Update
from Patience
Mid Nov. 06
Bombarded with one storm after the other yet we carry on in
deluged Oregon. This week on the last night of the ladies
Bible study
there were 50+ mile p/hr winds and torrential rains keeping a few
women too far away to hear. One of the ladies wrote on a
thank you
card, "The disappointing part however is that this class has an
end.
Whose idea was that?!" Thanks for helping make this such a
life
changing 10 weeks for a lot of us by your prayers. They
have made a
definate difference.
We have finished our study at the women's prison, as
well, so we
are now attending as helpers in the small groups while always being
available before and after the evening meeting to listen and pray with
the inmates.
Do you know what orthodics are? It's what you
buy and put in
your shoe when your own left foot had collapsed due to arthritis.
Since both of my feet are becoming quite deformed and causing some
serious pain, two weeks ago, under Ray's direction, we went to
have my
feet analysed and set on the road to improved mobility . It
was not in
the budget but what a difference it has made in my life as I get used
to having my feet, thus my knees and hips, in the right place
again.
I still can't wear them all day but should be able to by the end of the
month.
We get to put them to the test as we head to Victoria and
Vancouver for our 2 weeks of teaching for YWAM schools there.
(Standing for 3 to 5 hrs a day teaching will help us see just how much
improvement they make.) In Victoria, not only will I be
teaching for
YWAM, but on Thursday evening I will speak at a ladies meeting at one
of the local churches. A new ministerial alliance in the
Esquimalt
area of Victoria has asked me to share with them on Friday morning
(Nov. 24) on how to join together in the spiritual warfare needed
to
see a spiritual transformation. The pastors have only been
meeting
for the last 3 months or so, and come from every imaginable
flavor of
doctrine. Are you seeing the need for some wisdom way beyond my
abilities? Real answers to hard questions? The powerful
presence of
God? Please help us pray into this.
Vancouver is filled with not just teaching on
spiritual warfare
but "going to coffee" nearly every available moment with some
long
term YWAM staffers who need to hear God about a plethora of
things.
Ray and I love this part of our work with YWAM but never seem to know
exactly how to help. We rely on the Holy Spirit to give us any
words
of direction, encouragement, or counsel. That could sure use some
prayer support.
Home on Nov. 30 so Ray can go back to operating those
eathmoving
machines - that is, if there is anything besides mud left in western
Oregon. Our faith continues to be exercised in the financial
realm,
too, since from now until the spring a full work week for him is
rare. This is what God called us to and we beleive He will give
us
what we need to do it.
On our way up to B.C. tomorrow we are going to stay the
night with
our daughter and 5 grandchildren to have an early Thanksgiving.
Chucky
Cheese is in the picture so pray for us!
In Him,
Ray and Patience Gifford
