News from the front lines.
I am sometimes asked how many students I have. The answer is that it fluctuates, but I have the right number of people needed in the Diocese of Belize.
One of the advantages of our online program is that it allows for students to come and go as their life circumstances change. In other words, no one fails, but some take longer than others to finish the program. Yet there are some things that even this plan can not adjust for.
One reason the number varies is that critical life circumstances intervene from time to time as happens in many parts of the world. We have experienced this before in South America, for example. Not everything is predictable.
And what comes to mind today is one of my students in Belize (and a Cursillista), Velda. She is a true "veteran of the faith" if you will, not in the military sense, but in the sense of being a life-long saint. Velda has entered a medically induced coma. Currently, she has a 15% survival rate.
Her family believes that they will know the outcome on Thursday.
I am humbled by the observation that another of our students emailed to me about Velda, the day before I wrote this. The student said: "I saw Velda last night and her hand was on the study Bible. Her children said that she referred to it constantly as she taught members of her family."
The study Bible was the study Bible version that I felt led to ask the students to get for the courses and which the Diocese of Belize provided the students for that reason a few months ago. You just never know what God will do with his gifts.
Ways to support us.
Your prayers and financial support make the online educational ministry happen. Thank you.
Please make checks out to: "SAMS", and put "Mudge" in the memo space. The mailing address is: SAMS, P. O. Box 399, Ambridge, PA 15003-0399.
God bless you,
Shaw+ and Julie+
Global missionaries of SAMS and Albany.
Holy Eucharist at the 2012 Synod for the Diocese of Belize at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Belize City.
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