/files/Pictures/Missionaries/Groening '09.JPGJoel and Cindy Groening 

(far left - with their children)







Dear Precious Prayer Partners,                                                               April 25, 2010

 

On April 16, this message was prepared to share with our Nasuli and surrounding community.

“We regret the need to announce that the much anticipated and prayed for transfer of management of the SIL Nasuli Center to HANDS - Helping Assist Needs Development Services Foundation - will not happen, at least not in the foreseeable future.

SIL, in accordance with a recently signed MOA with the Department of Education, will still be leaving the SIL Nasuli Center; however, the transition of the property to the Department of Education will take place as of the end of May instead of the previous scheduled turn over date of May 1. This change of date is needed to allow the time necessary for SIL Center and individual family transition plans to be accomplished.”


We do believe that the Lord has answered all our prayers, we just do not understand His answer. This continues to be a very difficult time as you might imagine. Perhaps some of the pictures attached will help you understand the immensity of the task we are in the middle of. It is such a strange experience to feel great joy and happiness and great sorrow and sadness at the same time, manifested in different ways continually. The one is due to some of the praise items below, the other is due to the very real circumstances that are reflected in the prayer items. THANK YOU for your prayers!

  • Praise the Lord with us that even though this outcome is not at all what we all have been praying for, there is relief in the clarity that we finally have.
  • As we, the “remnant” are trying to close well, we praise the Lord for the tremendous unity of purpose, spirit, and camaraderie that we have.
  • Praise for four people who dropped other plans and came back to Nasuli to bolster our spirits and provide physical labor to help.
  • It has been said that when humor is lost, all has been lost. Praise the Lord that one can still see smiles and hear frequent laughter here at Nasuli despite the circumstances. There are still plenty of tears too however.
  • Pray for physical and emotional strength for these heavy days of moving furniture, etc – transferring 56 years of accumulation to our Meeting Hall for repeated sales to the community-at-large. The first large sale was this past Friday and it went well. Two more big sales this week.
  • Pray for the Department of Education who will assume control over Nasuli as of the end of May, We have not heard of any plans yet and the concern is that “squatters” will ransack and destroy it all.
  • Pray for our security with a greatly reduced population here at Nasuli.
  • It is essential that Cindy and I find someone to live in the house we will move to in Davao City from June 6 through the end of October when we are on furlough. An empty house invites intruders and we also have two dogs who will need care.

We do really look forward to the happiness that awaits us during our furlough, getting to see many of you, spend time with our families, our kids, and especially to enjoy our first grandchild who is expected to make an appearance a few weeks before we arrive.  

 

Thank you for bringing us before the Lord. We can feel His sustaining grace!

Joel & Cindy Groening

 

P.S. If you know someone who normally gets our letters via printed copy, we just will not be able to take the time to send printed letters this time. We would appreciate if you could get them a copy. Thanks.

 

New permanent address – please strike the Nasuli address from your address book

Joel & Cindy Groening

PO Box 81439

8000 Davao City

PHILIPPINES

 

Address to use during our furlough (Effective as of May 1, 2010)

Joel & Cindy Groening

101 Wheatridge Drive

Newton, KS 67114

Ph 316-283-9179 (after June 18)

Email – joel-cindy_groening@sil.org

Skype – jgroening