Author name: Lois Gillespie

As we sit in sessions during our first day of orientation, our hearts are saddened by the news from Murree Christian Academy in Pakistan. We urge you to pray for them as you prayed for us and to e-mail them with your encouragements. (Their e-mail address can be found on the website for Association for Christian Schools International.) These things mean so much during times of fear and reaffirmations of trust.

Today, our director has outlined new security measures that are and will be in place. Some are the same ones that kept the children at Murree safe during their recent terrorism. We pray they will never be necessary here, but we are putting them into place even so. We are as determined as Daniel’s 3 friends to stand firm and to believe that God can deliver us, but to continue to trust even if He doesn’t.

Staff members are still arriving. There have been delays in transportation and other discouragements, but all who were planning to come before July 17th are still coming. For this we are thanking and praising the Lord. Please pray that all these frustrations will be overcome and that the remainder of our staff will soon be with us.

Bob is enjoying his newly refurnished classroom; I even made curtains (OK – I started them and had them finished by a local seamstress.). He has been asked to ‘mentor’ a new teacher, which makes us feel like old timers. As always, I’m in the middle of network and internet improvements; we hope the end result will give us more dependable e-mail and internet access.

We love knowing that you will be praying for us tonight. More and more we understand Paul’s warm feelings as he thought of those who were praying for him. Please know that we are joyfully thanking God for you.

We’ve leaving this morning with Gina and Brian to do some sight-seeing etc. I don’t think we’ll be near e-mail, so I’m sending this early.

New staff is arriving as well as some staff returning from furlough. We are feeling like ‘old-timers’ since we can actually answer some of the questions people are asking. It is good not to be the newest rookies. Please pray for safety in all the traveling that will be going on in the next few weeks.

Yesterday, we attended the Baptists Mid-Missions church plant in town where the Abernethies (English) and Holmes (French) minister. Since the Abernethies were away on vacation, Aaron, one of the Liberian Bible college students preached. He talked about Daniel, and put himself in Daniel’s place since his life plans were changed by a forced exile, but God so clearly worked to bring about his salvation. It was a fresh and interesting point of view. Aaron’s heart yearns to return to his country and tell his people about the Lord. Since the goal of church-planting should be to train nationals to carry on when the missionaries are gone, we were glad to see that very thing taking place here in Bouake.

We’ve had a great time with our kids. They’ve helped us with a lot of work-related items, so now it’s time to play. We thank you for your prays for us here at ICA. New arrivals are helping us to move on and not think about recent events so much, but the closed and locked front gate is a constant reminder. The guards are more somber these days, especially Bob’s friend Antoine who was the main guard on duty at the time of the robbery. Although he did everything that he was supposed to do, he feels responsible. Please pray that God would use these reflective times in the lives of our workers, and that we who know the truth would be aware of divine appointments to minister to these people who care for us.

We’ve been so busy, I didn’t realize it was Wednesday already, so this will be a hurried note.

We’ve been out of school for 2 1/2 weeks, and school starts again in 2 1/2 weeks – not much of a summer vacation. Since most people are still trying to accomplish the same things they do in other summer breaks which have been longer, we’re really feeling the crunch. In addition, we had quite a number of short-term staff leave this year, so there’s less people to accomplish the work.

But, we get to have fun next week when Gina and Brian are here with us. Please pray for their safety as they fly out, and our safety as we travel 4 hours to Abidjan to pick them up. They will be with us for 2 weeks.

Also please continue to pray for teachers for this coming year – needed in just 2 1/2 weeks. We especially need elementary teachers. If you know of anyone considering a short-term missionary teaching assignment but hesitating only because of raising the support, please have them contact us discoverica@ica.ed.ci. ICA has some funds available to work with to help bring out short-term teachers.

Thank you for praying for us.