Explosion and Double Death Threats!!

Okay, so is you don't know it, we don't live in the best part of town, but it's not that bad either - yet some interesting things have happened lately.

EXPLOSION
We live on a corner, both at the front and at the back of our home, we are surrounded by the steet or the two alleys. At the back, behind our detached garage, is where the City had dropped off one of the 'green monsters'. These 300 gallon trash cans are pretty big and can collect a lot of trash in a week's time. Being on the corner I think ours can get extra attention at times. One morning at 4:30 am, it was the center of attention for the local fire company who came to put out the fire that resulted from someone either lighting the trash on fire or putting a small incendiary device into the huge trash can. It actually burned for awhile then EXPLODED! The flaming trash flew everywhere! The trash was also burning the outside of our wooden garage, which housed a gas can, lawnmower, several bikes --- and my truck. Did I mention that our van was parked right next to it?




You can see the scorch marks on the garage from this early morning arsonist. I guess since it did not burn down or burn up my truck, we have some thanks and praise to deliver! We do Thank God for His protection and the so grateful to experience His watchcare over us.

DOUBLE DEATH THREATS
Our neighbors have apparently not had a good relationship with their neighbors on the other side. We don't know any of them yet but have noticed the rather loud, vulgar language and rude attitudes that seem to be prevalent. Just recently, the Columbus police were called out to attempt to calm a very volatile seen where both men were threatening at the top of their lungs "I'm gonna KILL you!"

Hey, kids wanna come inside and play now?! Yeah good idea!

Anyhow, I don't know what all happened but the neighbors next to us suddenly moved out of their apartment. Perhaps that will be good, perhaps it will only mean a different person of the same temperament may move in. Perhaps the Lord will get ahold of all of them and rearrange their hearts before they do some rearranging on their own...(if you know what I mean...)

Annnnd.....just as of this morning, I watched a man go through our yard and then the alleys around our house, raising his dark sunglasses so he could see to scan the ground for something of value. Did I mention this was long before sunglasses would be needed? Yeah...let the reader understand. He was searching for enough change to make a purchase...of what exactly I was not sure. But when Becki and I encountered him on our walk to the grocery store, he was standing just out of direct sight, licking his lips. Needless to say, my defenses were rising rather quickly. When we passed by that spot again, there was an oversized beer can left where he had been.

We also passed a spot where people are living back in some brush next to the train tracks and came across a couple who appear to be living in a storage rental unit. I wouldn't have seen all of this except my wife takes short cuts to go to the store...I reminded her that her husband would really appreciate her not doing this route alone!

So, keep us and our neighborhood in your prayers - we - or they...need them.

Saying GoodBye to Singapore

Wow! (I seem to keep saying that when i think of everything that has occurred this trip!) We are leaving to head back to Ohio on Wednesday and can truly say that we have seen God's hand at work. Some of what I would like to share I cannot even do right now, there is so much that has impacted us and touched our lives so that we will no longer be exactly the same. God has stretched us, used us, taught us, blessed us and given us the chance to see and experience new things and some familiar things in new ways.

THANK YOU to everyone who has given financially, who has encouraged us along the way and especially to those who have prayed faithfully. We will share more in person when we see some of you because not all that we experienced here should be shared in this sort of public forum. But.....just ask us when you see us and we will be sure to share!!

Keep us in your prayers - Becki's finger is better, still quite sore though. We are working on next steps for whatevver God has in store and wherever / whenever all that comes together.

I will share more very soon that has already developed even while we were here in Singapore - our God is never boring!!!

Love and blessings to you all!

Ray & Becki

Harvest Time!

WOW! What a week this has been !!

Today was such a blessing as the students prayed, some to give their hearts to Christ for the very first time and many telling God that He could have their whole life - that they would do whatever He wanted them to do for the rest of their lives. I was so encouraged and blessed that I was moved to tears a number of times as I looked at the earnestness on their faces.

EARTHQUAKE !!

Oki Doki - so this was weird. Last night we were walking through China Town and this morning we were walking to the school - each time that the two earthquakes hit - but we did not actually realize it until later!!

I guess that from what we were told -it is sometimes tought to tell when it happens unless you are sitting still. Teachers were in a meeting this morning and they felt it -saw it more, as the projector hanging from the ceiling swayed. The most obivous for others was that they saw ripples in the water or felt a sense of vertigo. THIS part I do understand, I did feel that last night and even mentioned it to Becki that all of the sudden I was dizzy for just a bit but did not know why.

This morning, Becki, who loves to walk, actually stumbled as we were reaching the top of a flight of steps on a flyover crossing the highway. She fell to the ground with a thud, really jarring her back and possibly breaking a finger. It did nto stop her from working with the kids today though!

We must say again that this is such a joy - these children are extra special. Today was about Daniel and how he prayed and God answered. The kids acted out the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den. Becki just told me that one little Hindu girl told her how much she loved chapel to day. We are praying especially for her as she does not yet trust "Jesus only" (if you don't understand that, ask someone...) They are really getting good at singing the All Around the World song! Even the treachers were saying how that song has stuck in their heads now!

Thanks for praying -tomorrow is harvest day! The other speaker that is here for teens had 13 middle school students give their hearts to Christ today! Pray for us as we stand before these precious little ones for one more day.

Thanks again for the prayers and love -and support - this whole experience is something that I am REALLY blessed to be able to share WITH my wife. Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible!

We love you
Ray & Becki

Globe Trotting Kids!

It was incredible to day to listen to some of these children talk about all the places they have been to. They talk so matter of a fact about traveling to various countries, just as if we were talking about various stores on a shopping outing! I cannot get over the absolutely amazing potential that exists in this one school! We had a great time today going over a retelling of the story of David and Goliath, with some of my special illlustrations along the way - I dropped a bowling ball from several feet in the air, accidentally broke a broom stick being used as a spear...had a great time with kids comparing the small stone and the bowling ball while deciding which would do more damage...

You know --- just all the "normal" kid stuff!

More later - gotta jet!

Amazign Frist Day at school!!

Whew!! I was nervous as speaking to young children is not my normal gig - but God was quite faithful and really helped me - even through technology glitches and personal jitters! The children were FAN-TAS-TIC! It was quite a privilege to stand before such a group of precious young hearts form all over the world - most from this region but even a few from the US and a girl from the Netherlands! To look into their eyes and imagine what God could do through each one is more than I can imagine!!

Please continue praying as we have only begun our week...from the chapels and the time in two of the classes today - it promises to be an actino packed - and very spiritually profitable week!!

Church Service

Wow!~~~ That's a good word to describe the service at the Barker Road United Methodist Church this morning! The worship was soooo very good and the sermon and the incredible emphasis on missions was invigorating! They are part way through a month long emphasis on missions -highlighting a different country that they are involved with each week. How challenging it was to hear all that they are doing to reach out throughout this area of the world.

It was such a blessing to worship with people of similar hearts whom we have never met yet share the same passions. It was just one more reminder that our God is truly an Awesome God!

Amazing City!!!

Amazing city...we did a bit of exploring yesterday and learned a lot about the city. Incredible that 5 million people live in this island that is only 28 miles across...mass transit, no litter, very little crime, of any kind...and more languages than you can grasp and you are completely surrounded by them - yet nearly everyone speaks some English as well...very cool, very cool...

What a place to be sent to. I am getting eager to see a harvest here! Pray for that to happen! The school has set up a 24 hour prayer chain that begins today and teachers, parents and students are all participating. I borowed a bowling ball from a Muslim man to use for an illustration at school. Pray for he and his family to learn more about our Savior!

Wow! I am so excited to see what God has in store for this week... we leave for church in a few minutes, gotta go!

Weary in HongKong

We left this morning from Ohio and it is afternoon now and we are in Hong Kong - somehow...though we have managed to make a 1 1/2 hour flight to Chicago and a 14 1/2 hour flight to Hong Kong! Yeesh - we are tired!!

Singapore is just a few hours more then the taxi ride then bed - hopefully!

Keep us in prayer over this next week - it promises to be very busy and we are praying for and anticipating great answers from our God! The students at the school have started a 24 hour prayer chain for this coming week.

Blessings to you all

Really tired Ray & Becki

Welcome to Columbus !!!

There were four unique welcomes as we moved back to Columbus, Ohio.

1) The friends who came to help unload the truck...HUGE THANK YOU!! to Brian Swauger, Sally White and Carl Neu. Carl drove the truck out to Ohio for us. Then he stayed for a few days and he and Sally helped us work through the first few days of fixing many items that needed attention...plumbing, lights, really messy garage, etc...You two deserve extra blessings because of going way beyond the call of duty!!

2) The bills that were waiting for us in the mailbox the very first day we arrived! How do they do that ??!! When I checked the mail and told what I found there, Brian said..."Welcome home!"

3) The many friends that warmly greeted us at church. That was a great joy to us. Many were surpised that we were actually here to stay for awhile before heading to Belize. Over the last four years, I have only been able to make about 3 quick stop in visits so many were pleasantly surprised that we will be able to make time to visit and catch up this time.

4) The fourth was not so welcome but on the side of town that we live on - this kind of thing does happen, sometime Saturday night, someone smashed the rear passenger side window of my truck. Looks like a crowbar was the culprit's tool of choice. Nothing was taken, thankfully. I was not the only vicitm either as a number of cars were targetted down the alley where we live. This was disturbing to our sense of welcome and security and put a brief damper on our day.

All in all though, the move has been really good. We have gotten a LOT accomplished with Sally and Carl helping. We are already making our mark on our side of the the duplex and should have it nice and comfy cozy soon.

Of course, before we get a chance to finish, we will leave for Singapore! So, we will have to catch up on more unpacking later in September.


A SUPER HEART FELT THANK YOU to everyone who made our farewell from Cape May so fabulous!!! We felt so loved and appreciated and seriously cherish all the cards! We read them over the next few days a little at a time and hope to find a nice book or something to keep them in. They are precious to us because they are your sentiments, your words and your hearts - being freely shared with us - we never really knew just how much we had impacted so many, until we read it over and over and over again. Wow!

The Bible says, "You are our letter, written on tablets of human hearts..." This has never seemed so true! Thank you seems so inadequate but we truly do "Thank you!" from the depths of our hearts!!

We love you!!

Ray & Becki