September update

​Hello everyone, hope you are all doing well. This is a short update on this past month and our plans for this coming month. 

Tracts/outreach

So, at the beginning of this month, i decided i wasn't getting enough time in translating, so i decided to rethink my schedule, as calvin is getting older, it is getting more and more important to spend time intentionally doing developmental and educational activities, so while he can play by himself, i feel i shouldn't be anxious to get away from him, so instead, i am waking up 2 hours earlier, i get the house to myself in peace and quiet, and i actually get a lot done. Then when he sleeps, i do some more. So hopefully this system will be a bit better for me, and i have heard good things about waking early. 

This month i will finish up the bondage of the will, and move on to one of the others on my list of todo tracts, and maybe even a second. However i need fang to help check the botw, so i am not sure if we can get it completely checked within a month, working in her free time. Im getting better about correcting my mistakes as i go, and i know what to look for, so hopefully there is not much to correct. 

Outreach is complicated now, but ill still hand out gospel verse cards at the very least, and hopefully some wont mind having a conversation a step back. Pray for me, that i would have boldness in this area, i should go everyday, but i don't. Thats kind of the purpose of the cards, to acomadate for my weakness, they are easy to make, and cheap, and quick to hand out. I still am frustrated because i seem to have so little success. But i know God has some sheep here, or i wouldn't be here, so i guess ill just keep trekin

Family

Calvins birthday was on the 31st, Fang made him a birthday pizza because he likes pizza so much. He likes anything that is bread in fact, good for him, he was born in the right place i guess. Calvin understands no extremely well by now, Fang and i both can now say no firmly, and he pulls his hand back. I actually got a wonderful video of it yesterday, in the park calvin walked right up to an electric outlet, wanted to touch it, i said no, and he pulled himself back, plopped down, and stared at it like "but i really want to touch it". I am feeling much more confident now that Calvin will turn out fine. He also brings things to us when asked, and comes when called.

Business

So business is slow, and has died down quite a bit, Fang makes about 20% what she used to, and I only have 4 students, however it looks like they will continue to study, and we have dozens of interested parents who send messages. So I decided to try my luck at another business on the side, using what i have. I like to recycle old glass bottles, and i have a bunch of glass cups i have made in various sizes, and not all of them can be used as drinking glasses, so i will make scented candles, and sell them. I figure, it might be a good business choise if i want to sell random crafts and suvineers to tourists who come through, not only candles. So hopefully this will create a little bit more income for us. 

Fang is adding to the menu, the best fried chicken sandwich ive ever had, so that hopefully will boost sales. We will also be adding a 3rd menu style, a simpler menu to add to the full menu, or custom sandwich menu, we will have a very short menu of food that is quick to make. Likely we will have an adult price and kids price on this menu. 

Recycling is going well, have boxes of shredded plastic now, organized by type, mostly PET and HDPE, but also a good amount of PP as well, and i realized that while i don't have much, i do need to organize PS as well, though i will likely recycle Styrofoam and the rest of the ps separately as it is a bit more complicated to recycle. While reorganizing i found 2 waterpump motors, and a washing machine motor, these will be useful for fabricating my own plastic grinder and drum sander machine… and if i can find a used cutterhead, a thickness planer as well, perhaps all in the same machine (by making the shafts exchangeable) This is all just long term planning, but having a shop to make anything i need to, is actually an important part of how i serve this place. If i can make money by recycling plastic long term, then there is a really interesting link into ministry to nst's poor, that is, buy the plastic they collect at a hirer price than they usually sell it for, and then use this as an opportunity to witness, and develop relationships with them. (Not sure if this is really possible, but it might be, so its worth mentioning)

Summary

The goal here is simple, preach the gospel, teach the bible, make disciples, and love people by serving them, no matter if it is with a good sandwich at an affordable price, or teaching their kids english in a fun and not dreadfully boring manner… And if we are faithful with these things right now, a healthy local bible believing nst church will result. Then we will reexamine, and probably focus most of our energy on church activities, and move forward as a larger body rather than a small family, which will be different, but not worse im sure. And hopefully the church will multiply and plant more churches. Hopefully our family and church will from the very beginning be hardworking and diligent, always making something new, for the benefit of others, especially our brothers and sisters in the faith. (And there is plenty to make, i have a hundred long lists…) 

Thankyou for all your support, both in prayer and financial support.