“Protect them by the power of your name – the name you gave me – so that they may be one as we are one.” Separation and division are the tools of the enemy. If we cannot be separated from our Father, then we can be divided from each other.
We spent our time this morning discussing the importance of unity. We desire to work together with one purpose, one vision, and one goal, so that we may be one as The Son and The Father are one! “He must become greater, I must become less.” Please remember this in your thoughts about us this week.
Why we are grateful this week:
1) Today is Shannon’s 26th Birthday.
2) Today is also Mid-Autumn Day. It’s a traditional holiday in China. We have received many “moon cakes” as gifts. They are similar to large Fig Newtons, and they are the traditional food for this holiday.
3) I had an exceptionally good conversation with a student this week! I’ll have to write more in my next mailing! I’ll send it home by the end of the month, so maybe it’ll be in your mailboxes by early October.
4) Yesterday, we went to Beijing with four students. We left at 9am, ate lunch at KFC, and went to an English Club. Later we had dinner with Tony & Lily, and visited the Silk Market. It was a great day of friendship, and fellowship.
Please continue to “think” about us:
1) By the end of next week the entire IECS team will be in China!
2) Please remember Tony & Lily. Lily looks great, and she is due in about 4 weeks.
3) Peter’s twin brother will be deployed to Iraq soon. He is an officer in the Marines, and should be in a secure location most of the time, but we are still concerned for him.
4) Since this is a holiday weekend in China, traveling anywhere is more difficult than normal! There were many “cultural norms” that we thought we had accepted. However, we have realized that all of us are in need of more patience!
Going the second mile and loving it,
Brad
