In Red Deer with Mom and Dad

I have no pictures to post of all the goings-o,n here with Dad in the hospital and Mom and I going back and forth to visit him twice a day. Thank you for your prayers for Dad. The back surgery went well and after 7 days in Foothills Hospital in Calgary Dad was transported (by ambulance) to Red Deer hospital. That has made it much nicer for all of us, and if all goes well, Dad should be able to come home in a week or so. Today both the physio therapist and the occupational therapist put him through a pretty significant workout to begin to get him ready to be independent again. I think he is really looking forward to getting home.

Tonight Tim and Tegan took me out to dinner at a nice restaurant. Yummy!!! Oh, I guess that's something I should try to get a picture of..........Tim & Tegan.

Fun with the Grandkids

Playing in the sun (and shade) at Mill Lake in Abbotsford

Digging a moat at White Rock

Picnicking with Zach, Deanna and Jacinda at White Rock. What fun!!!

Hurray, I'm Certified

It was a month of the most intense studying I think I've ever done. I was so bone-tired for the week following the course that I could hardly drag myself out of bed each day. So, if you are wondering if I'm relieved it's over, I can assure you that I am. Was it worth it? I hope so! God knows the answer to that better than I do because He knows the future and knows when and where I will be able to put this knew knowledge to good use. I have a couple of open invitations already, so I don't doubt that the day is coming when God will have me pull this tool from my bag and use it.

Thank you so much for your prayers for me as I studied TESOL; through them God sustained me, through them I was able to finish victoriously. And once again I want to express my deep gratitude to those of you who gave financially so that this certification could become a reality. May God reward you for your generosity.

Last week we had our staff retreat at Bigfork, attended the Silver Valley pastor's fellowship meeting at Shoshone Base Camp then took the weekend to run up and visit John & Kim and the kids. What fun! This fall all three will be in school (Zach in 2nd grade, Deanna in 1st and Jacinda two days a week in kindergarten). Daniel is now officially a Fleming but it may take a few months (or more, who knows) before he will be released to join his anxiously awaiting family in Canada.

I'd like to ask you to please pray for my (Doris) Dad (Alfred). He has been in the hospital for the past two weeks with health issues, and on September 15 he is scheduled to undergo a pretty major back surgery to relieve the pain in his hips and legs.

Also, I want to ask for your prayer support as I prepare to speak at a ladies retreat in Portland, Oregon the weekend of September 18-20. Those of you who know me best know that speaking in front of groups is not my strong suite, but I believe God has called me to do it. It's times like this that Jesus comforts me with his words: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." And so, just as Paul did, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me.

TESOL is almost finished!

Whew! Just one week to go. Yippee!!! This course has stretched me in so many ways and has pointed out to me what areas of my teaching style and ability need to be worked on (namely, grammar). I guess I've been speaking English so long that I don't remember the rules of why we say things and pronounce things the way we do. It's been many years since I've thought about what a preposition is, let alone try to explain to a non-English speaker what prepositions are, or articles, or minimal pairs and phrasal verbs, etc. etc.

The whole thing has been quite a stretch, but the most rewarding part of the whole course has been the practicum. Each evening our class heads into town to teach English to speakers of other languages. We have people from Columbia, Peru, India, Mexico, Russia, etc. taking our classes. It's been such a joy! They are so eager to learn, so excited to improve their English speaking ability.

I've learned several things about myself during this course: 1) I'm not very good at giving a grammar presentation (my grades are lowest in that area); 2) That I don't function too well on 4-5 hours of sleep at night; 3) That I flourish best in an environment of acceptance; 4) That I need words of affirmation to keep from feeling overwhelmed by taunting tasks.

Sorry for my lack of postings to this blog over the past several weeks. I really thought I would have a chance to post a little, even if not a lot. We were warned that this course would be "intense" but little did any of us really know how "all-consuming" it would really be.

Please keep me in your prayers as I finish up my TESOL training. And please let me know if there is anything I can be praying for you about.

A few days ago John (our son) called to let us know that Daniel is now officially a "Fleming." PRAISE GOD!!! Now things move on to the passport and visa stage. Please keep them, and Daniel, and the process in your prayers.

Thanks for praying!

I just want to say "thank you so very much" to all of you who have been praying for our son, John, as he endured another eye surgery this week. Thankfully, the doctors did not have to do a corneal transplant. But rather, he had to have calcium build-up scrapped from the front surface of his left eye. As you can imagine, he experienced severe pain once the anesthesia wore off. But when I spoke with him last night (2nd day after surgery) the pain had backed off quite a bit. We appreciate your care and concern for John, and your faithful prayers on his behalf.

Another answer to prayer this week came in the form of $$$$$$. God has provided (through the generous gifts of friends) for me to do the TESOL training this summer. Amazingly, just this week, $800.00 of the 1020.00 needed has come in the mail. I am blown away at God's goodness. I've heard it said that when He asks you to do something, He provides everything needed to make it happen, and I'm finding that to be very true. I praise God!!! When we were in Myanmar last fall I clearly heard God speak to me about getting the TESOL training (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). Please remember me in prayer as I take this 4-week intensive course. I met our Instructor last evening (a gal from Australia) and it didn't take long to figure out that this course is not for sissies. But, God is my helper, I know that.

A huge highlight for us these days is that a young pastor friend from India (along with his wife and young son) have come to the base for 6 weeks of training. We met this couple on our first trip to India in 2005. He is from Orissa where so much persecution has taken place against Christians this past year. What a blessing to have them here! The things they've witnessed--the people that have been beaten, chopped and murdered, their homes and churches plundered and burned--it's been heart-rending for them. They have such a love for the pastors in the villages and the work of God in that place. We are so thankful for God's protection over them. And so grateful to God for the plans He has for them in ministering to the persecuted church in that region. Next weekend, Lord willing, we plan to take them to Idaho to meet the church people there that have prayed for them.

June Outings & Activities

What a wonderfully relaxing time we had at Lake Coeur d' Alene. Al and Nicki let us use their lake place for a couple days. Beautiful! Thanks you guys!

Last night we helped serve food (snow cones was our specialty) at VBS Parent's Night at our church here in Lakeside.

This week we hosted one of the speakers for the Summer School of Sports. And guess what? He's from my neck of the woods (Alberta).

A couple weeks ago we had the pleasure of having several Indians, Africans, Canadians, and Americans over for an authentic Indian supper. Yummm!

Here are a couple videos of an afternoon on the lake. Angela, Jack and Will came to enjoy a swim and some paddle boating.

God is amazing!

I have to admit, even after knowing Jesus all these years and seeing Him work in the most incredible ways, I am still often amazed at the things He does, at the ways He pulls things together and moves on our behalf.

In just this past 2 weeks I have seen the awesome hand of God at work in many ways:

• unexpected checks in the mail
• connection with an Indian man whose vision for ministry is the same as ours
• 20 people coming to the altar for prayer and to signify their desire for more of God in their lives
• 3 days of confession, prayer, and crying out to God by leaders of this base (there were business matters discussed and decided on as well, but the whole attitude of our time together was one of vulnerability, humility, confession of sin, and desire for God to have His way more fully in our lives)
• prayer times where I received clear and encouraging words and pictures from the Lord on how to proceed in ministry
• words given to me to speak to others (sometimes words of encouragement, sometimes words of confession, sometimes words that express my need for their help)
• guests that use our spare bedroom (housing here on the base is very tight) and we find an immediate connection - this past week we have had the base leader of Kiev, Ukraine in our home

I don't think our heavenly Father minds that we are amazed, and even surprized by His deeds. After all, we are but dust, and He is mighty; He is powerful; He is limitless; He and His works are far above anything that we can ask or imagine. So why wouldn't we be amazed.

How I long to see God's amazing miraculous touch on John's (eldest son, age 33) eyes. Oh that God would fully restore his vision!