Rivers Baptist Church - Christ alone - and Him crucified

Dear Praying Friends,

We have been meaning to write quick up-dates to our prayer supporters for a number of years now but other things have always gotten in the way. However, we know your prayers are crucial to our effectiveness here and we want to write at least once between newsletters… we and our friends need it!

Steve has just closed his clinic at Veterans’ International to prepare for a new course beginning February 25.
• Praise God that he was able to end well after treating many patients and staff there, as well as providing financial assistance for patients in dire need. Pray that his witness there will have a lasting impact.
• Pray for the 18 new physios who will begin the physio up-grade program that they will be ready to learn physio techniques that could greatly improve the treatment of patients and that they will be ready to hear through Steve of an even greater Healer.
• Pray for Steve that he would be able to use the short break well to refocus spiritually, establish healthy habits and help Lisa out at home.

Lisa is still at home, focussed on kids, husband and admin etc.
• Praise God that the kids are growing and flourishing into fine young people. Joel (6) and Emma (4) have received great reports from school. Emma has begun preschool full-time in preparation for starting Year 1 in August. Noah (almost 1) is our crawling, roaring, biting lion cub who brings us many laughs but is not the best sleeper.
• Pray for our health which continues to be one of our biggest struggles – although nothing serious, it is taking its toll on our physical and emotional well-being. Pray for energy and wisdom for Lisa in managing each day and its dramas well. Pray that one day she might actually complete her “to do” list and still be smiling at the end of the day!

Many of our Khmer friends are facing struggles.
• Aunty Oun’s husband has died from cancer. She is heavily in debt to his family, without work and must support two teenage girls. Pray that her faith would become a real help in the face of such difficulties.
• Pray for Vutha (our former language teacher) who is struggling in his faith as the pressure of financially caring for his widowed Mum and younger brothers grows. He is depressed, making some poor decisions, has insufficient work, and still has to study each night at Uni.
• None of the physios who have previously expressed interest in attending church have actually gone more than once. Even Tokyo who has made a commitment to Jesus is too busy with life to attend church (or even his weekend Uni studies!). Pray for God to intervene powerfully in their lives so that He would become their first priority.

Thank you and bless you for your faithfulness.

Steve and Lisa