Myanmar Updates

Email is very unreliable - I have sent several updates that have not made it to you.

Let me try to recap the last two...

Graduation for class Two on Feb. 21...

We graduated our second group of friends today. It was a great time together. This group of leaders was a little bit older, and several were good English speakers. The feedback we are receiving from the students is both humbling and very encouraging. We are amazed at how He works things out according to His perfect plan. The comments are that the teaching is better this year (and I could get a bit of a "big head" about this comment because I am the only new teacher) but what the students really mean is that our approach and methods are better. That is good news! I would hope that we could continue to improve as we learn about cultures and their needs. This group also asked really good questions and we were able to dialogue quite a bit.

One leader gave an informal invitation to come toward his province and deal with leaders of about 260 groups. Wow! We will investigate that more - but we also have two other new invitations here.

Ed was described as "firey" by one of the young women who was appreciative of his passion and committment to pour everything he has into his teaching. I went with Ed this evening to the "mall" (sorta) so that he could get his hair cut. Well, he wound up getting a haircut and a shampoo. It took an hour. He paid four dollars for that kind of "deluxe" treatment. He sure smells nice though.

It is incredibly hot here (especially for a fat boy). Our hosts are generous, and everything is really done to the best of their ability. While soup is best on a chilly day, it has been good each time served. Coca Cola is also available, and the breakfast at our hotel has been good. Last night we took one of our main leaders (Sui) and some of her friends to a cafe for fish and chips and ice cream. All of it was good.

Jimmy Lawbaugh is headed home tomorrow. I appreciate Jimmy's heart for these leaders and his williness to invest in their lives. Please continue to think of us as we begin a new session tomorrow (Wednesday).

Thanks for taking this journey with us and for your generosity to make it happen! You are the greatest friends in the world.

David

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Middle of Insitute Three...

Thanks for keeping us at the front of your thoughts and pryers! Things are going very well.

I'm crying about every day - sorry to admit it, but I'm overwhelmed by what we are doing here. These people are more educated (reading/writing) and are really hungry to learn. They are so very poor that they have no opportunity to attend any training ever. We have a "mixed bag" group this week. They are from different conventions and are from all over the country. One group travelled by foot for two days and by bus for two days to get here. They arrived the first day of the conference at 4 am. Today we had some "late arrivers" - they had walked for two days, rode a boat for a day, then walked another day, then caught a bus for two days travel. They arrived hungry and tired at 5 am this morning - we were glad to provide them food and water and then they sat and soaked in the teaching all day long. It is simply amazing.

These friends are amazing - they are sponges that soak up every word! It is humbling.

Sorry there isnot more to write - but that's all I'm doing - teaching and sleeping. On Saturday (Friday your time) we will go to the big pagodas (Buddhist temples) and the market. Then on Sunday we leave for Mandalay - I'm not optimistic about being able to communicate from there, but will try.

I hope to be able to post some pictures on Saturday!!

All our team is well - no illness, no problems whatsoever.

Thanks for taking this journey with us. I can assure you that we are making a difference in the lives of our friends for His sake!

David

PS - we will continue to try to get updates out - please kno wthat we are trying!!!!