On the Cover

A photo of my elementary-age "Confetti Club" Storytime appears on the cover of the Seminole County FL "Guide to Leisure Services"  Winter Spring 2012 edition. This guide gives programs and events of Extension Services, Greenways and Natural Lands, Libraries, Parks and Recreation, plus Tourism from January - May 2012.

I am thankful for the last 17+ years of customer service, reference and youth services librarianship with a great organization. This along with decades of children's ministry provides an excellent foundation for another dimension of librarianship – supporting Bible translation in Cameroon as a school librarian.

Christmas 2011 - International Friendship Ministry

Right now more students 600,000 university students from around the world come America to study.  Sixty-nine international students from universities around the U.S. came to Orlando December 21-28 for the 2011 International Friendship Ministry Christmas Tour. It was a chance for host families to share Christ's love for this mission field that God brought to our doorsteps.

Host families help international students to understand the significance of this important holiday. Frequently a student is exposed to the gospel here in the USA but comes to trust Christ as Savior when they return to their home country.  Our prayer is that our involvement in each student's life will have an impact for eternity.

2011 was my 3rd year to host Chinese students for the IFM Christmas tour.  This Christmas, it was my privilege to host visiting scholars Qifeng Yin, college teacher in Sichuan Province and Huan Wang, a senior reseacher at China Institute of Science (Beijing).

Pork dumpling making lesson from Qifeng. She actually expected me to 

use chopsticks get filling mixture onto dumpling wraps! I was determined

 to do so and did (OK, with some practice).  

Christmas Day gang @ farewell dinner. My threesome enjoyed the gracious hospitality
 of Jim and Ginny Siebert at their home with their students,
and worshiped with them @ St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church.

Qifeng and Huan assist me in presenting "The Legend of the Poinsettia" via
 Mexican marionettes @ the Farewell Dinner with host families and students.

Departure morning. The last evening I also welcomed Yang Jiang (left) into my condo, 
whose regular host family was out of town for a wedding. Host families help each other
 out to fill in any gaps/needs. Special thanks to Ginny Siebert and Rosa Schenone
 for assisting me with transportation.
. 

Technology is awesome! One special experience of the week for me was seeing and speaking with Huan's husband and 4-year-old daughter via Internet Christmas Eve in Orlando/Christmas morning in Beijing. When Huan showed her daughter what she had gotten for her, I ran and grabbed a little bear in red PJ's (sang "Jesus Loves Me" when squeezed a spot) I was giving preschool daughters of Huan and Qifeng. When Huan held bear up close to laptop camera, her daughter held out her arms to take the bear though 7,500+ miles of cyberspace. My heart was touched!  I also was able to say hello to Qifeng's husband later in the week, but he had no computer camera.

more to come...

December 2011 "WattsLine" Newsletter Posted

NOTE: My December 2011 WattsLine  newsletter has been posted under Newsletters.


It contains a "2011 in Review" summary and my Christmas devotional, "A Rejoicing Spirit".

Merry Christmas from Wycliffe

 

What a joy and a privilege to be involved in bringing God’s translated Word to those who don’t yet have it! As you meditate on the significance of the birth of Jesus, remember those for whom Jesus remains a foreigner because they’ve never heard the good news in the language they understand best. Your partnership in the work of Bible translation brings them closer to the God who loves them, providing access to the hope and salvation offered in God’s Word.

  

Click below for a video Christmas greeting from President and CEO of Wycliffe Bible Translators USA Bob Creson and his wife Dallas.

Merry Christmas from Wycliffe

Wycliffe’s Annual World Day of Prayer

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6

Wycliffe’s World Day of Prayer was November 11 intended for all Wycliffe USA staff working and/or living in the U.S. It was held at the Discovery center in Orlando and was streamed live to other staff around the country. Living only one county away, I decided to go there and participate in person rather than via Internet. So glad I did…a number of helpful contacts / conversations and enriched by broader perspectives from praying through the program notebook with others around the table, including Wycliffe Pioneer George Cowan & daughter Ruth who works in Prayer Ministries department.

“From Start to Finish” we journeyed together in prayer and praise to God for the privilege to partner with Him in the Bible translation process. We

-prayerfully supported Wycliffe colleagues and partners around the world.

-prayed for language projects yet to start, for those underway, and for those nearing the finish line.

-worshiped God and celebrated with those who have the Scripture in their heart language. Topics for prayer included Bibleless People & Language Survey and Development, Impacts of Bible Translation, Creative Strategies in Bible Translation, Celebrate the Finish Line, and more.

Friday was a great day journeying together in worship and in prayer for the task of Bible translation all around the world. Experiencing it in person was a real blessing as I expected it would be.