!!! We hope more updates will follow before our trip is over.

CAMBODIA TRIP (May 26, 2008)

Please pray for our trip in the following areas:

1. Team unity and love as we will be living in very close quarters for a while.
2. Safety and health as we travel and try new foods, sleep in new places, etc.
3. Quick adjustment to jet lag and the new culture in Cambodia.
4. Please pray the team could be a blessing to the missionaries currently serving in Cambodia.

Thanks so much! We'll update you when we get back!

PRAY FOR PATRICK (May 11, 2008)

My buddy Patrick is awesome. We've been hanging out every Thursday night for the last year, walking through a study book by the navigators and parts of Romans. It's been exciting to see him grow in his faith.

Now he's graduated the program at the Lighthouse and seeking to improve his life. Please pray for Patrick as he continues to make good decisions and seek the Lord regarding his future.

Learn more about the Lighthouse Ministry here>>

MOVING... (May 9, 2008)

We're moving apartments. Yes, the last week in the semester. The good news is that we're getting two bedrooms, so we can have a study room. The bad news is that it's going to be a lot of work while we're preparing for our summer. Please pray for our work load and schedule as we take on this task. Thanks again!

GOD PROVIDES (April 24, 2008)

Praise the Lord! He has provided the needed funds for our trip to Cambodia this summer. We're humbled by the 30 plus people that have given sacrificially to provide over $6,500.

ONE MONTH LEFT (April 16, 2008)

We have one month of classes left this semester. This time will be gone very quickly, and we would appreciate your prayers that we will be able to gain the maximum benefit from the time we have left. Our teachers and fellow students have taught us so much during this year of preparation for ministry. We will be posting an article soon summing up what we have been learning this semester.

SUMMER TRAVEL (April 9, 2008)

This summer will be our busiest yet. Please pray for safety in travel as we drive home to Michigan in a month. In late May we will fly from Detroit to Los Angeles to Cambodia for a two week trip. When we arrive back in Los Angeles we will fly directly to Alaska to work for the summer. From Alaska we will fly to Norfolk, Virginia for Sam's wedding. We will then drive back to Michigan and then back down to Missouri to start school again.

GOD CONTINUES TO PROVIDE (March 30, 2008)

Gifts and donations for our trip to Cambodia have pushed us well over the half-way mark in raising funds for our trip to Cambodia this summer. We have met our first goal well ahead of time, to raise half ($3,200) by April 17th.

We are praising God for the miracles He has worked in order to bring us to this point. Friends, acquaintances, churches, and family have given sacrificially to help us reach this goal. Please pray with us as God continues to provide.

HALF MARATHON (February 13, 2008)

Sharon has been training for a half-marathon in St. Louis on Sunday, April 6th. Although she ran track and cross-country for four years in high school, this is her first official half-marathon.  She has really enjoyed getting back into running again as she trains with her good friends Neena Smay and Mel Currey.

There are a myriad of things that could go wrong with marathon training. For one thing, Sharon has a history of stress fractures in her legs. Please pray her gradual training schedule and new shoes will eliminate this danger. Safety is another big concern. Pray for the ladies as they seek safe places to run away from cars and rabid dogs.

CHALLENGING CLASSES (February 12, 2008)

Some exciting and challenging courses are on the horizon at the Missionary Training Center. We covet your prayers as we take on Phonetics II, Grammar, and Phonemics this semester.

We already had an intro to Phonetics, but this upcoming class will delve deeper into the mysteries of the human tongue, stretching our vocal chords, tongues, and lips to the limits of their capabilities. This class will be challenging as we will need to practice for hours to get each sound just right.

Grammar is just what it sounds like. The class rips languages apart into their components so we can study each piece and how it relates to the whole picture of human speech. This will require a lot of memorization, worksheets, and dedication to a subject that isn't always exciting.

Phonemics is the study of how a native speaker hears, thinks, and speaks in his own environment. It's like stepping into another person's shoes for a day to figure out how they view everyday things. The challenge here is to let go of our own way of viewing things, which can be daunting.

Thanks so much for praying!

See our original Phonetics class article here.

TEAM CAMBODIA (February 12, 2008)

Please pray for Team Cambodia, the group of people committed to going on a short-term trip to Cambodia this summer. We hold weekly planning meetings, prayer meetings, and movie nights in order to facilitate the planning and prayer required to accomplish the task of getting us all to Cambodia in May. We have been growing ever closer as a team, but really need your prayers as we seek to build closer relationships and more intimate friendships with one another.

Group dynamics are crucial; we may be working together very, very closely one day. It sure would help if we really enjoyed one another's company too. Well, here are some pictures of Team Cambodia. Please pray each of us would be able to raise the money needed for the trip, wisdom for our futures, and that the trip to Cambodia would be an extremely profitable time.

Team Cambodia:

Dave and Darlene Hall  

Jeremiah and Rebecca Platte

Kevin and Emily Bertram

Tom and Beth Carlton  

Matt and Christine Hamb

Micah Jackson

                                                                                          

Please keep us in your prayers!

CAMBODIA TRIP 2008 (February 3, 2008)

Please pray for us as we prepare for a trip to Cambodia this summer! We will need to change Sharon's name on her passport, get shots, plan the trip, and purchase necessary supplies for our two-week visit. We will also need to purchase tickets soon, which will be the bulk of our expenses. Please pray the Lord would provide for all our needs and really allow us to gain a good perspective on the people and culture of Cambodia.

In all this, please pray most for the people of Cambodia. Their eternal destiny hangs in the balance as they rebuild their country from the ashes of a shattered past.

FREEDOM! (January 29, 2008)

The bones in my wrist have healed! Praise God! It was in a cast for 8 weeks too long, but it is finally off and I am regaining some movement in the joint. Please pray for the ongoing physical therapy over the next couple months. It can also be very painful. I am praying for 100% mobility!

See more pictures here.

Thanks for your prayers!

MICAH MAGNUSON (November 8, 2007)

Nineteen Year Old Needs Your Prayers!

Most of us probably don't remember May 29th of this year. We probably don't remember what we ate for dinner or what pair of pants we wore. My family remembers May 29th only too well as the day the unthinkable happened

My cousin, Micah Magnusson, has been unable to function normally since that unforgettable day. Please pray for him and his family. He is on the far right of the above picture, at my graduation from NTBI in Jackson.

Read the story here and send his family a message on their website by visiting www.carepages.com and visit carepage "micahmag".

Ric and Sharon

PASTOR JOAO BATISTA (October 29, 2007)

Pastor Joao Batista, from the city of Caruaru in Brazil, visited the Missionary Training Center on Friday. For 36 years Pastor Joao, a Brazilian native, has worked in small villages planting church’s in the northeast region of Brazil. He and his wife have seven children and have a wealth of experience working in the largely folk-catholic country. We were able to avail ourselves of this experience and aid him in his travels across the U.S. to raise funds for new church plants in north Brazil during a meeting here at the MTC.

Pastor Batista (John the Baptist) is trusting God for the money  to plant 10 more churches in the next ten years in the small villages of his home state in Brazil. As he travels across the country by Greyhound he is raising funds to help in this endeavor. Thus far he has not had a very good experience so please pray he will be able to raise the funds he needs to do the work God has called him to.