Dear All,
I just realized that I FORGOT to let you know that Scott, Judah, and Jenni are all safely back home in SW Missouri. Since Scott had already traveled 2/3 of the way around the world from the Philippines to Morocco some 10 days ago, his body has processed part of the jet lag, and he has hit the ground running and is doing well.
Thank you all for your faithful prayers over the past 4 1/2 weeks. God has heard and is answering!
Blessings,
Patty (and Scott!)
Dear All,
Sunday’s Bottom Line:
God has answered our (YOUR) prayers, and Saturday’s vision-casting in Marrakech produced three new groups of believers ready to enter the disciple-making process! (BTW, I’ve seen that city spelled four different ways, so despite wanting to be consistent, I don’t know which is correct.) Our team is now back in Casablanca on the Mediterranean Sea, where they have just wrapped up their final vision-casting of this trip. Jenni sent us some great updates and pictures from the past several days (see below), and My Hero will be HOME Monday evening!!! = )
Sunday’s Prayer Requests:
1.The coaches of our Morocco teams to effectively reproduce in their new group members what has been invested into them for the past several months.
2. Safety and protection for the growing number of believers and disciple-makers in Morocco.
3. Grace, strength, peace, and good health for Jenni, Judah, and Scott as they return to the states today and tomorrow; for they and their luggage to arrive home intact and on time.
Sunday’s Details:
On Thursday, following a meeting with the local pastor who is hosting them, Scott, Judah, and Jenni visited a lady who hosts a persecuted church in her home. Jenni said, “She has dozens of young people living with her who have come to her in need in various ways and have come to call her Mama. She told us a story of a time when she was expecting four visitors and was struggling to make the cheapest meal she could eek out for them with what little she had…and instead of 4, 25 people showed up! Besides her own household! She prayed that the food would not run out, and it kept going and going until everyone was full…and people took home leftovers. What a blessing it was to meet this woman who is quietly living out the gospel without applause or support.”
That afternoon, Jenni had the privilege to share a devotion time with the church’s worship team and then to practice with them for Sunday. “After that, four of our Moroccan kids [who are in J & J’s online DM group] took us out to experience Marrakech at night. Because of the heat during the days, it is a city oriented toward night life.”
“We went back to the mosque where we saw men inside doing their prayers.”
“We got some very fresh juice from the juice stands and saw the old city square abuzz with music and dancing and activity. We rode a horse-drawn carriage through the city and were escorted safely home by our gracious guides by 1AM.”
They did some sightseeing on Friday, and that evening, they “went with Tim and Scott to the underground church where Scott had a very rare opportunity to preach.”
Morocco is a closed country (i.e., not officially open to Christianity), and for the sake of the believers there, we have to be very careful what we share about ministry there. While we think it is unlikely that Americans would be detained, locals who associate with such suspected “infidels” could be. In some closed countries, people who convert from Islam to Christianity are alienated, disowned by family, denied opportunities for education and/or work, fined, imprisoned, or even tortured. The cost to follow Jesus can be very high.
NOTE: “Underground” churches are not literally in basements, but are usually rather small, inconspicuous gatherings of believers, often meeting in an apartment. Scott is familiar with that situation having ministered in a different closed country some time ago.
Jenni said, “It was a profound experience listening to the Arabic worship coming from the lips of people who have faced serious consequences for their faith. One young man had been picked up off the street and taken in [arrested?] after his father beat him and left him for dead for converting to Christianity. And now he is leading worship. It was truly beautiful.” Scott said he expects that young man to be a pastor someday.
As I type this on Sunday afternoon MO time, our team has concluded their final six-hour DM vision-casting in Casablanca, and I expect that more people have signed up to join DM groups.
We are so humbled and honored to be a part of helping expand the disciple-makers movement in Morocco and other nations of the world, and although you may be tired of hearing me say it, we are SO thankful to know that you are praying for our teams and those they are training. Would you please pray for them again today?
Blessings,
Patty
Our team in Morocco is in its final two days of ministry, and in this closed country their activities now are very significant. I expect to have more information and explain the situation more clearly tomorrow, but we really need your prayers undergirding their activities right now.
Pray for…
1. Spiritual and physical safety for all involved; protection from all demonic forces. Nothing to hinder what God wants to do today and tomorrow in another city.
2. The Holy Spirit to move on the hearts of those currently at the vision-casting in Marrakesh…
3. Believers to count the cost for becoming disciple-makers and make that choice now.
4. Enough trained coaches to lead whatever new DM groups are formed.
5. Wisdom for our team (Pastor Tim, Judah, Jenni, Scott) as they speak and interact with folks on Saturday and Sunday.
Thank you very much!
Blessings,
Patty
Dear All,
Thursday’s Bottom Line:
Our Morocco team members (Pastor Tim, Judah, Jenni, and Scott) are beating the heat, meeting in person with Judah and Jenni’s online group members, and planning for Saturday’s vision-casting there in Marrakesh.
Thursday’s Prayer Requests:
1. This one is time-critical: From 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM Thursday MO time, our team will be holding a special meeting with eight people who have been trained in groups for several months, but who have not yet stepped up to lead new groups. The upcoming two vision-castings (Saturday and Sunday) are the main reasons for this mission trip to Morocco, and we need trained coaches to be standing in the wings ready to lead the new groups we expect attendees to sign up for. These eight people are those potential coaches, so would you please pray NOW for them to step up during today’s special meeting and be willing to lead groups?
2. Cooler weather and that the heat will not affect our team’s ability to function well and sleep at night.
3. Believers in the Marrakesh and Casablanca areas know about the Saturday and Sunday vision-castings and come eager to join groups and experience the disciple-making process firsthand.
Thursday’s Details:
Any time God connects TTC with potential disciple-makers in a new country, there’s a lot of ground work to be done to get the DM movement going and growing there. It often starts with just one or two contacts. Sometimes it explodes suddenly and rapidly like we’ve seen in the Philippines over the past couple years, and sometimes it’s slow and steady for a while before it really takes off like it has in Kenya. God knows exactly what he’s doing in Morocco, and our job is to join him in it; that’s what Pastor Tim, Scott, Jenni, and Judah are doing, so our prayer support and encouragement is vital!
In these updates, addition to sharing the important spiritual work that’s happening, I try to also explain what I can about the culture of a place, and like all cultures, Morocco’s is truly unique. Jenni has been the primary scribe for us in Morocco this week, so please enjoy her updates and pictures.
(These were written over the past few days. Note that when she and Judah left the states last week, the high was 58…)
“The high in Marrakesh today was 108. And yes, it is a DRY heat! We are literally in the Sahara Dessert. The home where we are staying is absolutely lovely…and does not have air conditioning. The pastor brought in a stand-alone AC unit to try to cool down the room where we will sleep.
“We had to hurry to acquire some groceries for tomorrow because everything will be closed down for the Muslim holy day of Eid al-Adha. Each family will be slaughtering a sheep tomorrow morning right in the middle of the city.
“Another first today was seeing sheep being transported into the city in the back seat of a minivan! Many little lambs are going to lose their lives tomorrow morning. It’s sad that they don’t know this is not required anymore.”
If you zoom in, you may be able to see a lamb standing to the right of the green foliage in the central part of this compound.
Scott said, “You’ve never seen so many goat heads being burned in one place.”
This whole event gives new meaning to goat roast…
Jenni continued, “The BEST part of today was having dinner with our Moroccan discipleship group this evening. It was so nice to sit around the table from all of them instead of talking to them through a screen. We tried tangine (a Moroccan dish cooked in a big clay dish) and shared communion with these loved ones.”
“On Wednesday, we (Pastor Tim, Scott, Judah, and I) met over lunch with some area pastors and staff members from an underground Moroccan church. The worship leader led some worship in Arabic, and we could sing along in English. It was beautiful!
“In the evening, I led some worship and Judah, and I shared our testimony at a prayer meeting in an apartment they call ‘meeting place.’ [This is to avoid suspicion, as believers must meet under cover there.] There were around 20 in attendance, including three from our discipleship group.”
And the next day, she said, “The streets have been abandoned, and most businesses closed down for the Eid holiday (except for the people burning sheep heads on the sidewalks—that is quite a unique smell!). The cost for each family to purchase and sacrifice a lamb is considerable, so they don’t waste anything! Last year, the king of Morocco declared that he would give the people a financial reprieve by sacrificing one lamb for all of the people. Isn’t that interesting? He probably had no idea he was illustrating the gospel.”
Here’s a picture of sunrise from the roof of their house.
Jenni ended with this: “THANK YOU for your prayers! The temperatures are dropping! It was actually cool last night. 65 degrees felt so good! I’ve never been so happy to wake up cold.”
We are all so grateful for your partnership in prayer during this trip. Please don’t stop now!
Blessings,
Patty
Dear All,
Tuesday’s Bottom Line:
It was a bit challenging, but Scott has successfully taken the challenge to get to Morocco! He’s been meeting with Pastor Tim, our initial contact in Morocco, and this week features numerous meetings to develop and strengthen relationships with a number of pastors there before the Saturday and Sunday DM seminars (visions-castings) in Marrakesh and Casablanca, respectively.
Tuesday’s Prayer Requests:
1.Good health, strength, and energy for Scott; he’s fighting another cold, and his body is probably run down given the pace and intensity of the past few weeks.
2.Judah and Jenni to make great in-person connections with the church leaders who are in their online DM group; this week is their first opportunity to meet in real life.
3.God to knit together a strong team of disciple-makers in Morocco, who consistently grow spiritually and reach out to others around them with God’s power and favor.
Tuesday’s Details:
Getting out of the Philippines at the Manila airport was not for the faint of heart! Standing in the security line, Scott said, “I have need of patience.”
He did eventually get through security and then said, “Just got to the gate. Dealing with cold symptoms. Thankfully I was able to sleep a bit after church before heading to the airport.” After which I didn’t hear from him for a L-O-N-G time. He flew from Manila, Philippines to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), to Casablanca, Morocco. Including a 2.5 hour layover, it was a 19+ hour journey. But then he said, “Through immigration, but still waiting for my bag (along with 100 other people). I’ve been waiting an hour now. 🙄” And finally, “Made it to Morocco…with my baggage. With Pastor Tim now. Yay!”
On their drive to their lodging, they saw this, and Scott said, “We’re following sheep #44!”
He explained, “Tomorrow is the day the Muslims celebrate the ram that was caught in the thicket which was sacrificed instead of Ishmael. All the stores are closed tomorrow and lots of lambs will be slain.”
Enjoying meals together is a great way to get to know people better, share dreams and goals, and plan how best to raise disciple-makers in this Muslim nation. Wikipedia says, “The main religion in Morocco is Sunni Islam, which is also the state religion of the country. Officially, 99% of the population are Muslim, and virtually all of those are Sunni. The second-largest religion in the country is Christianity, but most Christians in Morocco are foreigners.”
Tuesday morning, Scott and Tim had breakfast with a number of pastors in Casablanca before making the three-hour drive to Marrakesh.
You may remember me mentioning a pastor who now lives in Morocco, but had lived in Niger and just happened to personally know a pastor who serves with a ministry we are associated with there…? Well, that’s Pastor Tim.
And by the way, quite a few folks have said, when I told them Scott was going to Morocco on this trip, “I don’t even know where Morocco is!” So, let me show and tell you. Morocco is on the northwest (“top left”) corner of Africa, just across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain. It’s the country on the map below where Marrakesh is circled, just west of Algeria
Morocco’s total population is about 38 million, roughly the same as California’s. Scott flew into Casablanca (red pin) on the Atlantic coast. It is not Morocco’s capital (Rabat, top center on the map below, is the capital), but with a population of over 4 million, Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco and the nation’s economic hub.
Pastor Tim oversees numerous churches, including one in Casablanca, and one three hours away in Marrakesh. This map shows the journey to Marrakesh which I believe they will be making – or may have completed – by the time you read this.
Scott also sent me a weather forecast that showed temps in Marrakesh this week of OVER 100 degrees, including one day that would be 106!!! And he said, “I just found out the Airbnb has no AC. 😳” Our folks will hold a DM vision-casting in Marrakesh on Saturday and their final one back in Casablanca on Sunday.
Here’s a posed picture of the Casablanca-area pastors who met Pastor Tim and Scott for breakfast Tuesday morning.
Scott said, “The Pastors Breakfast in Casablanca was very productive this morning! Every pastor has committed to come to Sunday’s DM vision-casting. There are some pastors coming that Pastor Tim has never met. We have the favor of God. Please thank everyone for praying!”
Thank you all for praying!!!
And this just in… While typing this update, I received this picture of Judah and Jenni (she’s blonde, he has sunglasses) having dinner with their DM group, which they lead from Forsyth, Missouri!
So now you know what I know, and the most important thing you can do is to PRAY today for our folks on the ground in Morocco. = ) God is using YOUR faith to accomplish HIS work there this week, and we really appreciate you!
Blessings,
Patty
Dear All,
Sunday’s Bottom Line:
Everybody needs some R&R, so before going their separate ways, our Philippines Disciple-Makers Movement (PDMM) team wrapped up their past three weeks of ministry by sharing a special day of fun and relaxation together out by the islands. = )
Sunday’s Prayer Requests:
1. Easy travels and a smooth transition to whatever is next for each of our faithful PDMM team members, Wilson, Angelica, and Pastor Daniel. God to give them time to re-connect with their own family members and their church families.
2. More Filipino DM coaches to be trained and and start and lead groups. The PDMM to be well-administrated and function effectively as it grows and expands
3. Scott to be healthy, strong, and focused on the ministry with Judah and Jenni in Morocco this week.
Sunday’s Details:
Backing up to Friday… during the Better Together marriage seminar, lunch for our team and the attending couples was a famous Cebu food, lechon baboy (whole roasted pig), the most iconic centerpiece for Filipino celebrations. Scott energetically attacked the main dish.
That evening the team and their hosts played silly games together, including “Spot-It” and “Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza.” These pastors don’t often have fun, or make time to have fun, so modeling that to our DM leaders is really important to Scott.
Then on Saturday, they all went on a grand adventure. Scott said, “We’re going to the islands!”
As far as I can tell, a good time was had by all, and Scott the explorer said, “I found this starfish while snorkeling near an island near Cebu, Philippines today. The view underwater is so beautiful!”
Finally, I’ll add this. When our kids were young, we’d watch Olympic gymnastics and diving competitions on TV and somewhat humorously criticize the scores judges from certain countries gave to athletes from certain other countries. In real life, we’d also “score” Scott’s degree of difficulty and form when he did crazy jumps from Big Rock into the creek near our house. That’s the context for his comment (“East German judge gave me a generous 5.5 for effort.”) about [this video clip!]
I’m sure the whole gang had a lot of fun on Saturday. Thank you for praying for them again today as the Philippines part of this great mission trip concludes. They all really appreciate knowing we are praying regularly for them. As you read this, Scott is on his way to Morocco to see what God is doing – and will do – there!!!
Blessings,
Patty