Prayer Mail

Dear Prayer friends,
Peace be with you.
This is our weekly public prayer mail:

Welcome to Advent, and I hope you had a pleasant Thanksgiving.

The Week in Review:

1) This past week there have been several good connections about our future missionary plans, and it would take a while to good while through it all step by step. It has been happening quickly. We are excited. To summarize:

a) We had a good Skype call with Bp. Philip of Belize about potentially serving in the capital city of Belmopan, potentially looking at us making a several week site visit in the early months of 2012. This is very encouraging.

b) We have also had other encouraging additional news from SAMS about the possibility of serving in the Diocese of Northern Uganda. A proposal is in the process of being made to the Bishop of that Diocese.

c) Other possibilities emerged, as well, such as potentially serving in Nairobi, Kenya, or in the northern part of Kenya among nomadic tribes (the latter is a more remote possibility - in more than one sense - at the moment).

We are prayerfully evaluating all the options.

2) We had two good Thanksgiving gatherings, one for our immediate family and two friends in New York State, and one with Julie's immediate family, in Connecticut. We enjoyed touching base with our daughters, Ruth, Hannah, and Lydia, and with our parents. Of the options at the moment, our family is giving us feedback on where they might like us to serve, and Belize takes the top vote for just about everyone.

3) We have enjoyed touching base with supporters during the past week or so. You all are an awesome bunch! We have made new friends along the way.

Prayers:

1) Please keep Lydia and our parents, particularly Julie's parents, in your prayers:

a) Lydia's college roommate has departed for the school year, may reenter next Fall. Please keep Lydia in your prayers, for school work, exams, and adjustments.

b) Julie's sister's family, along with Julie's parents, are considering relocating to Colorado from Connecticut sometime in the near future. We will be included in important family discussions this coming weekend.

2) Please pray for our finances, meetings, logistics, and the right open doors in the Lord's timing over the next few months.

3) Bishop Philip of Belize has asked us to keep him, and the Church in Belize, in our prayers. We would appreciate your praying for them, as well.

God bless you, and I continue to pray for you every day. Your prayers matter to us.

Fr. Shaw and Mother Julie