A big smile broke across my face as I caught the eye of our son Stephen as he marched in the graduation ceremony at Andrews University. That day in May was a great relief to all of us as his five years of studies came to an end. However, we realized this was not so much an ending as a new beginning. Stephen is now prayerfully considering what God has in store for the next chapter of his life.

The last few months have also been a time of endings and new beginnings for two of our missionary families. The Williams family has been in the States for some time due to visa issues. They have used this opportunity to travel to various parts of North America to raise awareness among pastors and lay people about how they can meaningfully connect with the Central-Asian Muslims in their communities. They are now returning to a new field of labor with additional resources they have developed to share the good news of the gospel with the same people group in a different country.

The Jonas family remained in their host country for as long as possible, but the people group they have been reaching out to has been increasingly under the thumb of authorities. For local people, contact with a foreigner can now result in arrest, questioning, confiscation and inspection of mobile phones, and often imprisonment. The government decided they were no longer going to issue visas to foreigners, so the Jonas family had to leave. During their last few months in the country, they used every opportunity to share God’s word. It was a sad and challenging time for them as they bade farewell to their friends and packed up their belongings to relocate to a new mission field. Please pray for the people they had to leave behind that the Holy Spirit will water the seeds that have been sown and that, in God’s time, there will be a spiritual harvest.

Both the Williamses and the Jonases are encouraged that God is very much in control as they launch to new countries and continue to serve the same people group. Please pray that God will lead them to people of peace and to the right housing and location for their ministry.

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