A Corner (Jan. Newsletter)

The month of January is unique in that it is very much like a corner in time.  It is both a season to start new beginnings and a time for looking back at what has passed. 

This January, we look back over 2011 and see a year of “calling.”  God wooed our hearts for His purposes in the spring, brought us through the application process with Wycliffe in the summer, and into our first training in the fall.  Now that January 2012 is here, we are at a corner, peering around the edge, in hopes of a glimpse of what lies ahead.

One thing we do know is that God has begun 2012 off with a bang and is accomplishing mighty works in bringing together our prayer and financial support team.    In just the first three weeks of 2012, God increased our pledge support by 6%, up to 10% total.  He has increased our prayer team to include 42 different families who have committed to praying for us regularly.

Furthermore, He allowed us to visit northern VA to see friends that we have not seen in years.  (He also gifted us with some snow and sledding time while we were there- something we will not see much of in Brazil or Moz!)  The time we were able to share with these friends was priceless. 

We were also able to use this visit to speak at the First Baptist Church of Alexandria.  In many ways, speaking there was like going home for us.  FBCA is where we first met, where we were discipled early on in our faith and where we both went on our first mission trip.  We fully believe God is going to use the friendships we have in NoVA to have a long-term impact for the Bibleless of Mozambique.

What will the rest of 2012 hold?  That is for God to know and for us to find out.  Our hearts’ desire is that 2012 will find us fully funded, trained and heading to language school by early Fall.  To that end, we will continue to stay busy meeting with people, speaking at churches and sharing the needs of the Bibleless of Mozambique throughout 2012.

What does 2012 hold for you?  Would you consider praying specifically in regards to your role in our ministry?  Perhaps 2012 will find you partnering with us financially or through prayer so that the Bibleless of Mozambique will not have to wait any longer to hear and receive the Word of God.  We are incredibly thankful for those who have already partnered with us and look forward to seeing the awesome works of God just around the corner!!

To God be the glory,
David and Wendi Richards