Strangers on These Narrow Streets: Life in Our Temporary Home
By Art and Paula Shore*
“Allahu akbar”....the call to prayer is heard shortly before dawn. Although not many stir at that early 4:00 a.m. call, a few arise, do their ablutions and make their way to the local mosque. Our retired neighbour, Munir, is one of those faithful. Perhaps others do their prayers at home. Each day, that same call rings four more times from the minarets all around us.
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Feliz Navidad from Beth, on behalf of Team Chile!
“Dear Lord, I thank you for my friend Art. He has been a blessing to me and someone that has really become a good friend in my time here. Lord, he has no job, his money is almost out, and he has no place to stay. I ask that you bless my friend, your child Art, with a job, with a place to stay. I just ask that you help my brother out, provide for him, bless him. We know you can do all things and we put this all in your hands, Father. We love you Lord, Amen.”
An interview with Tom and Candice Mast about relating to Thai culture
Ann and Jay Martin* work for Rosedale Mennonite Missions. Ann provides member care for workers in the Mediterranean Region, looking out for their physical, spiritual and emotional well-being. Jay is regional director for the Mediterranean Region. They both serve as instructors and coaches in CALIBRATE, RMM’s training program for long-term workers. 
This week, the Himalayan team has been obliged to accept the following changes to our living situation:
Leon: Some verses that stand out to me are in Matthew 28: “As you are going, make disciples.” After a few weeks in Albania, I went into the store with a list and was trying to read it, and Roza* was there. And she said very clearly, “You can speak English to me, I know English well,” and we did the transaction. A few weeks later I said, “You know, Naomi, there’s a girl I met at a duchan (that’s a store); you ought to ask her if she would be a language helper.” Roza readily accepted, and it’s been a very significant relationship for us. She shares a lot of things with us, and her parents even say “You go to Leon and Naomi and see what they say.” Even though her parents are Muslim, they value our counsel.
“We don’t want to just be challenged, we want to be changed!” This was the closing remark of a speaker I listened to this week. It is true but very uncomfortable. Many of you reading this have spent time in other cultures. You were stretched in many ways. Like an egg that has been broken and fried over the fire with different spices, you may not fit well back into the egg carton—you’re fundamentally changed.
We survived a week in the African bush! There is no way that I can make you understand the depth of our feeling, but we are SO pleased to be home at Benson’s house. Last night as we arrived at the house, I was overcome with thankfulness for the many blessings that we have here. I found myself saying, “Praise Jesus” over and over again as I drank a cold soda on the couch, as I washed off my stink in the shower, and as I slept on a real mattress. 
Our van-like mini-bus lumbered along, dropping off and picking up passengers along its route. My friend, Dilyafruz,* and I were en route to a village on the edge of our city. Dilyafruz is our long-time friend from Uzbekistan, and is spending a few months in the Middle East with us. This village we were travelling to lies at the entrance to a NATO base, and many of the locals work in shops and restaurants devoted to meeting the needs of those on the base. It's not a place I often go, but today Dilyafruz and I were finally responding to the many invitations we had received to visit the carpet shop of one of my students from the language school where I teach. 
from the blog of Tom and Candice Mast
Ride For Missions means:
God’s power can overwhelm demons, heal the sick, and transform lives in a moment. Many times it’s not that dramatic; it’s the quiet transformation of the everyday. But some members of the Zambia REACH team recently got the privilege of a front row seat for the more dramatic display of that power.
