We arrived back in SC on June 16 after a long and delayed
flight from Beijing. It is good to be home, wherever home is. Home, we have
decided, is where we are living at that moment. We returned to our physical
home that we have lived in for over 20 years now. So in a way, yes, we came
home.
We love being back with our family and our home church
family although we keenly feel that while Greenville may always be home, so
many things and people change while we live away. In addition, our hearts are strongly connected to new friends overseas who become our new family. This summer we look forward
to the birth of our first grandchild.
One of our international friends once asked Mark “So what do
you do with three months’ vacation in the States?” If he only knew. We did
enjoy our one-week annual beach vacation with most of the Hatfield clan in
June. We always treasure the time relaxing on the coast amid the waves, wind,
and marsh. Now we have three generations gathering together. Our greatest joys
are seeing our children’s generation raise their own children in the ways of
the Lord. Each year we add to our numbers, now with grandchildren.
While we do the normal (and extra-normal) home maintenance
activities during the summer, we also strategize how we can continue teaching
and discipling. We jumped right into hosting GBC young people for Sunday lunch, newly married couples for Sunday lunch, and young men’s discipling evenings. We brought our Beijing Guys’
Nights idea to Greenville where Mark plans for a 6-week study through Masculine Mandate by Richard Phillips. We have also joined with long-time friends in encouraging young couples through the Art of Marriage study.
In addition, at the end of July Mark will travel to India to
begin a long-term strategy of training national spiritual leaders towards a
certificate of Scriptural studies. Mark
currently has secured his visa and flight tickets but all other details are
still underway. The current plan is to provide about 30 talks specifically tailored to theological and pastoral training, in addition to Sunday teaching in two different locations. He also plans to strategize the same type of long-term training
for brothers in Kenya by talking with supporting churches here in the States.
Many days Mark maintains constant contact with our family at
Beijing Baptist Church via Skype, phone, email, and texting. Expat life in
Beijing is so very different than life in people’s home countries. During the
summer months of July and August, a vast majority of expats return to their
home countries leaving a small congregation at BBC. Mark spends a lot of time
even from afar making sure that services run smoothly and staying in touch with our members. This summer he asked brothers who live in country to fill
the pulpit for him. Sometimes we arrange to have couples come to fill the
pulpit during the summer, giving them a first-hand experience of BBC and life
among our BJ brothers and sisters.
How can you pray for us?
- · Pray for Mark’s trip to India – that the Truth will be communicated and taught well; that God’s name will be glorified; that brothers will learn and be able to teach their own flocks well.
- · Pray that all will go well with our daughter giving birth near the end of August.
- · Pray for wisdom in practical issues such as home maintenance. Our 12-month-old roof needs replacing after a severe spring hail storm, along with the normal issues of a 25-year-old home.
- · Pray that we communicate God’s love and truth well to all we meet while stateside.
All together again
