The Balkans is officially a new EFM field! We have a field! Since we were already hoping to go there, some things will continue as they are. We are still working with our coaches on preparation to be missionaries. We are still building relationships with the workers we know in that region and trying to find out what we can about this region and the people living here. We are also still raising prayer and monthly financial partners.

The post Liddell Family: Field Approval Update! first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

    “And the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul . . .”

In this part of 2 Kings, Josiah has become the child king of an idolatrous Israel. He directs the priesthood to clean up the temple, and they rediscover the law. They read it to Josiah, he repents and has the law read to the people, and they renew their covenant with the Lord. The Balkans are much like Israel was, with a history of knowing the Lord and very few faithful today. One of our prayers is that the people will come back to the Lord, following him “with all their heart and all their soul.”

Thank you for your prayers for us recently! We had a great visit with Fred’s parents for a couple of weeks, including an overnight in Victoria, BC (a short ferry ride from Port Angeles). They also watched the kids while we had our first weekend away together when we went to southern Idaho for a weekend. Their visit was too short, but it was such a help and blessing!

We had a full weekend in Idaho, reconnecting with friends we made in Kodiak, meeting new friends, speaking at Whitney and Boise Friends on Sunday morning, and at an area rally at Greenleaf Friends on Sunday evening. It was fun to meet some of my dad’s school friends in Greenleaf and hear some of his stories from their perspective. We look forward to visiting more of the churches in the area and reconnecting with those we’ve already met, but probably not until we’re full-time with EFM. We’ve made it to 15% of our monthly support. We’re excited for when we can be full-time with EFM!

The next weekend we spent in Oregon, with a Friday memorial service for my great uncle that the kids and I went to, and then a missions dinner at Medford Friends and a Sunday morning service at Talent Friends. Again, it was good to reconnect with some people and make some new friends. Both weekends were times of encouragement for us, and we hope for the churches we were visiting as well. It was also good to spend some time with the Fodge side of the family at the memorial.

Now, things slow down slightly, we think. This weekend, we are home. Next weekend, we are in Oregon again for my grandpa’s memorial service and a morning service at Clackamas Park Friends. Fred is on call at work the rest of the month and cannot travel out of town, so we are looking forward to having some family time together and getting some other things done.

We are very thankful for your prayers over the last few weeks. There has been a lot going on, but we are thankful for new prayer and financial partners, for opportunities to worship with other parts of the body and see how God is working in other parts of the Northwest, and for the kids traveling well. We are especially thankful for God’s protection over my dad. He had a quadruple bypass on Monday and is recovering well. There is lots going on!

Prayer requests:

1. Keep praying for Fred as he balances his various roles and tries to finish well at the city. Pray for moments of rest.
2. Keep praying for the kids, that we will parent them well through this season, that they will find joy in the new relationships and will continue to travel well.
3. Pray for the Balkans, that God will draw many to himself, that he will strengthen and increase his workers there, that he will bring peace and healing to the people there.

The post Liddell Family: October 2024 Newsletter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

In hectic seasons, it can be hard to take time to be quiet, to “be still and know that I am God.” Our coach challenged us to make a few minutes of quiet every day a priority and we appreciate that reminder. It is much easier to pray as we are on the go and working on various things than it is to set the distractions and tasks aside and listen to the Spirit. But it is vital to take that time, in the busy seasons as in the slower ones.

Since our last letter, we have spent a morning service at First Friends Church in Vancouver, Washington, at East Hill Friends Church in Kent, Washington, and one at our home church. Worshipping, fellowshipping, and sharing with Friends in other congregations has already been such a blessing! We look forward to visiting more churches in the next weeks. We’ve also spent a blessed weekend with my mom’s side of the family in La Grande, OR. These times together are a joy.

Fred continues to serve as interim IT manager for the City of Sequim, though we are hopeful that a new manager will be hired soon. Balancing that increased workload with EFM training and deputation, family time, and church needs has been a strain. Thank you for your prayers for him; please continue to pray. He will continue to work full-time until our monthly fundraising is at 50%, at which time he will quit his job, and we will be able to focus more on pre-field training, connecting with churches and partners, and moving preparation. We are very grateful for those of you who have already partnered with us in prayer and financially, thank you!

In the meantime, we are working on building our connections with contacts in the Balkans. We are working through a reading list with our coaches and meet with them regularly. I continue to clerk our church missions committee and serve on the Northwest Yearly Meeting Board of Global Outreach. We have a few situations with extended family that are taking more of our emotional bandwidth, especially as we watched my Grandpa Comfort dying. It’s a season of transition, with some joyful highs but still holding painful lows.

It has been a joy to spend more time walking together as a family recently. I love reading with the kids and seeing their excitement over books. They sing along with their catechism songs, and Alex is working on memorizing a few verses. Alphabet hide-and-seek, Roar, toddler soccer, and pretend-to-be-asleep (until the child startles you awake) are favorite games. Thank you for your prayers for them; this schedule and time of transition are difficult for little ones.

Prayer Requests

• Keep praying for Fred as he balances his various roles and tries to finish well at the city. Pray for moments of rest.
• Keep praying for the kids, that we will parent them well through this season, that they will find joy in the new relationships and will continue to travel well.
• Pray for the Balkans: that God will draw many to himself, that he will strengthen and increase his workers there, that he will bring peace and healing to the people there.

Thank you for your support and prayers!

Fred and Jonelle Liddell

Alex and Jael

The post Liddell Family: September 2024 Newsletter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.