Today we got both our girls off to school. Abbie is in 5th grade this year and Savanah is in kindergarten. We were a bit concerned she would have a problem, but she did fine. Both girls like school this year (yup, that is the first day comment from both). So thought I'd share some pictures for you.
As I was downloading the pictures, I had gone back and checked email. I received the following letter from a friend here in Haiti (Belle). Our world is in a sad shape when things like this happen. But we can do as asked and pray, and pray strongly. Here is that letter:
Date: Aug 26, 2015 11:14 AM
Subject: Joint Heirs Prayer Request
from Dan and Marilyn Wilson
Missionaries who are in the areas
that are being attacked by ISIS are asking to be showered in prayer. ISIS has
taken over the town they are in today. He said ISIS is systematically going
house to house to all the Christians and asking them to denounce Jesus.
He said so far not one child has. and so far all have consequently been
killed. But not the parents. The UN has withdrawn and the
missionaries are on their own. They are determined to stick it out for
the sake of the families even if it means their own deaths. They are very
afraid, have no idea how to even begin ministering to these families who have
had seen their children martyred. Yet he says he knows God has called
them for some reason to be His voice and hands at this place at this
time. Even so, they are begging for prayers for courage to live out their
vocation in such dire circumstances. And like the children, accept
martyrdom if they are called to do so.
These brave parents instilled such a
fervent faith in their children that they chose martyrdom. Please
surround them in their loss with your prayers for hope and perseverance.
One missionary was able to talk to her brother briefly by phone. She
didn't say it, but I believe she believes it will be their last
conversation. Pray for her, too. She said he just kept asking her to
help him know what to do and do it. She told him to tell the families we
ARE praying for them and they are not alone or forgotten -- no matter
what. Please keep them all in your prayers. This came this morning...Just
a few minutes ago I received the following text message on my phone from Sean
Malone who leads Crisis Relief International (CRI). We then spoke briefly
on the phone and I assured him that we would share this urgent prayer need with
all of our contacts. "We lost the city of Queragosh (Qaraqosh). It
fell to ISIS and they are beheading children systematically. This is the
city we have been smuggling food to. ISIS has pushed back Peshmerga
(Kurdish forces) and is within 10 minutes of where our CRI team is
working. Thousands more fled into the city of Erbil last night. The
UN evacuated its staff in Erbil.
Our team is unmoved and will
stay. Prayer cover needed!" Please pray sincerely for the
deliverance of the people of Northern Iraq from the terrible advancement of
ISIS and its extreme Islamic goals for mass conversion or death for Christians
across this region. May I plead with you not to ignore this email.
Do not forward it before you have prayed through it. Then send it to as
many people as possible. Send it to friends and Christians you may
know. Send it to your prayer group. Send it to your pastor and
phone him to pray on Sunday during the service - making a special time of
prayer for this. We need to stand in the gap for our fellow
Christians. Thank you for all your prayers !!!!
Dr. Becky Peters - Professor of
Education
Director of Lutheran Teaching
Programs, Colloquy, & Lutheran Placement
Concordia University - Irvine,
California
We can praise God for being in a place where this isn't happening, but we can and should pray for these missionaries and for the Christian families who are going through this. And pray for the Lord to intercede and remove this threat.
For now, keep your eyes focused on Jesus and keep praying, and praying, and praying.
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