I'VE BEEN EVERYWHERE MAN

Missions is like scaffolding that is used to erect a building. It is just temporary to lend support until the structure can stand on it’s own. Then it is pulled away and moved to another location where it is needed” – Steve Saint “I’ve Been Everywhere, Man.” Some of you may have heard that old tune by Johnny Cash….”I’ve been everywhere, man. I’ve been everywhere, man. Crossed the desert’s bare, man. I’ve breathed the mountain air, man. Of travel I’ve had my share, man. I’ve been everywhere.” Well, as far as our family is concerned, this has pretty much become our theme song over the last few months. As you can see by the map above (top center picture) we have been making our way around speaking at churches, sharing at schools and visiting with you awesome people that have been faithfully standing behind us, praying for our family and for the Dao people. We are actually writing this letter from approximately the “P” on the map if anyone is wondering where we are at the moment. It has been great to reconnect with many of you guys and to see face to face the people that have been supporting us in this awesome task of translating and church planting in the Dao tribe. Thank you for the hospitality you’ve shown our family! We are still waiting for our next renal ultrasound appointment for Job’s kidney. As we mentioned in the last update, that next appointment with the pediatric urologist is scheduled for October 2nd and that is why we have been using this past couple months to travel around and visit with friends, supporters and churches. On a good note, after the last kidney ultrasound and checkup we were told to watch Job closely for bleeding in the urine and high fevers caused by the deformed kidney and praise God, neither of those things have happened since that last checkup this last July. So once again, thank you for your prayers on our son Job’s behalf! Please continue to pray for him, that his kidney will be healed and we won’t need to have surgery before our return to Asia and to the Dao tribe a few months from now. (Top left picture shows a recent picture of Jennie and little Job.) Another thing weighing heavy on our minds and hearts right now that we want to ask prayer for is in relation to the Dao Bible teachers that have been teaching and leading outreaches in our absence. We just got word from our co-workers this past week that one of our main teacher trainees, a man that we have been personally training and working with for almost seven years now has fallen into sin and disqualified himself from teaching any longer (according to the standards for a teacher found in 1 Timothy and Titus). Shortly after the man fell into sin, he became very sick and is right now said to be on death’s doorstep. He has now repented from the sin committed and has even shed many tears over what he has done but he is still deathly ill. He as well as the Dao community around him see his sickness as God’s judgment on his sin and so this is a very interesting and delicate time indeed in the Dao church. We are sad to hear that after we have spent so many years training this specific man it has come to this. We are encouraged however that despite this one man’s disqualifying himself to teach any longer there are other Dao teachers that are still standing strong and teaching faithfully. (Top center picture shows some of the Dao Bible teachers sharing during a Sunday believers gathering.) It’s a reminder of why we need to keep working there in the Dao tribe until the “full council” as Paul puts it (Acts 20:27), has been both taught and translated into the Dao language. Only God’s Spirit working through God’s Word will ultimately change human hearts. We are asking God to do what is best for His glory and for the Dao church in this situation, in this man’s life, and in the Dao community. Please pray with us in this that God would give wisdom, understanding and patience to the other Dao teachers, our co-workers and us as well as we work through these issues. Pray that we will trust that even though this may not all make sense to us at the moment, God knows what is best for His glory and the spread of His name in the Dao tribe. Please also continue to pray for healing for Job’s kidney and for positive results at the next doctors appointment. Finally, please pray for our travels over the next couple months as we continue to make our way around speaking at churches and also begin preparing to return to the Dao tribe. And if the map shows we are coming close by you, don’t hesitate to contact us! We would love to spend time with you also before we head back to the other side of the world! Because He said “GO!” - Scott, Jennie ,Moses & Job Phillips - Luke 9:60/17:10 Our website: sjphillips.org has videos, pictures, and info on the ministry God has allowed us a part in among the Dao tribe. Feel free to check it out if you get some time. And now, you can follow us on Twitter@sjphillipsorg