Justine's parents came for a nice visit at Thanksgiving and we had a wonderful Christmas break in Ventura, visiting Jason's family!
On January 4th, our Discipleship Training School began. We have six wonderful young people that we are mentoring over these next 6 months. They are all around 18 years old, except for one 22 year old, three boys and three girls. They've come with a heart to know God and a heart to express His love to others in the Tenderloin of San Francisco, as well as in Rome, Italy and Istanbul, Turkey! We will be taking the students there in the spring for ministry and outreach. We have exciting things lined up for our time there, including working with an Episcopalian church in Rome who has a homeless ministry very similar to ours here in San Francisco, ESL tutoring with Italian college students, etc. Our students are very gifted artistically, and they are bringing art supplies/canvases to Istanbul and Rome in the hopes of being able to paint and bless people with gifts of art. One of our students, a girl from Holland, is extremely gifted in photography. Her dream is to be able to take beautiful photographs for the friends that we make in Rome and Istanbul and to give them their portraits as gifts. This is her unique way of expressing God's love and creation in each person. They're also forming a choir, with their beautiful voices and harmonies to perform in the piazzas in Rome.
These six students are growing so much! They are reaching out each week to the homeless in our neighborhood, to women trapped in prostitution, tutoring at-risk youth at a local high school, etc. while they are here in San Francisco. In the midst of all that they are pouring out, they are attending classes on topics like the Bible, the Character & Nature of God, Relationships, Jesus & Intimacy, etc. They are growing in their relationships with God and also in their own identities and knowing and appreciating how God has created them.We are so honored to be able to walk with these young people and encourage them towards their futures. It is definitely a new challenge to be leading the school (we've staffed the schools before, but this is our first time leading). Please be praying for us as we follow God and lead others in this season. Pray for many opportunities for our school to bless and encourage those we meet in Europe. Pray that the students continue to grow in confidence in believing that God has a purpose and deep love for them. Pray for us, our marriage, to be able to consistently find times of rest and to regenerate! Please pray for our finances, raising money for the trip overseas (not just us personally, but for the students as well).
We will update again, much sooner than five months! We love to hear from our loved ones through phone calls and/or e-mails. Please keep in touch.
