What a joy it is to work in the SIM USA office! Days begin with chapel led by Charlie Thorsen, (my boss) with praise, prayer, news and stories about SIM missionaries serving around the world with opportunities to pray for current requests. We recently prayed for a short termer from Switzerland imprisoned in Africa for 3 weeks in 2013 still awaiting his next hearing in November. Because of prayer, he was allowed to return to Switzerland without a hearing.
After chapel I get to read and pray over requests from around the world and put them in the By Prayer calendar for each day. I hear a variety of amazing stories like Vihemba’s. 
For fifteen years she had a fistula and could not attend church or other activities. Thankfully her husband stuck with her. In May she was operated on and is now able to get out. She was excited to be able to share her story with other women, then her faithful husband died and her hut was taken by her husband’s family. Her story was published in By Prayer and I have since heard that God has blessed her. The land the hut was on was hers so she has a place to live. Her children are building her a new hut, and she is still testifying to the goodness of the Lord. Please join me in praying for Vihemba as the lot of widows is a hard one in Africa.
Those who are prayed for greatly appreciate this ministry as testified by Ruby in West Africa: Thanks for giving of your time and gifting to getting this out for prayers. How we need God to intervene in the missionary work of SIM. This is such an important tool for raising prayer support which is just as important as financial support.
I am so very blessed to be a part of this network of prayer!
Please rejoice with me on the purchase of a townhouse just two miles from the SIM USA office. Can you believe it – the name of my street is Spirit Bound Way! I am so grateful for all your prayers and the wonderful 
way God worked out the purchase, all the willing hands that helped me move and over-the-top gifts of appliances and other needed household items. I still have quite a few projects to attend to before I consider myself settled, but it has not stopped me from already welcoming guests. I am delighted to be of assistance to travelers the SIM Guest House is unable to house. I already hosted a 72-year-old Korean lady attending her last sessions of on-campus classes at Gordon Conwell for her doctorate!
While I was waiting for all the paperwork to be processed on my townhouse, I spent Christmas with my sister Jackie in Portland, Oregon. It was good to visit with her since the last time I went to see her was in 2001 before I went to Abu Dhabi.
I will drive down to Florida next week to spend a generous eleven-day week with my brother, Jim, his family and my other sister, Sandy. While there, I will also get to visit with friends at the SIM retirement home in Sebring.
| My schedule is as follows:
March 22, Tuesday – Finish editing the next edition of By Prayer and send it to the proofreaders. March 23-24, Wednesday & Thursday – drive to Florida March 28, Monday – drive to Sebring and spend the night March 29, Tuesday – return to Apopka to my brother and sister April 1-2, Friday & Saturday – drive back to North Carolina April 2-3, Saturday & Sunday – host my second SIM guest |
Praises
- Unending praises for the little townhouse that I have been blessed with
- Thanksgiving for increases in my support
- Great joy at the work I have that I enjoy and blesses others
Prayers
- Seek for smooth progress on completing this edition of By Prayer on time
- Continue praying for regular monthly supporters
- Ask for protection and safety for my travels to Florida and back
- Request a welcoming and tender heart as I host visitors
- Plead for wisdom and patience as I continue to search for a local church home