My Spring in Pictures: Pain, Prayer, Parties, & Preschool

One of our American volunteers unexpectedly lost her 2-year-old son. Students were invited to lament & pray for this family, and it was a bittersweet honor to sit with my good friend Maryam* & her friend as we gave our sorrow to God and read Scripture in their native Dari.

Soon after, Maryam invited me to join her & the Afghan community of DFW at a huge Nowruz (Persian New Year) party.

Pray for Maryam's family to encounter Jesus during this month of Ramadan, and for our developing friendship.

Afterschool Kids' Club continues to grow & reach kids in new communities, including a group of new arrivals from Afghanistan (bottom) who will be in my class for Summer Reading Camp :)

Please pray for my team as we get ready for another summer of children's ministry. I'm excited, but a little stressed!

A personal growing experience for me has been leading a Bible study for five of our 5th-6th grade girls. We had a sleepover party last weekend to celebrate our study on Matthew 5-6 this spring.

Pray for the girls to remember & apply what they have learned and to grow closer to the Lord this summer.

One of my Bible study girls (top right) and her two brothers have started coming to church with me. It's been such an encouragement to see my church family welcome them & build into their lives!

This past week, several of my teammates and I participated in a training course to help us better serve those who have experienced various types of trauma.

Pray for the many adults & children we know who have experienced deep pain, and that God will use us to walk alongside them towards healing in Christ.

I already miss my 30 little preschoolers! Most of them are graduating to kindergarten next year. :'(

Pray they will remember that Jesus loves them, and that we can keep contact with their families.

Bonus life announcement: my precious twin nieces, Ella Jane & Emilia Kathleen, were born on my birthday a few weeks ago! So blessed to have them living nearby.

Support update: I am now at nearly 70% of my monthly goal! Praise the Lord!

I know my updates have been a bit sporadic lately. The work can be overwhelming and discouraging at times, but remembering that my big strong team is praying to our big strong God brings great encouragement! Thank you for your faithfulness to pray for me and support me.

Join me! "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary." Galatians 6:9 *Names changed for privacy reasons. To respect the privacy of individuals mentioned in this post, please do not share this information in a public setting or on social media.*

The Christmas Conversation

As I think over the year 2017, what brings me the most joy isn’t a program I can take a picture of; it’s the gradual answers to prayer. God has opened & deepened all the specific relationships I’ve been asking for, beyond what I imagined!

I wish you could have been in the car as I drove my friend Sara* home from the Christmas Eve service last night. Over the fall semester, Sara & her friend F have sporadically attended the Conversations in Gospel of Mark study (I requested prayer for them in an earlier post). I didn’t see them for a while, and kept praying for them. Two weeks ago, they stayed after class several times to ask their teacher questions about the person & work of Jesus, and sat with me in Conversations! We exchanged numbers, and have all met twice in Sara’s home for the best Arabic coffee & treats and bilingual reading of John chapter 1.

Sara was delighted to visit an American church for the first time and experience Christ-centered Christmas. As soon as we started toward home, she inquired about the themes of “Jesus coming to us” and “God in flesh” prominent in the songs. I can tell you, there is nothing more exciting than an open opportunity to share the story of the promise & fulfillment of Messiah with someone who longs to hear all the details!

She then asked about the difference between Jews & Christians. Inevitably we arrived at the death & resurrection of Christ, and she asked why the Jews rejected their Messiah. Wow. Was God directing this conversation or what?! I said we all have a choice to accept or reject Jesus. When I asked her what she thought, she said, “I don’t know.” She attempted to express herself in English, then Arabic, then simply whispered, “I don’t know.” Pray for my interactions with Sara & her friend, and that Jesus will bring peace to their searching hearts!

Other prayer requests & praises:

• Pray for others in Sara’s ESL class who are less bold, but seeking.

• Youth Bible study: pray for healing, unity, & hunger for God in my 5 girls, and wisdom for me & other leaders. There are some very tough girls, but also some very eager, teachable ones.

• I will be traveling to Athens, Greece next week (January 1-12) with some For the Nations teammates to get a glimpse of refugee ministry on the other side of the ocean! We will be hosted by a local church that has started a refugee center to meet basic needs of women & children. Most of our time will be spent working in the refugee center, meeting with different organizations to mutually learn from each other’s work, and being flexible & adaptable to the needs of the long-term missionaries. I’m VERY excited and anticipate it to be a great learning experience & perspective-shifter! Please pray for my team’s safety, travel logistics, spiritual opportunities, and sensitivity to how the Holy Spirit wants to use & teach us. I look forward to sharing about it!

Merry Christmas, and God bless you in the new year!


*Names changed for privacy reasons. To respect the privacy of individuals mentioned in this post, please do not share this information in a public setting or on social media.*

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. I wanted to share some words of an Iraqi brother who inspired me this week to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering for His sake around the world.

For ideas of how to pray for persecuted Christians, here are a few resources:
- Voice of the Martyrs (https://www.persecution.com/)
- Open Doors USA (https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian…/)
- 8thirty8 (https://www.facebook.com/8thirty8/)

**Please do not post or share this video online**

Let the Little Children Come

"Train up a child in the way he should go,

Even when he is old he will not depart from it."

Proverbs 22:6

Here are a few snapshots from my September at For the Nations Refugee Outreach!

It's a joy to work with the preschoolers each morning while their parents are in English class. After a month of practice, most of them are getting better at sitting with hands to themselves, singing the days of Creation, sharing the toy police cars, getting in a line, and saying "please." Meet the tribe of 30 littles representing almost 10 different nations (the boy in the middle insists on wearing the full police suit every single day, except the day he dressed like a fireman):

They're our future rescue workers, chefs, mommies, artists, doctors, builders, pastors, & politicians :)

This fall, God has provided the transportation, locations, and staff to provide afterschool Kids' Clubs for six neighborhoods each week. Homework presents a huge challenge for kids who have missed years of school or whose parents can't speak or read English. Kids' Club is an opportunity for them to get academic help, have fun in a safe environment, and learn about Jesus.

It has been exciting to see an increased participation this year in the adults' Conversations group (for those interested in learning more about Jesus in the Bible), as well as in the youth Bible studies. I am enjoying co-leading a small group of 5th-6th grade girls as we work through the Gospel of Matthew together. 

Three of my Bible study girls
(minus the tall girl)

Conversations in the Gospel of Mark

As you pray for my refugee friends and for me, please especially remember those children who are struggling with transitions and experiencing setbacks physically, academically, emotionally, and spiritually. Pray for my team and I to have wisdom in effectively come alongside these families. Pray for open hearts to the One who alone can meet their heart-needs.

Please also lift up these three women: F & Sh, who are seeking Truth and asking questions in the Conversations study; and S, who has expressed her desire to become a follower of Jesus but is struggling to let go of her former identity.



*Names changed for privacy reasons. To respect the privacy of individuals mentioned in this post, please do not share this information in a public setting or on social media.*

Breaking Bread

Food connects people. It's a conversation-starter and a means of cultural expression. In many cultures, breaking bread with someone seals a friendship and represents a pledge of hospitality and protection. Most importantly, it communicates across language and cultural barriers and opens the doors of the heart.

Recently, my family was honored to host my friend Rania* (who has been helping me with Iraqi Arabic) and her husband for a home-cooked Egyptian feast in our home. They had also spent time in Egypt many years ago, so we all enjoyed sharing memories and comparing recipes. Later, Rania shared how honored they were to spend this time in my family's home, and promised to return the favor.

They have finally settled into a "good American life" -- the husband has an engineering job, their daughter is excelling in college, and they just purchased a house -- but it isn't bringing Rania the peace she longs for. Most of her family is still in Mosul (modern-day Nineveh), and she mourns the loss of loved ones and the destruction of a once beautiful, historic city. She has heard the Truth, and she is seeking God. Pray that she will find Him. Pray that I will be faithful to follow up.


That same week, I was reminded that Arab culture is not the only one in which food speaks. I had gone to visit my young Afghan friend Nadia's house (whom I've known since my first day volunteering at a For the Nations kids' club), so I could meet her mother. I had excuses not to go; I was tired, I was shy, it felt too random to just show up at someone's door uninvited when I didn't even know the mom. But the Holy Spirit gave me three important reminders that I couldn't shake. First, as an American I am the host, and refugees almost never take the initiative in new relationships. Secondly, it's perfectly appropriate and even honoring in Afghan culture to simply show up at someone's house for tea. Finally, hadn't I been praying for opportunities to get to know the children's mothers? So I went.

What followed was a four-hour-long "visit" to Afghanistan and a journey into this family's life. Over tea and pistachios, Sanga* and I chatted (through her children as our Pashto-English translators) about our lives. She showed me photos and videos of her hometown, family, and the various dishes they used to cook. When I mentioned that I had tried bolani (a sort of large, flat peroghi) at a restaurant in Dallas, the children were astonished.

"What?! You know about bolani? You must come back for lunch this week and our mother will make her famous bolani for you!" So I did.

Bolani (fried flatbread filled with mashed potato and herbs), fried fish, & homemade yogurt

Nadia with her brothers & sister gathered around the traditional desterkhan cloth for our lunch.

And I am so thankful, because after the meal Sanga brought out her English book to practice with me, and confided that she hopes to do driver's education, but has no ride to the class. I offered to take her sometime, and she asked if she could invite two other women (whose children I also know from Kids' Club!). God also gave me an opportunity to clearly share Truth with 8-year-old Nadia about how I can know for sure where I will go when I die. But that is a whole other story. :) Please pray for continuing relationship with this precious family.

God is working, and it is a privilege to share with you the results of your prayers! Keep them coming!


*Names changed for privacy reasons. To respect the privacy of individuals mentioned in this post, please do not share this information in a public setting or on social media.*

Prayer IS the Battle

Prayer is not preparation for the battle. Prayer is the battle. -Brother Andrew

The more time I invest in my young refugee friends, the more I learn about their personalities, interests, and potential. But I also become more aware of their individual needs and the issues in their communities. I realize just how powerless I am in myself in the midst of the spiritual war being waged over kids' souls. They are vulnerable to harmful influences all around: unforgettable haunts of the past, possible abuse at home, bullying & peer-pressure at school, less-than-desirable role models, drug deals, human-trafficking, "games" they somehow learn that are nothing short of witchcraft, and the deceptive, ever-present religious organizations (which often put us to shame with their evangelistic efforts), not to mention parents who may question & restrict their interaction with Christians. Honestly, it's easy to let hopelessness creep in.

I'm so thankful for God's constant reminders through His Word and fellow believers this week that it's not up to me to protect, heal, save, or transform their lives. Our God loves each one so much more than I ever could; He knows their past, their problems, their joys, their spiritual journeys, and their futures. God just wants me to faithfully show and tell them about that Love and to pour my fighting energies into praying for them and praying against those schemes of the evil one.

Below I have outlined how you can join me in praying over these children's specific neighborhoods.

Pray for the residents of an apartment complex of mostly Sudanese & Congolese refugees:
-for an end to war in their homelands
-protection of Christians and a testimony of unity & forgiveness to unbelieving neighbors
-God's provision for physical, spiritual, emotional needs
-unbelievers' hearts to be opened to Truth, to desire to seek Jesus, Christians, and the Bible
-children to keep coming to For the Nations Summer Reading Program, to learn & grow in knowledge of Jesus and the gospel
-parents' softened hearts to allow children to attend this summer
-young hearts guarded against lies & deception they hear on a daily basis

I have been especially burdened to pray over a large neighborhood of Afghans, Iraqis, Ethiopians, Eritreans, Congolese, etc.:
-for an end to the violence & killing in their homelands, salvation of terrorists & victims, free/stable governments, protection of relatives still in danger, freedom for Christians & testimony of love & forgiveness
-continued open doors for relationships & ministry, including swimming lessons (many refugee kids drown here each year)
-new believers: physical/spiritual/emotional protection, growth, discipleship, bold & loving testimony among neighbors & family
-unbelievers' hearts to be opened to Truth, to desire to seek Jesus, Christians, and the Bible
-children to keep coming to For the Nations Summer Reading Program, to learn & grow in knowledge of Jesus and the gospel
-parents' softened hearts to allow children to attend this summer
-protection of children from evil influences, abuse, false religion, witchcraft, drugs, gangs, and effects of unhealed trauma

"With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel... that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." Ephesians 6:18-20

*Names changed for privacy reasons. To respect the privacy of individuals mentioned in this post, please do not share this information in a public setting or on social media.*

Refugees & Reptiles

First week of Summer Reading Program 2017... ✓

Thank you for your prayers; God certainly blessed us with a great church team from Iowa, smooth transportation & logistics, and lots of children. We had over 200 refugee kids each day, and we're expecting a lot more next week when summer school is out. Whoo-hoo!

It's exciting that so many kids are hearing the Good News every day this summer, but there's been plenty of spiritual opposition as well. Please keep the following situations in your prayers:

1) Two of Farida's* daughters came for the first few days of our Reading Program, but their father has withdrawn them and enrolled them in the local mosque's summer program instead.

2) Keep praying that Hassan* and his sister and brother will be allowed to come.


Chaperoning four children who only speak Iraqi Arabic during this week's Friday field trip to the Dallas Zoo was a highlight (and good language practice). It was a fun time for all the kids to experience how God reveals Himself through His amazing creation that we learned about this week. I'll never forget trying to catch up with my littlest charge who was bee-lining for the reptile building while yelling "SNAKE!!!" A child after my own heart :).

Three of the four are siblings from my class of new-to-America children, and it's been a challenging privilege trying to translate into Arabic during the daily Bible lesson. Next week we'll be talking more in-depth about sin and Jesus' sacrifice, so please pray that God will help me be effective in communicating the truth and love of Jesus Christ, and for understanding hearts. He crosses all boundaries!

For lots more photos of FTNRO summer fun, check out the Facebook page :)


*Names changed for privacy reasons. To respect the privacy of individuals mentioned in this post, please do not share this information in a public setting or on social media.*