Snuggle Time

URGENT Need for Prayer

Dr. Love and I have friends who are missionaries in their own country of India. This morning we received the following email. Please add your prayers to ours for our dear brothers & sisters!

Our ministry team from Orissa called me a couple of hours back. Kindly note the following:

1. We have two children's homes (Bethlehem & Siloam) in Orissa - the fanatics came today and asked our houseparents to shut the homes and send back kids within 24 hours. There are 28 kids in these two homes. All bigger Christian orphanages are already closed in the state. Our kids come from 3 days walking distance - from remote villages. Normally they walk a day and rest in a village then start walking the next day and rest in a village and start again the third day to get home. We gave permission to the houseparents ( Solomon and Sumantho are leaders who graduated from Logos) to send back kids immediately. Please pray for their safety and protection.

2. We have 25 churches in remote villages in Orissa. Pullo Majhi who is a Logos graduate is the ministry coordinator for church planting. We couldn't get in touch with him. Our understanding is that most of the Christians are hiding in jungles for last three days since persecution intensified. They are hiding in forests without food. Only 1.5 % Christians in Orissa. Please pray for them.

3. One of Logos students Sukanth is in tears because his parents and relatives left the village to hid in jungles because of Hindu militant attacks. They had to run away last December when persecution became severe. They came back to the village only a couple of months back. His parents are old. Please pray for him and his relatives.

Couple of Christians are burnt alive in Orissa. Please pray for those who are in great sorrow.

Our hearts go after our fellow Christians. Please join us in prayer for them. We are conducting special prayers in Logos College and in our churches for our brethren.

Thanks for joining us in prayer.
Abraham

Adventures in Mothering....

...is the MOPS theme for this year and I am so happy that the fall semester is about to start! Some of you may be thinking, and even be bold enough to ask "Leslie, what's the deal? You don't have preschoolers--unless there is other news you still need to share! What does MOPS have to do with you?"

Well, I am honored and thrilled and so very excited to be a part of the MOPS steering team at Faith! After a brief hiatus from MOPS when my term ended at Bethel and after our move last summer, I was able to return to MOPS last fall, taking care of 12-23 month olds. This year I get to head up the child care. This gives me a chance to again be stretched by God and pushed outside of my comfort zone. I know that He will use this to grow me in my relationship with Him and I have to admit I'm also a bit scared because I know from experience that spiritual growth is almost messy for me. I am priveleged to have the opportunity to be able to develop relationships with the other steering ladies as God uses us all.

Now here's a prayer request: We are desperately seeking more workers and I know that God will provide them, but I'd like Him to move at my speed, not His. So, please pray that I will learn what He has for me (patience? courage to call people I don't know? better reliance on Him?) and also that He will give us the workers needed. And while you're at it, pray that He will use this ministry to reach Lafayette/West Lafayette Moms who need Him.

Grace & Peace,

Leslie

My Playmates are gone.

It's hard to believe that the summer has gone by so quickly and today is the first day of school!
We spent last week we making the kids get up earlier in the morning in preparation for the start of school, registering them & checking out their new school building as well as shopping for supplies and clothes. We got in some extra swimming and had friends spend the night. We also introduced a couple of their church friends to Deep River Water Park up in Merrillville. Ten days ago I would have said that we weren't ready to go back but then the inevitable bickering set in a week ago and this morning both Miss B and Charlie were ready to head out.
The start of school means a shift change for me. Instead of "working" summer hours from 8-5, my kids need me first thing in the morning and then again from 4pm until bedtime. I'm free during the day to start & finish projects and to eat or not. So this morning I tackled some wallpaper removal in the kitchen and now I'm headed for the grocery store without someone who wants to add items to my cart.
I have to say that I miss them. I miss them foraging in the kitchen and whooping it up in the pool. I miss having Miss B grabbing for the phone when it rings as I hate answering the phone myself and she does love it so. I miss Charlie's funny comments.
But as much as I miss them I am excited for this new school year and the joys and trials it will bring. I look forward to seeing how God will continue to grow them and make them into what He wants them to be.
Come home soon my jr. highers, so we can "hang!"

#1 Son

He called! Seen here, the most handsome-est man I've ever seen next to his Papa is our oldest son "Dover." He's lived in Orange County, CA for like, forever (something like 9 years). One more semester to go at CSULB and he's loaded it full. We're hoping to get him home for Christmas. Miss B says he'd better come!
We love you #1 Son!