Discipling for Development trip – Thailand, Jan 7 – Jan 18, 2025

David and Debby spent the Christmas holidays in Thailand with their daughter Alandra. She is teaching for a year in South Korea. They visited her in Incheon and then brought her to a warm climate for the holidays. Debby returned home, and David joined Scott Purser on January 9.
What is going well with our Lahu, Thailand Discipling for Development team?

• Yosapa loves building relationships in the village. He has a great relationship with his wife, Abba, and their two sons. A lot of our success comes from his ministry over the years, especially discipling and mentoring MaoPa as he disciples new believers and pastors the new local church in JaSoPa.
• Mana chose a good wife. He is smart and likes to study and prepare lessons.
• Scott Purser & Ronald Mazune coached our D4D team well on two trips in 2024. Ronald is from Uganda and has a lot of experience. His participation during my sabbatical has been valuable.

Local JaSoPa village pastor, MaoPa (maroon shirt), washing his wife, Eme’s, feet, and Yosapa (D4D team leader) (grey shirt) washing his wife, Abba’s, feet. This is part of one of the lessons they have been teaching on how to have a healthy, God-honoring marriage.

Join us in praying for:  

• Pray for unity on our D4D Team, especially between Yosapa and Mana.
  • Yosapa leads through building relationships in the community. He loves to visit and join people in the fields or at whatever they are working at. He is practical and “hands-on.” He struggles with long-term planning and preparing lessons.
  • Mana is more intellectual and can do well with lesson planning. Pray for him to grow in trusting God, in rejoicing, and in working well with Yosapa, his leader.
• Discipling in the Village of JaSoPa with marriage lessons.
  • Pray for Christ’s transformation in the lives of these new believers, especially in their marriages. Pray for each couple to gain the specific insight they need to apply in their marriage relationships that will lead to growth.
  • Pray for insight and thriving for MaoPa and Eme (the pastors) in their marriage.

How can we help the Thailand D4D project finish well within the next 1-2 years?

• Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” I am reminded how dependent on God we are for success. In Discipling for Development, we use key discipleship, coaching, facilitation, and community development skills, and we operate within well-reasoned and practiced Biblical principles. We do our best, and we depend on the Lord of the Harvest to multiply our effectiveness “way beyond all that we can ask or imagine!” Pray for God’s wisdom and favor to rest on us and on our Lahu brothers and sisters!

JaSoPa village families participating in D4D show the priority list of themes they plan to study, believing as they work through these areas using the Bible and a problem-solving process they will begin to move out of poverty and improve their lives. This priority list is what we will be discipling them through in the next couple of years ahead.

Thank you for joining us in prayer on this trip!

David Thomas

The post David Thomas: Join in Prayer for My Trip to Thailand! first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Dear Friends,

I am excited to announce that EFM is allowing me to take the next four months as a sabbatical switching my work focus from my ministry to growing in my primary relationships with God, my Debby, and my children. I have come to realize that I have held my ministry and my calling over my family. What a gift to understand this and to have the next months to turn this around. God led Adam into an amazing calling of ruling the whole earth, and they worked hard together naming the animals; fully understanding them, and learning how to steward them. Yet in the middle of all this fulfilling work, God said, “It is not good for Adam to be alone!” Adam first of all needed a deep, intimate relationship with God, then a deep intimate relationship with Eve, and out of these two primary relationships would flow the rest of life; including his calling and ministry. So, I am taking this time to bring my Debby and our kids and their families back into the right, high priority in my life.

I love the grace of this time to lay down my calling, my ministry, my intercession, my D4D teams and projects, and to focus on becoming all that Papa has created me to be. I also physically need this time to fully recuperate from a nine-month parasitic infection.

All my Discipling for Development teams are in good hands. Gary Hipp is leading the Bolivia D4D team with amazing people from the US, Mexico, Chile, and Bolivia. Scott Purser with Navigators USA is leading our amazing Thailand D4D team accompanied by Ronald Mazune working with Navigators Uganda, and also our former D4D coach for our team in Rwanda. Our various Rwandan D4D teams are currently led by Nsabimana Tertullien along with Gerard and Augustin. EFM is also progressing well on its Luke 10 Initiative of starting at least 5 new fields with 10 new missionary households by the end of 2025. I am free to take the next four months to release, rest, recover, reflect, renew, and re-establish my priority relationships, refocus, realign, and at the end of my sabbatical time re-engage in the amazing ministry God has given me.

I am including two videos I took in Thailand this last January- February 2024 trip. The first video is a one-minute view early in the morning above our special Discipling for Development village of JaSoPa (above). The second video is six minutes long and is for those interested in praying with me over JaSoPa village. I pray “Let Your Light Come!” as well as pray through the Lord’s Prayer and Isaiah 61:1-3 (below).

Thank you in advance for praying with me for a more intimate and trusting relationship with Papa, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit through this sabbatical time, as well as for some wonderful growth in my relationships with my family! Pray also for the full restoration of my gut health and physical strength!

I won’t be sending updates until it is time to reengage in four or so months.

Bless you!

David Thomas

Planting whole-life, disciple-making movements

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.” Psalm 67:1-2

The post David Thomas June 2024 Lightcome Newsletter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Thank you for praying with us as Brad was with Matt Macy and Burundi and Rwanda Friends leaders. We had wonderful meetings talking with them about the next steps towards our Evangelical Friends in Africa sending their own missionaries. It was exciting to dream together about what God is going to do as we partner together for the Kingdom.

Monday, March 4 through Friday, March 8, Pastors Augustin, Gerard, Tertullien, and Brad will meet with key leaders from Burundi and Congo that we are mentoring in Discipling for Development. Please pray with us for:

• Safety in travel and while we are together.
• Wisdom as we mentor and coach our friends toward having what they need to help each Burundi D for D leader to successfully move their groups through the Mobilization phase of the D for D process and into the Empowerment Phase.
• Our families back home, for safety and blessing on each of them.

Love,
Brad & Chelsea
Sarai, Gideon, and Ian

The post Join the Carpenters in Prayer This Week! first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

David at home in La Paz, celebrating the sun shining on Mount Illimani after days of his mountain being hidden in the clouds!

Trip to the cities of Santa Cruz, Cochabamba & La Paz Bolivia | February 27 – March 11, 2024

Trip Purpose:

After our Discipling for Development team purchased tickets for this trip, we learned that Food for the Hungry-Bolivia was no longer able to continue a coaching relationship with us, so this trip has switched from the original purpose of exploring and deepening our relationship with FHI-Bolivia to holding a one-day vision casting workshop for 50 participants coming from former FHI-Bolivia church connections. Food for the Hungry is hosting this last workshop for us in Cochabamba. In Santa Cruz, we will connect with Rodiz and Stefanie Chambi as well as with Pablo and Karen Peñaloza. Pablo’s church in Santa Cruz is the only committed church so far, so we will be getting to know them and their context better. I will also connect with Friends Church (INELA) leaders to see if they might want to include some churches in the Discipling for Development process along with us.

Other team members will be flying out on February 28 and back on March 8.

Stefanie and Rodiz Chambi are walking with their baby Eden Rose with Cintia Huayhua walking between them. David Thomas is standing on the right with Pablo Peñaloza. These are the key people we are mentoring.

Praises and Prayer Requests:

• Praise God for good relationships with leaders working for Food for The Hungry and Compassion International, even though they have not been able to continue working with us. Some leaders have taken up our offer to personally disciple/coach/mentor them. Pray for these relationships to be a blessing to these leaders and pray for grace for them to grow as Holy Spirit leads them.
• Pray for God’s favor, blessing, and grace to rest on us as we connect with key leaders God has led us to mentor: as we get to know Pablo Peñaloza, his wife, Karen and their six children, and his local church setting in Santa Cruz. Pray for a deepening relationship with Rodiz and Stefanie and baby Eden Rose. We will also see Cintia Huayhua who has a good discipling relationship with Merri Lee and Judy.
• Pray for health, strength, energy, excellent Spanish, and good communication with all those participating in the one-day whole-life discipleship vision casting seminar (Wednesday, March 6) with church leaders invited by Food for the Hungry – Bolivia. Pray for safety in travel for all those coming (often a day’s drive from their cities).
• Pray for favor for me and Rodiz as we meet with various Friends (INELA) church leaders to see if they would like to participate in our Discipling for Development coaching with a few key churches they would like to see adopt whole-life discipleship.
• Pray for me. I am learning to be continually centered, grounded, and rooted in Christ’s love. I know that I am his “beloved ‘huios’ (son, heir, family representative), that Papa is pleased with me, (that he trusts me), that his delight rests on me.” (Luke 3:22) Pray for these truths to root deep down in all aspects of who I am.
• Pray for my Debby to have a strong sense of Papa’s presence with her and pleasure in her as she is alone while I’m gone. Pray for all the grace, favor, Holy Spirit insight, and wisdom she needs in her leadership roles.

I am grateful for many of you who keep up with me on these trips and pray for me. Thank you! I pray God’s blessing flows into your lives in every way! If there is something you would like me to be praying for that you are facing, please let me know. I have several ongoing requests I am holding up before Papa, and I am trusting for healing and breakthrough in his perfect timing.

If you are not on my monthly financial support team, I invite you to join us! Ask, Holy Spirit to see if he would have you join us. There are four ways to give:

• Online. Visit https://catalog.friendsmission.com/thomas. You’ll be given the opportunity to indicate whether you are making a recurring or one-time gift.
• Credit Card. This may be given online (as stated above) or by calling the EFM office (303-421-8100) to give your information to a live person.
• Automatic Bank Transfer. Download the form here and email it Debby McElroy (EFM Bookkeeper) at debby@friendsmission.com. Please note that ACH payments are processed on the 10th or 25th of the month.
• Check. Mail a check to EFM, P.O. Box 771139, Wichita, KS 67277. Make sure to mark your check “Thomas Support” and note if you will be giving on a recurring basis (monthly, quarterly, etc.). Pay to the order of “EFM.”

David Thomas

Planting whole-life, disciple-making movements

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.” Psalm 67:1-2

The post David Thomas: Join Me in Prayer for My Trip to Bolivia (Feb-Mar 2024)! first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

I’m in Musanze, Rwanda with my Discipling for Development team. We have two days of coaching together this Wednesday and Thursday in this first week of January. I made a short video to introduce them and invite you to pray with us for these special days of coaching.

• Pray I will listen well to Holy Spirit and to what Brad, Augustin, Gerard and Tertullien have to say.
• Pray I will have the wisdom and insight needed to respond with excellent coaching questions to the priority issues my team chooses.
• Pray that our being together will be a synergistic boost of encouragement and Holy Spirit insight for future direction.
• Pray that I will hear what Holy Spirit wants to say! Growing in my sensitivity to Holy Spirit and to quickly obey is my priority.
• Pray that my Kinyarwanda language ability will rise back up to a strong level quickly!
• I preach on Sunday, pray I’ll discern and put together the message Holy Spirit wants me to bring.

Thank you so much for supporting me in prayer! Your prayers make a difference!

May you be blessed in every way in this new year!

David Thomas
Planting whole-life, disciple-making movements
303-717-4519

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.” Psalm 67:1-2

The post David Thomas January 2024 Prayer Assignment first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

Thank you so much for praying with us. It is hard to believe that there are only two months left in 2023!

Luke 10 Update:

Since we last wrote, Brad has been a part of two, second Luke 10 Exploration Trips to explore and discern if God might be calling Evangelical Friends Church (EFC) to start a mission in South Sudan and/or Tanzania. Hopefully, you have seen general emails from EFM about these trips as well as reports. But we will summarize here:

The trip to South Sudan took place September 10-17. Our group consisted of three Rwandan pastors and key church leaders, three who came from the US, and Brad on behalf of EFM.

On September 18th we visited a missionary training school in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Then from September 19 to the 24th, four Burundi pastors and church leaders and four from the US (including Brad) visited an area in eastern Tanzania.

On these trips, we visited with Christians and non-Christians in various communities attempting to see what God was doing in each of those areas and to see if he is asking us to join him there! It is so exciting to see the Lord increasing the passion and commitment of our EFC-Africa leaders to send their own missionaries out to unreached / under-reached people groups. In both South Sudan and Tanzania, we saw that the Lord is working and our African Friends sense that God is calling them to join him. As EFM we are still discerning what God wants us to do. In the next few weeks, EFM will have several meetings to discern the next steps in the decision-making process. Regardless of whether the Lord leads EFM to send missionaries to South Sudan and/or Tanzania, we look forward to finding appropriate ways to partner with our EFC-Africa Friends as they work to develop their own vision, strategies, principles, and practices for mission work. Brad has been asked to walk alongside them as they work on these things. This is an exciting time! But we also realize that we need the Lord to give lots of wisdom and courage throughout this whole process.

Would you please pray with us for EFC-Rwanda, EFC-Burundi, and EFM as each group works to be faithful to God and his calling for us as Evangelical Friends?

Family Update:

We praise the Lord for how he is taking care of us as a family. Though we go through some difficulties and times of travel and exhaustion, the Lord is faithful to fill us back up, renew us, and keep taking care of us!  We recently had the privilege to go and visit Chelsea’s aunt and uncle, who live in the south of Rwanda, over a long weekend, so we had some beautiful family time. The children are all healthy and doing well in school. Gideon continues to love soccer and plays every chance he gets whether at school or home with neighbor friends! Ian is sleeping better these days than he has in a long time and is usually pretty cheerful at school and at home. He tends to keep us laughing with the cute and/or smart things he says! Sarai has been enjoying some reading and writing projects at school and recently participated (and did really well!) in a skit project for her Kinyarwanda class.

Current Burundi Trip:

Brad and Simparinka are traveling to Burundi from October 31-November 3 to help mentor the D for D groups there.

Please pray that what God wants is able to happen, even though the trip is only a few days long. Please also pray for travel safety for the group, and for Chelsea and the kids at home.  

Thank you, again, for your partnership with us!

In Him,

Brad & Chelsea

Sarai, Gideon, and Ian

The post Carpenter Family: Update on Luke 10 and Burundi Trip Happening Now first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

The post Join Me in Prayer for My Trip to Thailand- September 2023 first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

As I read back on my Pre-Trip prayer requests, I’m amazed at how thoroughly God answered our prayers. We reached our trip purpose by facilitating two excellent Discipling for Development (D4D) 5-Day Foundations Workshops. This was the first time we had ever tried facilitating with all new D4D facilitators except myself. Gary Hipp paired us up well creating three teams led by Bruce, Judy, and myself. I got to facilitate with Monica who grew up in Bolivia like I did, but then in her adolescence had to flee the country for political reasons. The other two teams facilitated very well including the two Navigator couples from Mexico and Chile. Gary and Merri Lee oversaw the whole workshop, but I stayed ready to intervene if and when the other two teams needed it. I grew in my ability to oversee the whole workshop when Gary and Merri Lee couldn’t be present.

    The highlight of this time for me was watching how Christ’s strength was made perfect in our weakness. Most of us had crises right before coming that could have been quite distracting (including two family members losing their jobs, business difficulties while away, breaking eyeglasses right before coming, forgetting hearing aids, etc.) So many of us were untried in D4D facilitating. One of us was actually quite anxious about public speaking and was amazed at how much she grew in her ability to facilitate. Our hosts were very gracious.

There were many “aha” moments, and many excellent conversations. It was always a challenge to get people back from their small groups where they were sharing with each other, or pursuing the scriptures together.

We stayed on time, and even ahead of schedule, and yet were able to go deep and have important discussions as our participants connected with the Holy Spirit and the material. The participants’ interaction was dynamic and energizing.

Both organizations, Food for the Hungry and Compassion International Bolivia already understand the gospel to touch all of life, not being limited by a spiritual only gospel. There were a number of areas like this where we already share an important worldview perspective on the Gospel.

One leader explained how the church is like salt that was supposed to flavor society and make it palatable, but instead now preferred to stay in the saltshaker. Discipling for Development can be a renewing force helping church leaders proactively disciple their people and also help them to reach out and bless their communities. People talked about the church not just being located in the community, but actually becoming an integral part of the community.

I especially enjoyed facilitating one of my favorite lessons, “Community Based (or the Three Circles).” Both organizations could see that they are “Community Involved,” in their work because of the budgets, money, and programs behind them. This can be good but often leads to dependency. We all desire to empower those we are serving.

Food for the Hungry wants to work with us to try and move to become a more empowering organization. Compassion is limited in their ability to try new things, but they brought together various pastors of churches they have worked with in the past who are interested in whole-life discipleship for their own people and in being salt and light in their communities.

I sensed Holy Spirit’s presence with me and thoroughly enjoyed using my Spanish.

We will be interacting with Pablo (YWAM-Bolivia) and Marina (Compassion Bolivia) who are the ones interfacing with the church leaders we will be connecting with.

Within Food for the Hungry – Bolivia we will be interacting with Marcio to mentor the top leadership team, and with Ivan, Cintia, and two others for the Facilitator team who we will be coming alongside to mentor the local community facilitator teams.

Pray for the right time and the right facilitators to train our Bolivian Friends (INELA) church leaders in Discipling for Development. Through a series of misunderstandings, they were not able to participate in our seminar last week.

Participants were left with two tasks to work on in the next few months. Review the lessons from this Foundations workshop, being attentive to what the Holy Spirit is teaching them and develop a Personal Development Plan that they can share with their teammates. Some teams will be meeting weekly, and others every two weeks. Pray for sensitivity to Holy Spirit’s work, and for people to form some clear goals to be growing in.

Pray for the right people to emerge from the two large groups of workshop participants, people who we will be investing in over the next three to five years (ready, eager to grow, putting things into practice, taking steps forward, forming and training their own teams).

Bless you!

David Thomas

The post David Thomas’ Post Trip Report from Bolivia! first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

David at home in La Paz, celebrating the sun shining on Mount Illimani after days of his mountain being hidden in the clouds!

Cochabamba, Bolivia | August 15- September 3, 2023

PURPOSES FOR THIS TRIP:

This trip is based in Cochabamba, Bolivia with a comfortable altitude of 8,000 feet. Our purpose is to facilitate two excellent five-day D4D (Discipling for Development) Foundations Seminars. The first week will focus on Food for the Hungry – Bolivia including the organization’s leaders and three-four local practitioner dream-team implementers. The second week will focus on two-thirds participants from Compassion International – Bolivia along with some local pastors and leaders from a few interested church groups (mostly from La Paz and Santa Cruz), including two Friends groups. Our D4D Foundations Seminar introduces participants to the biblical basis, empowerment perspective, and an overview of some basic development tools, along with our D4D approach to whole-life discipleship and community transformation. This introduction will allow us a common language and basis on which to continue building. We will also be in dialogue with our local partners setting the stage for the ongoing coaching needed for their organizations’ transformation in the next few years.

PRAISES AND PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Praise God for this amazing opportunity to work with two well-known and successful Christian development organizations, Food for the Hungry International-Bolivia, and Compassion International-Bolivia. These two groups rose to the surface out of our exploratory and vision-casting trips this last year. They both express a dissatisfaction with the results they are seeing as they work with local churches and communities across the country. These churches are not gaining a strong enough sense of ownership and empowerment in effectively reaching out to their own communities long-term after their partnership with these development organizations ends. They are inviting us to walk alongside them in the process of improving their organizations and methodologies to more effectively see the kingdom of God expand through their work throughout Bolivia. What a privilege!
• Join me in praying/declaring Isaiah 61:1-4 and Ephesians 2:10 over them and over all of us over these next three weeks! Jesus wants to shine his light brightly through them, through the many churches and denominations they work with in Bolivia, and especially through Christ’s bride, his body, and his church spread throughout Bolivia! Christ/we/they are anointed by Holy Spirit to declare the good news, to proclaim freedom, to set captives free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (Jubilee) to push back the darkness, to comfort those who morn, to see people and their communities flourish with beauty instead of ashes, joy instead of mourning, and praise instead of heaviness, they will be oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord, for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins, and the places long devastated! These organizations and the churches they represent are the Almighty’s masterpiece, his amazing poem being written new (made new) in Christ Jesus, that they move into doing the good works planned long ago for them to do, walking with Holy Spirit the paths he’s prepared for them. I’m praying this over everyone individually to become all God has created them to be, and also over these organizations and the churches they influence. It is amazing to be offered the privilege of walking this path with them for the next few years!
• Pray for our Navigator facilitators coming from Mexico and Chile, to catch on quickly and enjoy the facilitation process, and to also learn from D4D and to catch a vision for how our whole-life discipleship could benefit the Navigators working across Latin America. Here is our team on this trip!
  • Gary and Merri Lee Hipp (American missionaries who coached our Rwanda D4D team. They are an amazing team who have led D4D for many years. Gary is our team leader. They are learning Spanish, but won’t facilitate very many lessons).
  • David Thomas (Evangelical Friends Missionary blessed to partner with Navigators D4D in this new work in Bolivia. Also, a former missionary kid to/from Bolivia)
  • Judy Camp (American Navigator ministry with Hispanic ladies in Los Angeles for many years)
  • Bruce Hook (American Navigator working with American Navigator missionaries and Latin American Navigators in member care)
  • Sergio and Mónica are with Latin American Navigators working in Mexico.
  • Marcia and Carlos are with Latin American Navigators in Chile.
  • Ninfa Apaza is a Bolivian leader with Compassion Bolivia, who will facilitate for the first time with us.
• Pray for God’s favor, blessing, and grace to rest on us! Pray for wisdom and the Holy Spirit’s insight as we walk alongside these organizations. Pray for health, strength, energy, excellent Spanish, and excellent communication with all those participating in our two, five-day seminars. Pray for safety in travel for all those coming a day’s drive from La Paz and Santa Cruz. Pray for the health of everyone during the two weeks of seminars. Pray for me. I have a strong sense of confidence going into this assignment. I am learning to be continually centered, grounded, and rooted in Christ’s love. I know that I am his “beloved ‘huios’ (son, heir, family representative), that Papa is pleased with me, (that he trusts me), that his delight rests on me.” (Luke 3:22) Pray for these truths to be deeply rooted in me, in who I am.
• Pray also for me to be continually aware of Holy Spirit’s presence and nudging, to find a good rhythm of rest alongside the times of intense focus in facilitating and listening to others facilitate. Pray for growth in my emotional intelligence and awareness of everything and everyone around me. Pray for God’s favor to rest on me!

Thank you in advance for partnering with us in prayer for this trip!

David Thomas

The post Join Me in Prayer for My Trip to Bolivia- August 2023 first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.

David Thomas | EFM Whole Life Discipleship

One of my favorite verses is Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (NIV).” My version with input from various translations is:

We are God’s masterpiece, an amazing poem, recreated new in Christ Jesus, that we will fulfill our destiny, walking the paths and doing the good works he prepared for us long ago.

I love Holy Spirit’s work in my life, enveloping me in Papa’s love, and continually recreating me new in Christ Jesus. I love belonging to Papa, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. Debby and I enjoy hiking and discovering new trails. I love walking with Holy Spirit at this time of my life, enjoying our current path, and imagining what’s up ahead as we discover what God has prepared for us.

Currently, on my path, I’m enjoying my relationships with my Lahu, Thailand brothers and sisters in The Way Foundation as their Discipling for Development team is discipling two village churches through a process of becoming better stewards of all God has given them, and learning to overcome the barriers they face in their communities.

I also appreciate my relationships with my Rwandan colleagues who have used the Discipling for Development lifestyle to change the culture of their denomination out of dependency and a poverty mentality into a culture of stewarding well the resources God has blessed them with. They lead out of a “can-do” mindset, following Holy Spirit’s guidance with a hardy “Yes!”. They are currently planning to send their own, Rwandan missionaries into South Sudan. Their Discipling for Development leaders are working on raising up new leaders to expand their growing whole life discipleship movement. Leaders of other denominations are also asking them to train them.

I am curious and excited to discover what is up ahead on the path as I work with The Navigators in establishing Discipling for Development in Bolivia, the country I grew up in. We will facilitate two Foundations workshops during the last two weeks of this coming August. Out of 80 participants, 65 will come from two development organizations, Food for the Hungry International – Bolivia and Compassion International – Bolivia. Their leaders are impressed with the results our Discipling for Development communities have experienced, and want to learn from us as they seek to improve their own development programs which are focused on supporting the body of Christ and the growth of his kingdom in Bolivia.

Another part of the path I enjoy walking with Evangelical Friends Mission is our Luke 10 Initiative with a goal of 5 new mission fields and 10 new mission households by the end of 2025. I appreciate participating in Luke 10 Think Tanks, Luke 10:2 Prayer Gatherings (Intercession meetings), Future Missionary Retreats, and a trip to Burundi to encourage Rwanda and Burundi yearly meetings in sending out their own missionaries.

All of us are involved in the family of Evangelical Friends Mission, “we are God’s masterpiece, an amazing poem, recreated new in Christ Jesus, that we will fulfill our destiny, walking the paths and doing the good works he prepared for us long ago.” What an amazing gift to walk with all of you along the trail God has prepared for us at this special time in history!

David Thomas

Download this month’s prayer letter here…

The post July 2023 Prayer Letter first appeared on FRIENDSMISSION.COM.