Prayer Mail Feb 3

Dear partners in prayer,

This is a public email.

This week's selective overview: 

1) I had a totally awesome trip to Belize. So, this is a bit of a trip praise report and update as it is a prayer request.

I preached on healing prayer at the 8 am service at St. Ignacio in Belize; it was very well received and addressed several needs and questions that people had about healing ministry during a service. 

Unplanned ministry opportunities: I advised a vestry on a matter that was before them, participated with grade school teachers in morning devotions, did some vocational and personal counseling, and participated in a spiritual warfare prayer walk.  

On the trip, people in Honduras became interested in our online courses and links. 

2) Thank you to Jeanne Gizara, Tom Gizara and Torre Bissell for passing our messages on to others. 

3) How are we doing, numbers-wise? Since the beginning of Advent, 78 individual people have visited and used our Google web links site (open to the general public - adding up to over 1200 hits, so far, for various reasons), 5 new people in the last three days. 19 registered people entered our Moodle courses site (where our courses are; only available with a password). These numbers of people are sizeable, but it is not about numbers: it is about "who" is taking advantage of all this, each person is valuable in their contribution to the Church. 

We currently have 3 pro-bono faculty aside from myself, one of whom is just about to start up an online program at Codrington College in Barbados (seminary 3,000 miles from Belize), as well. Another was just hired by a seminary in another part of the world.

The above compares with Codrington College's current student body at the moment (a long-time traditional seminary for the entire Anglican province of the West Indies): 10 full time students in residence. 

In the past two weeks I have added more links to the Google Web library of links (open to the general public), including: the Church year (seasons and days), business ethics (two people in Belize were very interested to hear about that), and an international information section for missionaries (short term, long term), vacationers, business people, and anyone in general.

I did not come in contact with pesky mosquitoes. Aside from 5 or 6 very near misses with 18 wheelers on slippery roads at night, travel was smooth and timely. I did encounter a tick, but a local doctor in Belize has advised me not to be concerned with that type of tick, just treat the affected area as he suggested. Belize has survived a 50 year amount of rain fall, and dry season began to emerge at the end of our visit.

Prayer requests:

1) Pray for the outcomes from the meetings from recent weeks and pray for any meetings that will be coming up shortly. A lot of important ground continues to be covered, and Julie and I sense the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit through it all. Your prayers are very helpful. 

2) Pray for the Holy Spirit's provision and that our parish visitation schedule be his schedule. If your parish would like me to visit, please let me know.  

4) Pray for my upcoming visits to Belize in March (clergy retreat and more), May (during lay vocation month), and October (diocesan Synod).

5) Pray that the Holy Spirit would guide and supply the needs of: faculty, family, finances, plans, programs, diocesan plans, and parish visits.  

In Christ,

Shaw+, and on behalf of Julie+