December Update and Greetings for a Merry Christmas
Jesus came with the good news that God is not a God who hides himself, that God is not a God whom only the philosophers may know, that God is the God who at all costs desires to be known, and who in the most costly way has revealed himself to all.
— From The Mind of Jesus by William Barclay
I have spent most of the last 7 months traveling and have logged about 60,000 domestic air and road miles since beginning itineration in May. This has included over 130 meetings with pastors, business leaders and foundations, speaking in churches and on university campuses. Many are increasingly aware of the needs of at-risk children and youth around the world. Fundraising has continued to be a challenge but we are making steady progress. In November, God began to open some unique doors to us and as a result we have now raised about 85% of our needed financial commitments. God willing, Ky and I will relocate to Oxford in late March 2010.
Ky has been able to join me on a few of my trips, but continues working in the registrar’s office at Southeastern University. Daniel is finishing his first semester as a junior at Southeastern. He added acting roles in the play, Enemy of the People, and the musical, Jane Eyre, to his theatre repertoire this fall.
Prevette Update
Fall 2009
Itinerate – ‘To travel from place to place – or on a circuit’
Prevette Report
March-April 2009
In Central Florida on March 26th it was 82 degrees and humid. That same day my brother sent me a photograph from his home in Calgary, Alberta – they had shovelled two feet of snow from his driveway. I was reminded how each of us experiences challenges and diverse situations in the changing seasons of life.
These are times of challenge for many and we are thankful for the relationships God has given us. We send this newsletter to friends, family and supporters in North America and around the world. We know many of you pray for our family and we are also praying for yours. Please let us know how we can be praying for you.
Events and milestones in our family and ministry
Loss of Bill’s Mom
After battling an aggressive cancer for three months, Bill’s mom passed peacefully into the arms of the Lord on Feb. 3, 2009. Cam Shore Prevette left a tremendous legacy to her two sons, extended family and many friends. At her funeral in Boonville, NC, Bill spoke of his mother’s tremendous capacity to give to everyone she knew. She was a woman of deep commitment and love to her family. One of Cam’s legacies to us was her tenacity and strength of will. She was the sort of woman that always found a way to persevere in midst of life’s situations and challenges. She will be greatly missed in our lives.
Approval for our next overseas assignment We will complete our ‘Missionary in Residence’ assignment at Southeastern University in May. In February, we were officially approved for our next overseas assignment with AGWM. We will be dividing our ministry and energy between two important spheres of influence.
Bill will invest half his time as a PhD tutor at the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies (UK). He will help direct a new program in practice-based research; this means he will be mentoring a number of leaders from Asia, Africa and Europe who are working towards the PhD in Theology and International Development. We will continue our ongoing involvement in Eastern Europe, Cambodia, Thailand and South Asia. This work involves leadership training and development of new projects that assist children, youth and families that are ‘at-risk’ from exploitation, trafficking and poverty.
After May, Bill and Ky will be speaking throughout the US in order to build a budget for the next four years. We hope to be able to return to the field in late 2009 or early 2010. Please let us know if you would like us to visit your church or organization.
Return trip to Cambodia in March
During Spring break at SEU, Bill was invited to return to Cambodia to speak at the Bible School we helped build in 1995 and evaluate some of the childcare projects in the country. The AOG of Cambodia is assisting thousands of children in partnership with Mission of Mercy. The picture was made at Sihanoukville, where AOG operates a children’s home and a Christian school for several hundred children. Bill will be back in Cambodia in 2010.
Prevette Report
November 2008
Since our last newsletter in May, we have passed through a summer and autumn season here in Lakeland,Florida. I write this the day before Thanksgiving aware that our family has much for which to give thanks. The economic climate in the USA has shifted in recent months, many would say for the worse, yet God remains faithful.
For the most part, Americans will not go hungry this holiday and will enjoy the company of friends and family. In this report we focus on several things that have given us personal hope and encouragement over the last five months. Our prayer for each of you is that you will find both joy and comfort in the good things of the Lord.
Events and milestones in our family and ministry
Completion of PhD in June 2008 Bill successfully defended his PhD thesis at the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies in June. This marked the culmination of six years part-time research in Romania. The Viva Voce (verbal exam) was a three hour discussion of the findings and conclusions of the research. Both the internal and external examiners were satisfied with the results and awarded the mark of ‘A—minimal corrections’. Bill said later, ‘I felt like a 1,000 pounds had been lifted off my shoulders’.
Teaching Missions at Southeastern University
Beginning in August, we took up our role as MIRs (Missionaries in Residence) at SEU. Bill has been teaching 4 full time classes in mission and intercultural studies. Our students are majoring in education, theology, church ministries, business, and social science. Some of you may wonder about the future leadership of the church in America and around the world. We invite you to attend our classes and meet some of these students. They are intelligent, enthusiastic, willing to work long hours, and committed to Christ and His Kingdom. We are working with many students who plan careers in mission and international service. Ky and I met with a group at our home last month who are planning to spend next summer in Jordan and the Middle East (see photo). Our role is to train and mentor students; in many conversations we are reminded of the depth of God’s love for our world as He prepares these gifted young adults for a life of service.
Daniel in ‘Of Mice and Men’
In October, Daniel was cast in the role of ‘Lenny’ in Steinbeck’s well known novella/play. This was the University’s fall production and Daniel’s first major drama role beyond his own improvisations and comedy routines. The President of SEU wrote a note saying, ‘Your son was absolutely terrific in the production Of Mice and Men on Sunday afternoon. I was very impressed with his acting ability!’ Needless to say, we agree with Dr. Rutland’s assessment. Daniel is now a sophomore and is finding his stride with film, acting, and writing. He made a trip to Africa this past summer and will be attending a retreat for 3rd culture kids over Thanksgiving.
Prevette Report
May 2008
Last year at this time our family was packing and making preparations to move back to the USA after completing a five year term in Romania. There are some who say that time passes more quickly as we add years to our lives; this seems to be true in our experience. In our last newsletter (Christmas 2007), we promised to be ‘back in touch after the holidays.’ Since it is now May we are overdue on communication. As you may recall, we are currently based in Lakeland, Florida so that Bill can teach next year at Southeastern University as a Missionary in Residence (MIR).
Reporting on a PhD thesis in a newsletter or ‘have you got time for a cup of coffee’?
When our family began full-time missionary work in Thailand 20 years ago, the first 18 months of that assignment were spent in language school. A challenge for any new missionary is to write newsletters to supporters describing the experiences of language learning when, in fact, most of those initial days, weeks and months are spent in lonely and at times frustrating study. These are not exactly the kind of ‘missionary exploits’ one expects to report after moving to a new culture and ministry. Since 1988, our missionary life has taken us to Cambodia, Romania and many other countries. God has been faithful; we have been able to communicate with you many of these experiences.
When we moved to Florida last summer, I (Bill) expected to take 3-4 months to finish writing my PhD thesis for submission to the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies. Having completed the field research over the past five years in Romania, I assumed I would be able to sit down in September and finish the written thesis by February or March at the latest.
‘If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans’. I spent almost seven months writing, editing and rewriting then submitted the thesis to the university on May 13, 2008. I will travel back to Oxford for the verbal defense on June 23rd; I hope to complete the degree by July or August.
How does one describe this sort of work in a missionary newsletter? The parallels to language school are many. These past several months have been both mentally demanding and frustrating. My field research examined faith-based interventions involving children and youth in crisis, a concern that has become central in my life and ministry. The thesis examines how churches and other organizations worked together in Romania following the end of communism in 1990 and through the following decade. In drafting the thesis, I learned that academic writing is not my first love or primary gift. There were many days that I felt I should give up writing and get back to ‘practical ministry’. I am by nature an activist and practitioner, but I determined that the finished thesis was an offering of my time and talents to the Lord.
Pursuing a PhD at 53 years of age is not a typical undertaking for a full-time missionary. In this newsletter I want to say a special thank you to those who have financially supported us, prayed for us, and have made it possible for me to pursue this research. I took on this challenge because I believe that evangelical/Pentecostal churches are making a significant contribution by providing care for children and youth in crisis. It is my conviction that churches and faith-based organizations can improve their practical ministry through a deeper understanding of both the humanity and spiritual nature of children.
Family News
Daniel finished his freshman year at Southeastern University on the Dean’s List. We are extremely proud of the adjustment he has made to college and life in the USA. The photo was taken outside his dorm at Southeastern (www.seuniversity.edu). Daniel worked with a campus television production team, took part in a film competition in Nashville, TN and is pursuing a major in film studies and communication.
During the first several months in Florida, Ky worked as a caregiver to the elderly in the Lakeland area. She was offered a part-time job in the office of the registrar at Southeastern in January. She has especially enjoyed her contact with students and is learning her way in academic administration. She will continue in this role in the coming calendar year as we work with the university. As Missionary in Residence, Bill will teach four classes this fall in missions and theology. We will be working with both undergraduate and graduate students who are considering careers in international work.
Current status and impact on our finances
As a result of the push to finish my doctoral work, I have not been involved in what would be a normal ‘itineration cycle’ for our family. I have not been speaking in supporting churches each weekend and this has impacted our finances. We are aware of the current economic situation facing many churches and families. This has been reflected in our monthly income as a number of churches have written to tell us they can no longer support us.
After completing the degree I will begin itinerating, but until then we are facing a serious shortfall in our monthly income. We remain full-time Assemblies of God missionaries and need to maintain our monthly budget. We are asking those of you who may be able to help us with a special offering at this time to consider doing so. You can give directly by check to AGWM (account number 2275055) or online at www.ag.org through our mission directory site.
If you would like to schedule us to come to your church or speak to your organization please contact us at bill@prevetteresearch.net or 863-816-3633. Additional contact information is below.
Thank you for your continued support and friendship.
Bill and Ky Prevette
8032 Margate Way
Lakeland, FL 33809
Home Phone: 863.816.3633
Cell Phone: 863.513.7378
Prevette Report
May 2007
Bill and Ky Prevette
We are rapidly coming to the end of a five year term in Romania; our family is experiencing the full range of emotions that accompany a major transition from living overseas. Daniel is preparing to enter university and we are saying goodbye to friends and turning over ministry responsibilities.
When we wrote our Christmas letter in December 2006, we assumed our upcoming ‘home assignment year’ would be in Southern California to reconnect with supporting churches, friends and family. Our plans changed in January when we were invited to come and teach for a year at Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. We flew to Florida in March and interviewed with the dean and faculty. Daniel was offered a scholarship plus an MK discount in his tuition costs. We felt that God was leading us in this direction and decided to accept an MIR (Missionary in Residence) position at SEU from 2008/2009. Bill will spend the next six months completing his PhD and then begin teaching at SEU. He will also travel to speak in our supporting churches. We share with you in this update some of our thoughts and emotions as we prepare to leave Romania.
Ky has worked in the AG Romania Field office our entire term; she spent the first three months of 2007 training a Romanian accountant and another missionary to take over her ‘system’. She left most of her office responsibilities in early April to focus her energies on preparing for the move. In a recent letter to a missionary colleague she wrote:
I would think that with 20+ years of missionsservice, four countries and five international moves behind me (not counting all the ‘little incountry’ changes of housing, offices and schools) I would be totally at ease with the chaos of moving. But the truth is, I find myself generally flustered with all the details of sorting/selling/shipping…finding a new home in the USA via internet…making university financial plans… emotionally processing the upcoming empty nest…and trying to build a “raft" according to all the suggested ‘transition principles’ we’ve been taught in calmer times. Sometimes I have it together, but more often I don’t maybe it would be better to just throw up my hands and get on a plane! Thank you for praying for us. When the dust settles, I’ll let you know how it all worked out.
Daniel has excelled in his last year of high school; he was accepted at two universities in California before deciding to attend SEU. He plans to study communication, theatre and writing and is looking forward to starting a new phase of life. He made these comments when asked about the upcoming move:
This move is going to offer some really awesome opportunities, as well as some serious challenges. However, like most MK’s, I tend to look forward to transitions with a sense of adventure and expectation. I have long believed that the toughest ‘mission field’ might be the USA, so I approach our move with determination and a willingness to adapt to a new culture with a southern twang and biscuits. The last few months in Bucharest have had their trials, mostly due to a crippling case of ‘senioritis’, but I have come to realize that finding my niche in America will be determined in part by how well I leave with my niche here. I will be replacing high school in the city blocks of Bucharest with college life in the humidity of Florida and I look forward it.
In February, Bill returned from a three week residency in Oxford and began handing over his leadership responsibilities with the Romania Field fellowship. These last few months he has dedicated more hours each week towards writing his doctoral thesis but continues to work with several ministries and provide pastoral leadership at our international church. In an email to our area director he said:
These last few months have been something of an emotional roller coaster. I have enjoyed working with our Bible Schools, Teen Challenge, Bucharest Christian Academy, and the International Church I don’t think I fully appreciated the many ways that God had allowed me to serve here until I started having to say goodbye. Taking more time for writing [the thesis] has been a challenge; as you know I enjoy spending time with people and mentoring younger leaders in ministry. Writing is much more isolated and not what I consider my primary gift. I am hopeful that on completion of the degree I will be able to make a meaningful contribution to others who are working with churches, children and youth at risk.
As we complete this term, we are especially mindful of the continued faithfulness of friends and supporters. Transition is not especially easy but it forces us to reflect on what has transpired.
We have made some lasting friendships in Romania, thank you for allowing us to represent you. We look forward to seeing many of you over the next couple of years while we are home to reconnect.
If you would like have us speak at your church or missions event please contact Ky at Ky@prevetteresearch.net.
Our mailing address in the USA, effective on June 20, 2007, will be :
8032 Margate Way, Lakeland, Florida, 33809.
Prevette Report Christmas 2006
Bill and Ky Prevette
Serving with AGWM in Bucharest, Romania
Seasons Greetings from the Prevette Family in Bucharest
Winter can be a demanding season here in Romania, not everyone appreciates it. Parker Palmer, in his wonderful little book Let Your Life Speak, says that not everyone can appreciate the discipline that winter offers. This is our fifth winter and Christmas in Bucharest, we have become acclimatized to Eastern European winters.
We took this photo about two blocks from Daniel’s school, I told our family that most years we are standing by a Christmas tree in a nice warm house – this year I wanted to send something to all our friends that said: ‘yes, we live in Bucharest and we hope you have a great Christmas where you live.’
We have yet to receive our first winter snow but the trees are bare and the city is grey and cold. I am reminded by Palmer that despite the apparent dormancy of living things like the trees and grass, nature is not dead in the winter – it has gone underground to prepare itself for renewal and new life that will come forth next spring. Winter brings a time of clarity, it means taking time to appreciate the events of the year that has passed, remembering in the stillness offered by cold winter days that we often to do not realize how close God is to each of us, as close as our breath.
There is of course an important event we celebrate in winter, the coming of God in Christ to earth as both child and King. Jesus came to bring life and to bring it in abundance, something we do well to remember when we are faced with the challenges of living in a broken world. This week, Ky and I read something in our Advent guide that we wanted to share with you, we trust that you will draw strength from God’s initiative towards you and your loved ones.
Merry Christmas!
Christmas Touches the Whole of Creation
Somehow I realized that songs, music, good feelings, beautiful liturgies, nice presents, big dinners, and many sweet words do not make Christmas. Christmas is saying “yes” to something beyond all emotions and feelings. Christmas is saying “yes” to a hope based on God’s initiative, which has nothing to do with what I think or feel. Christmas is believing that the salvation of the world is God’s work and not mine. Things will never look just right or feel just right. If they did, someone would be lying. But it is into this broken world that a child is born who is called Son of the Most High, Prince of Peace, Savior.
- Henry J.M. Nouwen, The Road to Daybreak
Prevette Report
October 2006
Bill and Ky Prevette
Serving AGWM in Bucharest, Romania
Cooler Weather and the Rush of Autumn
Our son, Daniel, will be 18 years old on October 8th; his birthday arrives each year in the midst of many autumn activities. As I write this newsletter, the leaves are changing, the nights are cooler and we are enjoying a welcome respite from the heat of the Bucharest summer. We enjoy this season in
Romania before winter comes and quickly covers the city with snow and ice from late November through early March. Here are some of our ministry highlights over the past few months:
May – June
Bill taught two intensive courses in mission and ministry in Oradea and Constanta, Romania. Please pray concerning renovation of an older building for the Bible School in Constanta. This school has a number of graduates that are working crossculturally with Turkish and Gypsy families. The Romanian Assemblies of God celebrated its 10th year anniversary in May with a number of guests visiting from the USA. AG missionaries from Southeastern Europe gathered in Greece for a retreat and our family enjoyed this time with the extended ‘missionary family’. In mid June, Daniel travelled solo to the US for summer work in Oakhurst, CA and was able to see family and visit university campuses with Ky in August.
July – August
Ky and Bill ‘held the fort’ here in Bucharest as a number of our AG colleagues went on furlough in June. We worked in our field offices, continued to give oversight to several Missionary Associates, assisted Teen Challenge and the International Church. Thank you for praying for Bucharest International Christian Assembly. We mentioned in earlier correspondence that this church went through a difficult transition in early 2006 and by mid-summer was returning to health. We have been involved in teaching, preaching, meeting with the leadership and helping the church through this change. Ky spent a few weeks with family in California in August and Bill worked for three weeks at the Oxford Center for Mission Studies continuing his part-time doctoral research.
September
Daniel began his last year of high school in Bucharest in late August and the pace of our lives seemed to accelerate with every day of the month. Bill was asked to continue serving as school board chairman for Bucharest Christian Academy and as the country moderator for the AG field fellowship in Romania. Each weekend found him speaking around the country at leadership conferences with university leaders one week, secondary students from BCA the next, and mission leaders from the Pentecostal Union the third. Ky began to train her replacement in the field business office and restarted her international women’s bible study. She has also been serving on an area-wide committee to bring “Movements of Grace” to AG missionary women at a retreat in October. We also participated in the dedication of two new ministry facilities in Bucharest where the Assemblies of God has been a significant partner. We hosted our field director, Greg Mundis, for the dedication of the new Casa Agar, a home for the mothers at risk of child abandonment operated by Touched Romania and Raegan Glugosh. This weekend Bill will participate in a gathering of 200+ emerging leaders and will be speaking on ‘Ethics and Education – the Role of the Church in the EU’. If you have not heard the news, Romania will be admitted to the European Union in January of 2007.
A Word from Ky – the “Business Manager” in the Prevette Household:
I live in a house filled with books…my grandfather would be so pleased! He was a man that loved learning and knew that books opened the door to new worlds, new ideas, and new possibilities. That’s exactly what some of the books in our house are doing – beckoning to new horizons, showing new depths, and launching us into heavenly realms… Why so many books you ask? I am the wife of a scholar, the mother of a student and I am the family ‘book keeper’! When our family walks down the streets of Bucharest I am flanked by two “pillars of learning” and I have my own brand of knowledge to add to the mix. Without a doubt, I am an academically blessed and rich woman, but at the same time, our family ‘books’ show that we need to ask for your help to order to complete the next year.
For those of you who may not know, we have decided to extend our current term for a fifth year of service in Romania. There are several reasons for this. One is to see Daniel graduate from high school on the mission field with students he knows. The second reason is, we were asked by our AGWM leadership to provide senior missionary/country coordinator oversight for our younger, still-growing-in-experience, Bucharest based colleagues. We are willing to do this, but unforeseen tuition hikes, increased cost of living due to Romania’s plan to enter the European Union, and our own AGWM system based on the normal, four year term will put our 00 (missionary work account) $16,000 into the red before June 2007.
Are you able to help us remain in place this last year? We will need additional financial help by January, 2007. Rather than leave the field, we are asking if you would be willing to make a one-time, special offering to our mission 00 (work budget) account. Perhaps your church’s mission emphasis this fall or winter will generate extra funds. Please pray and consider making an offering towards our account (#227505 5).
If you don’t have extra finances available, would you please pray that someone else will? Your support and interest have sustained us over many years and several fields and we appreciate you greatly. We come to you with this further request hoping that we won’t be packing our ‘books and belongings’ too early!
Prevette Report
November 2005
Bill and Ky Prevette
Serving with AGWM in Bucharest, Romania
Hold on a minute, we can’t possibly be approaching the end of 2005 – that can’t be right. We sent out our last general newsletter in April and the snow was just melting here in Bucharest and now you tell me that Thanksgiving and Christmas are around the corner. Am I the only one experiencing ‘time compression’ or does it seem to you that the pace of life and change is accelerating all around us. As I look back over the calendar of the last six months I realize we have been pretty active with ministry, travel and life. Here are a few highlights:
May: I began the month teaching a college level course on missiology in Constanta in SE Romania (now infamous for the discovery of Avian Flu in the region). On May 15th Ky was diagnosed with atypical hyperplasia and the doctors in Bucharest recommended a hysterectomy but we decided on further tests before having surgery. The Romanian AG General Council was held in Bucharest with a number of US guests and pastors present. Late in the month, Bill traveled to Hamburg, Germany to meet with a small group of European missionaries to assist the regional director in strategic planning for the region.
June: Dr. Roger and Gayle Heuser from Vanguard University (Southern California) joined us in leading an emerging leaders conference here in Bucharest – 40 young leaders from around the country attended as Roger taught on the importance of leaders developing a balance between activism and inner
spiritual life. We then traveled with Roger and Gayle to Thessalonica, Greece for the Eastern European missionary retreat where AGWM missionaries from the Balkan region gathered for several days to renew our hearts and spirits. Late in the month, we returned to Bucharest to meet with Ray Jennings and Scott Fontenot, pastors and good friends from the Seattle area that were in Romania to assist Gypsy ministries in Brasov.
July – August: Daniel boarded a plane on July 2 to fly solo to the USA where he spent six weeks working on a ranch with good friends in Western Colorado. The next day, Mom and Dad got in the trusty Toyota Land Cruiser (cheers to STL) and began an 8 day drive across Europe to return the vehicle to Gibraltar to update the expired registration. It’s a long story but the vehicle cannot be registered in Romania. We saw a lot of Romania, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, and Spain from the front seat of the car and recommend taking more time to discover Europe if we do this trip in the future. From Gibraltar we traveled by air to Oxford, England. Bill had planned a doctoral summer residency and Ky saw a surgeon as soon as we arrived in UK. The doctor performed a hysterectomy in Oxford on July 15th. We contacted some of you by email that week and thank you for praying for her surgery and recovery. We remained in Oxford through mid August, Bill doing research, writing and replacing a dying computer while Ky recuperated after the surgery. We were blessed to make many new friends and we stayed in the small English village of Eynsham. While in England, Romania was hit with some of the worst summer floods in recent history but the crisis never made the headlines in most Western media as the world’s attention was focused on London and the bombings of the public transport system.
Our family reunited in Bucharest on August 19th and Daniel began his 11th grade year at Bucharest Christian Academy August 25th. With the start of the academic year, Bill continued his role as Board
chairman at BCA and Ky became engaged in many of the school’s activities.
September – October: Like most overseas families with kids still in school, September for us is usually month of getting ‘back in gear’. Daniel reestablished his routine at school, Ky resumed the
international women’s bible study at our home and Bill got back to work with board and leadership
responsibilities at the AG Field office, Teen Challenge Romania and Touched Romania (a
ministry for women at risk and abandoned children). The last week of September, Bill was in UK again, helping to lead a global conference concerning Children at Risk. The Cutting Edge Conference is held every 18 months and is attended by over 300 leaders from agencies around the world working
with at risk youth and children. Bill’s involvement the past several years with both the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies and the Viva Network continues to converge with the number of faith based agencies and organizations (like AGWM) who are increasingly involved in ministry to children at risk.
See www.viva.org and follow the links to Cutting Edge if you are interested in the proceedings from this or previous conference or contact us if we can help network your church or organization with resources for understanding how you can become more involved with Children at Risk.
In October, Bill spent three weeks in the USA speaking in churches and conventions in Denver, Seattle and Southern California and was invited to present a research symposium at Vanguard University. The unfavorable dollar to Euro exchange continues to put pressure on our monthly operational budget so we are very thankful for your ongoing financial partnership and prayer for our family. We still plan to be based in Romania until June of 2007.
In writing this brief report and reviewing our last six months, it is no surprise that our time has felt a bit ‘compressed’. God has been very good to us; we enjoy good health, Ky is now almost completely recovered from surgery and there continue to be many open doors for ministry and leadership.
We feel especially honored to represent our friends and supporting churches here in Eastern Europe. We have been missionaries with AGWM for over 17 years and know that our work is an extension of those at home that have enabled us to serve in this capacity. Thanks again for partnering with us for the Kingdom sake.
Bill, Ky and Daniel
Christmas Prevette Report
December 2004
Bill and Ky Prevette
Serving with AGWM in Bucharest, Romania
A Grateful Christmas from Ky
With Christmas on its way and many cards and letters arriving in our mailbox, we want to say “Merry Christmas” back to you! What a great time of the year to communicate love and appreciation for those that make our ministry in Eastern Europe possible. We would not be here if it weren’t for you.
Another thought provoking holiday has already slipped past, but it ties in with what I want to express to you— thanksgiving. Despite the nationally declared day being past, I want to take this day to communicate our thanks to you for another year of support.
You may be thinking that the coming of a New Year brings about this musing of thanksgiving, communication and the need to write a note, but despite the holiday “prompts” another incident actually moves me to write. Here’s how it happened…
Bill and I had a difficult exchange with one of our employees regarding a pay raise. The manner in which the request came across was uncharacteristically demanding and I took offense. I read this as a distinct lack of gratitude for what had already been provided and it angered me. The next day, when emotions had quieted a bit, we had an open discussion regarding the need and our means to meet it. A clearer understanding of one another’s situation helped us come to a mutually agreeable solution. All has worked out well.
Because confrontation is so difficult for me, I spend lots of time mulling over any disturbance that involves me personally. Thinking this one through, I realized I was most troubled by the lack of gratitude I initially perceived. I began to wonder if I ever seemed ungrateful. Do I sometimes fail to see the cost of donations given to me? I feared that I might, and that’s when you – our supporters, friends and family came to mind!
Almost like watching a movie in my mind, I began to see the many different hands that put money into mine. Some hands were old and arthritic, giving from hard earned savings and meager social security incomes. Some hands were well manicured and in a hurry to go about their own business and success, giving out of funds they would really rather use themselves, but giving in obedience just the same. Some hands were young, chubby and dimpled, giving out of a lesson taught by a devout mother or dedicated Sunday School teacher. Some hands gave and returned to prayer. All hands directly touched mine.
“Seeing” your hands this way makes things much more personal. It takes me out of that administrative mode where the AGWM financial statement, with all its classes and codes, makes the money seem so automatic and strictly “business”. I can easily do the accounts and be accurate and professional, but I would much rather receive your gift, clasp your hand and squeeze my gratitude in return! With that and my smile, you would know tangibly that you are appreciated and esteemed. What a wonderful
way to begin a new year together…
We three Prevettes salute you! Merry Christmas!
Bill, Ky and Daniel