Griffith Gleanings June 2016

James 3:17-18 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

GRIFFITH GLEANINGS

Welcome to you we are so grateful we stand together in support; as we prepare to go to Cambodia by December 2016. This June brings a change to routines with a break from Bible College studies (until next semester); opportunity to meet with the Global Interaction Team Leader Mark Holt and the team preparing to go/return to Cambodia; some training in Melbourne with Missions Interlink called Transition Training; then the privilege to visit churches and a community group in the Northern Territory. We find that each church/group visit is helping shape us all as a collectorate of prayer is formed.

It is nearly half way through 2016, so we are getting very close to the end of the year and the prospect that we will soon be in Cambodia and embracing new challenges living cross-culturally and learning language and culture so that we can eventually understand and be understood by our neighbours. It is a wonderful privilege to be on this journey and sharing our passion to be responding to God’s invitation to be a part of his mission in Cambodia. It has been encouraging to have met with so many groups and individuals responding positively and seeking to track with us, pray for us and even contribute financially towards our next steps.

Great opportunity in sharing with Grange Baptist Church; Cambodia cultural night

June 2016

May has seen many opportunities visiting churches and small groups. It has been an encouragement to meet so many different people who support cross-cultural work in many ways. There are still dates available in the months ahead for those who haven’t seen or heard from us yet. So drop us a line if you would like to hear how we have come to a conviction about sharing the blessing we have received to the Khmer of Cambodia and how you can be a part of what God is doing there.

Rob’s parents Noel and Gwen Griffith last visit to us in our family home.

Thank you to those who have already committed to supporting us in prayer or in a financial way.
Please seek God’s leading in this area of what supporting us means for you.

Above is the “donut” chart that tracks how our funds received and pledges are going. At the end of May we were officially at 22 % of the support target that we need to go to Cambodia. We are so grateful to those who have joined our partnership support team in a financial way. We also need to welcome quite a few more between now and the end of the year to support us so we can get a completely blue shaded donut! Let us know if you would like us to catch up and chat about what supporting us financially would involve. As we complete our cross-cultural studies in early November this year we hope to reach the financial target to be ready to leave mid-December.
If you would like to know more about financially supporting us or you are ready to make a pledge please drop us a line or visit the Global Interaction web page.

Meeting with Helga was God’s gift of a “spiritual mother” with decades of wisdom into cross cultural missions. We even look like we’re related.

Rob:

This past semester of study has again given me many opportunities of learning and reflection. Some subject content at times brings clarity about our purpose in God’s world. One exercise on a retreat day involved seeing the story of the feeding of the five thousand in John 6:1-14 through the eyes of the boy who shared his lunch. I contemplated that as that boy I would have been overawed at my insignificant lunch in the hands of Jesus being turned into such miraculous food that satisfied such a crowd. I wanted my life to be an offering in Jesus hands like that lunch. When we try to serve God in our own strength, I have found that not a lot happens, but when we respond to the invitations to be doing what Jesus is about, bigger things happen in God’s kingdom. There is probably no more valuable insight for me at the moment as a candidate for cross-cultural mission. I seek to be a follower of Jesus who is being transformed to be like him, so that I am effective in doing God’s business and having God’s priorities where he places me in the years to come. This will be no small feat for someone who has lived by being driven by objectives and measurements of performance in a workplace within an individualistic Western culture. But if I am to be about helping to bring God’s wholeness, completeness and well-being to the Khmer people, I am going to have to be more like the boy who shared his lunch.

Cambodian shared meal on banana leaves

Tropical fruit Cambodia has a range with colours so bright and tastes to vary.

Deb:
The emotions of preparation have been an undulating landscape of many feelings, thoughts, tensions and joys. To leave well involves specific communication in: family discussions, one on one’s with Rob’s parents, our adult children, friends and church families. Rob’s parents stayed with us recently; through our marriage they have always been a steady presence, practically supported us all in many rich, meaningful ways and our gratitude for them is really beyond words. We take their legacy into next steps.

We are going but you are sending us, together we can sustain and be shaped by God’s mission. The resources speaking into our attitude of openness to be taught and shaped is through God’s collective wisdom from the Bible, Global Interaction staff and training, engagement with Bible College Studies and staff, other people and his voice echoed in nature/creation is soo instrumental. We are open to growing through these seasons. Please be welcome to stay close with us through all seasons. 😀

We have been encouraged deeply by many who pray with us and for us, speaking into our lives, send emails, catch up and share over a cuppa or a meal. We have been gaining new perspectives and treasures of wisdom through this process.

Preparing means releasing myself from worry and trusting God in the unknowns ahead for us all (that’s you too need to cover these bases) that comes with moving into cross cultural life and work. A big note to self…worry, as Corrie ten Boom wrote, ‘does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.’

Faith is growing in me breath by breath. My life is not meant to be fast paced so a steady breath and pace needs to be monitored. Stretching and exercises on all levels physically and spiritually are equipping me to gain God’s pace. As John Wesley wrote, ‘Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.’ Faith is like a muscle it grows when stretched. Let’s be ready for God’s next steps. So breath with me now.

Prayer Requests
That people of peace among the Khmer will deepen relationships with the team in Cambodia.
For training to equip us, inform our attitudes and understandings.
That each church or community group will influence our prayer life and preparations to go.
Praise Points
Completing our first semester study requirements.
Opportunities to go to churches/groups/communities builds relationships for long term.