Dear friends in Christ,

Peace be with you.

Thanksgivings:

1) For our language progress so far! Shaw's assessment: Language learning is daily making progress, step by step. Julie's assessment: we have a long way to go. Shaw's unbiased assessment of Julie's assessment: Shaw is impressed by how well Julie can speak Spanish, and she can speak it very well.

2) We had a good meeting with the Rector of the seminary today (the overall Dean of the seminary), and we have begun planning the next segment of the academic year, as well as looking towards 2010.

3) Lydia has become part of two youth groups: a diocesan youth group (Spanish speaking) and an expat youth group (English speaking). She really likes both.

4) For the Lord's provision for our lives, and for your prayers. They make a difference.

5) Lydia has begin the advanced course in Spanish at the language school.

Prayer requests:

1) For our upcoming seminary responsibilities; for our course preparation, administrative goals, and teaching abilities. Prayer for Julie's upcoming choice of responsibilities.

(Shaw has been asked to be Academic Dean of the Seminary, and he has accepted. Julie is also pondering one of two roles with the seminary. We are going to be team teaching two courses, and also each of us will be mentoring a group of students. Classes begin September 14. It is a bit like jumping into the deep end, at least, initially.)

2) Our travels across Lima, as we get to know the clergy, students, and their parishes better.

3) Continued prayers for our finances, priorities, time management, and for continued good relationships with our landlady and other people in our building.


4) Please pray for the people in the city and buildings.

(Some people get a little nervous with the tremors. We had another one on Saturday morning that I slept through, but other people noticed it. The buildings in Lima undergo a certain elastic bending and twisting during earthquakes and tremors, so things jar loose, and repairs are needed from time to time - which gets back to the prayer for building maintenance and being on good terms with our landlady.)

5) For continued improvement in our language learning and comprehension.

6) For our participation in the life of Church of the Ascension in the District of Surco, the parish that we attend in Lima (where the diocesan offices are and where the seminary is). This week, Julie has been asked to become involved in the music ministry, and Shaw and Julie have been asked to participate liturgically on a regular basis.

7) For our visa application process. Courses now begin on September 14, and now, we are not expected to hear back about our visa applications until September 2. We hope to go to a Peruvian Consulate in Chile for a day and return, between the two dates, as part of the visa process. We would like a positive response before September 2, if possible.

8) Please pray for the right person to help us with house-work.

(We now need someone to help us, because of the increased seminary and diocesan work load and because the amount of dust thrown up by area construction - including: a) a new road surface being put in, on a nearby street starting this week, and b) a new apartment building going up across the street. We are going to need someone to help out part-time with housecleaning, perhaps two mornings a week, such as Tuesday and Friday.

Hiring house-help is normal for people in Lima with our responsibilities; we have given it a try without, and now, with better language skills, having finished language school, and having had a time of adjustment, we will try again; such the person would typically help out in other ways, such as language learning and by helping us with local knowledge.)

Thank you for praying for us. I pray for you every day.

God bless you.

In Christ,
Shaw, and on behalf of Julie and Lydia.
Lima, Peru