NTM

We are back in Canada from our long trip to the States!

Seeing people, of course, was the highlight of our trip: some of our kids and grandkids, several members of Leah’s family and so many of our friends. We also really enjoyed the beautiful scenery, much warmer weather, and lovely nectarine blossoms at the France Ranch! Peter got to meet members of Leah’s family he had only heard of. Farther down the road, this was about all we could see of the Golden Gate Bridge!  We even made some new friends – like Jeff Willis, Corpus Christi Fire Chief  and his wife and family. Peter went on some interesting ride-alongs with Jeff!.(also shown – Eric, Zachery, and Leah Hendrix – Cherry and Dan’s kids).  We came home to Isaiah Humphreys’ first birthday party, and snow! Thank you for praying us safely home. We are back at work again, and love the ministry God has given us here.  We are excited to see who God will send to Still Waters next, and appreciate and thank Him every day for your faithful partnership.

Love, Peter and Leah

After a wonderful week of vacation in Minnesota (thanks to generous relatives in Iowa) we are back at Still Waters, refreshed and ready for work once more. Peter and Kiki enjoyed finding new fishing spots, and Leah got to hang out with the Jongewaard grandchildren, as well enjoying photographing beautiful sunsets and sand art. (click on any photo for a larger version) Thank you for joining us in prayer for these matters which are on our hearts:
1. Our son Shaun and his family have been living with us for the past month, in preparation for their return to Paraguay (and second term of service). Their plane tickets were just cancelled and they’ve been issued new ones for August 7th. This means that they miss an important conference in Paraguay, but we are thrilled to have them here for two more weeks! Pray that they will get much-needed rest during this time of waiting.

2. Over the last few years of preparing the property and the loft apartment for this ministry, God has done miracles that have left us breathless! He has also stretched our faith in every area, and we want that (well, sometimes it doesn’t feel like our favorite thing)! God continues to change our hearts and minds and deepen our love for Him and dependence on Him. We have both gladly worked part-time to help with the costs of reconstruction and expenses that come with maintaining a property, and have been the recipients of generous encouragement from you, His people, along the way.

Because of a large gift from a couple in California, all the actual reconstruction of the loft has been paid for.

Praise God!

This leaves the following to be purchased:

a) a washer and dryer (the closet and fixtures are in place!)

b) a couple of reclining loveseats for the living room and glider rockers by the fireplace.

The trim company says they will have the last four pieces to us by the first week in August, and that their bill will reflect the huge delays they’ve experienced in production (our cost will be less!) Most of the trim has already been fitted.

3. We are asking the Lord for a truck to replace the old van we’ve used for hauling firewood and pulling cedars out of the woods for sale (a forest advisor marked trees for cutting that were too cramped together). Thanks for praying about this with us!

4. We came home to the news that a supporting church will no longer be helping us financially, as we are no longer directly involved in a cross-cultural ministry. This church has lovingly and generously comprised a large part of our support for many years, and we praise God for them and their vision to see tribal people reached with the gospel.

Our promised support level now stands well under the minimum amount necessary monthly for running the Still Waters ministry. SPECIFIC INFORMATION

This is no surprise to God, of course, and we are waiting on Him for His perfect plan. Pray that our hearts and minds will be stayed on Him only, and full of peace. Every day we thank God for your generous support in this day and age of rising costs that we know you face as well, and ask Him to pour out His blessings on you and give you the desires of your heart.

Thank you for praying for us as we enter this new phase of our ministry in the fall (furniture or no furniture!) and begin to receive couples who are needing care and/or training in shepherding for their field ministry. Pray for our NTMC leadership as they guide folks to this ministry, as well. We are excited to see how God will use His Word through our lives, to encourage and strengthen dear folks who are serving Him in foreign lands.

Your partners,

Peter and Leah Humphreys

This shirt says: I LOVE it when MY WIFE lets me go hunting…I couldn’t resist getting it for Peter

Of course Peter isn’t complaining about the cold weather, but he’s building a fire for me right now

Here’s a little family update!

Deryk and Ivy Humphreys, with Emery and Isaiah, are soon headed for a month of Jungle Camp. Right now, they are building their ‘jungle’ home and clay oven, getting ready for roughing it this summer. This is a valuable part of the training for missionary candidates, who come out the other side with a new confidence in what they can do.While they build their house of poles and plastic, I enjoy watching the kids now and then!And, we are all enjoying Isaiah’s crop of hair

When Peter and I went through the jungle camp part of the training back in 1977, probably the hardest aspect for us was no running water, fresh fruit or ice. But for the students of today, it could be that leaving behind their computers and instant communication capabilities will be even harder. Thanks for keeping them in your prayers.

Here at Still Waters we have recently installed a lovely new fridge in the loft, and have finally received the baseboard trim. That work is in progress! Also, it’s the time of year to bring in firewood for when the cold season starts up again. Hmm…first, we’ll have a nice hot season, right?

Recently we were able to visit Cherry and Dan Hendrix and children in Texas, and Peter got to hold their new little Kayleigh for the first time.What a wonderful break it was to be with them – Peter helped Dan landscape the back yard and get a sprinkler system in, and I got to spend time with Cherry and the kiddies.

Shaun, Melanie and their kids are off traveling these days, and will be moving in with us not long after they return. Their home leave is coming to an end, and they’ve been preparing to return to their ministry in Paraguay. In our next letter, we’ll share a little more about what they are looking forward to, and have some recent pictures for you, as well.

Dan and Kiki Jongewaard flew up from Iowa for a few days’ visit recently, and it was such a relaxing and special time.

Praise God for giving us great times with our kids and for their enthusiastic help in the work here! We are praying that we would be able to see Max and Zuly some day soon, as well (our heart-adopted son and family).

Pray also that God would give us and our leadership team wisdom in coordinating guests to Still Waters this Fall. It’s thrilling to look back and see what He has done to make such an amazingly lovely and restful place for His people who come to be reminded of Truth.

May God give you and yours a wonderful summer, filled with good memories. Thank you for your prayers, gifts, and loving letters that encourage us so much as we continue in the work God has laid on our hearts.

Your grateful partners,

Peter and Leah Humphreys

Isaiah was born on March 21, 2008, weighing in at 10 pounds He has a thick head of hair already!

Please continue to pray for Deryk and Ivy as they raise Isaiah and Emery and finish their third year of missionary training.

Excitement is building here at Still Waters as we check the last few things off our list.

Just as we were writing this, God provided for a beautiful new fridge and most of the funds for a washer & dryer. Late last year, God laid it on a family’s heart to give all that was lacking to finish up construction inside the loft; now just some living room furniture is needed. Amazing!

Other very special news came from the Manjúi tribe, where we worked in Paraguay.At the request of the church leaders there, all the translated books of the Bible were put into one book, instead of in book-lets. The leaders also requested that the book be presented to the tribe and that they all get together for a celebration. This occurred just last month; missionaries from all over Paraguay drove out for the dedication. How we wish we could have been there! During the celebration, one of the things the church leaders shared with their people is how important it is to read God’s Word daily in order to know how to please Him. Pictured here is our old friend La’eenis, a former shaman who has put his trust in Jesus Christ alone.

Thank you for keeping us in your prayers, and for sending so many encouraging notes and gifts! Your partnership is a hug from God

Peter and Leah Humphreys

(All of these pictures can be viewed on our photos page!)

Our driveway and front yard have been pretty torn up this past month!

One thing lacking in the loft has been good water pressure. So the pipes had to be replaced with larger ones, from the well down by the stream to the loft. The trenches were dug deep enough so that the pipes could lay below the five-foot frost layer. (Thanks, Jason and Deryk, for all your help!)  A new pressure tank and water heater will have to go in, as well, and that work will start this Monday.

We are thankful for a visit, in October, from our dear friends, Dick and Pat Jongewaard (Kiki’s parents-in-law)!

They amazed us with their energy and skills; loads of firewood were brought in, and sewing projects completed. Their visit was a special blessing to us from our loving God.

We’ve been doing a lot of thinking…and a lot of studying… From the beginning of the Still Waters project, God has made it clear to us that He is doing a work in Peter and me, and not just getting a building ready to house those of His servants who need care. Often, the loft project and its needs rise to the top and we are overwhelmed by what still must get done and what still has to be paid for.

In our life as well as in yours, God uses these unanswered questions and inexplicable delays to remind us of His sovereignty, and His plan that rises above our desires and designs. We continue to give thanks with joy for the changes God is making in our lives as He carries out His purposes for us, and in us.

With that in mind, we bring you some praises and prayer requests!

PRAISE GOD for laying it on two of His servants’ hearts to cover the cost of finishing the bathroom flooring and all the necessary fittings, a water heater, and insulation for the loft floor; this gift  also covers the sitting deck railing, without which the final inspection cannot be passed.

Pray with us that we would soon be able to get a circulating pump for the in-floor heating, and insulation for the garage to keep our heating costs down. We’re also asking God for comfy new couches to put in the living room for His servants to relax on, as well as a washer dryer set and a refrigerator to complete the beautiful kitchen He has already provided!

Snow is on the ground already and will come and go for awhile before settling in for the winter.  Pray that we’d be able to get the loft doors installed this month and that God would give Peter wisdom to organize each of the jobs that are in the lineup.

This week the Canadian/US dollar exchange rate hit an all time high.  Since the bulk of our support comes from the U.S., our ability to pay bills has dropped by nearly 40% (since we purchased Still Waters).

God has not been caught off-guard by either mess in our yard or messy world economics!

Pray that we would have His wisdom and clear direction regarding the concerns this has raised. We’ll keep you up to date as God amazes us with His answers – the more insurmountable the difficulty, the greater increase of our faith results, for His glory. That’s what we want.

Our hearts are overflowing with our blessings: good health, kids and grandkids around to enjoy daily, and the thrill of partnering with you in the ministry that God has prepared us for and laid on our hearts.

With appreciation and thanksgiving for you,

Peter and Leah Humphreys
233852 RR 2 Durham, Ontario N0G 1R0
(519)369-5455

Hurray! Peter and I have been enjoying grandkids on location for almost a month now. We praise God for bringing Shaun, Melanie and the kids safely back from Paraguay, and that their luggage finally made it, too (after a couple of weeks).

At the beginning of July, we had an exciting visit from Leah’s brother-in-law, Charlie Rutledge, and his son-in-law, Gregg Bowcock, who flew in from California to help us install the new kitchen cupboards that Charlie designed for the Loft.

Of course, the cupboards are absolutely beautiful, as is the floor… and we already have a new dishwasher and stove!

Thank you so much for praying and giving towards the Loft project. The next big step is getting all of the doors installed, and then finishing the bathroom, as finances permit.

We are so encouraged to hear from you, and to pray for your needs, as well. Thanks for partnering with us.
<img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-104" style="float:left; margin-right:5px; border: 0.5pt solid #BCC4C8;" src="http://www.ntm.org/wp/pete_humphreys/files/2007/08/1202_20616.jpg" alt="Papa promised to show him how to fish, and
Rylan caught a really big trout.” width=”150″ title=”Papa promised to show him how to fish, and
Rylan caught a really big trout.” /> 

With affection and appreciation always,
Peter and Leah Humphreys