May 2013 Pt. I

"Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and the one who waters will himself be watered" (Proverbs 11:25).

Dear friends and family,

How appropriate this verse has seemed in recent weeks. One of our main objectives during Rafiki coffees and preparing to leave for Jos has been to assure you of your full partnership in all the Lord may choose to do. The shocking thing has not been your physical labor alongside us, financial support, sweet notes of encouragement, or obvious commitment to prayer. The great delight has been to actually watch the Lord bring blessing into your lives. What a kindness! You have been true springtime blossoms to us.

By the time you receive this update we should be well on our way to Nigeria. A prayer card should be enclosed. If you did not receive one or need additional cards for family, friends, or church please contact the Rafiki Foundation Home Office (352) 483-9131 or KenL@rafikifoundation.org).

We will pass along phone contact information to family and prayer captains as soon as we get established. A great help would be for each of you to check that doveswithrafiki@gmail.com is recognized by your browser. You should have already received an e-mail from us by now if you gave us one. If you would like to receive our monthly update via e-mail or personal correspondence, please pass along your contact info if we don’t have you already. Again, if you would prefer to be removed from the snail mail or email, we will not be offended. Our e-mail and mailing address below should be posted to the web should you mislay it. Additionally it is best to mail nothing larger than a big envelope. May we suggest for ourselves and any other missionary you know that letters from home are a big source of excitement. . .especially if a Ziplock® bag is stuffed in there too.

                       

Please pray for:

• ability to meet up with teammate Erica Robertson along the route

• ease through customs with all of our baggage

• shipment of household goods and tools to arrive quickly without being pilfered in any way

• completion of immigration details, work permits, international driver’s licenses, etc.

• quick settling in for all of us new ROS

• that we would rapidly learn the names of our children and national staff

• that we would learn our new job descriptions swiftly and well so there would be good opportunity for some cross-training before our teammates need to head out for furlough

• for spiritual protection and relief from homesickness

• that our love for the people, the country, and the work would grow daily

• for our family stateside

• and, mostly, that Christ would be preeminent.

Know that we will be praying for you as well. Thanks for all you do to hasten the Day!

If you are viewing this on our website, click here for a printable version:

http://www.rafikifoundation.org/MissionaryReports/dove/2013/DoveMay2013.pdf

God bless you,

Ronda and Gehrig Dove