Dan & Esther Penney's "Rejoice & Request" Update -- February 2006
The thing we most enjoy telling you about is
the expansion of God's family here in
PERSONAL & FAMILY
We learned last month that we are expecting another
child in August! While this is
exciting news, it is quite unexpected and we are having to adjust our thinking
and some of our plans. (Dan's Mom is hoping for a sister for our three
boys.) Pray with us for a safe delivery and a healthy baby. Pray also for wisdom for us as we anticipate
the changes this event will bring into our lives and our ministry.
Esther has
already had her first
Pray for strength and stamina for Esther. The pregnancy has brought with it a lot of fatigue
and almost constant morning sickness. We believe both are gradually
diminishing, but we would appreciate your prayers for her.
We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday house guests
(Esther's family). For almost
three weeks we went from our usual five people to ten in the house (six adults
and four kids), and so it reverberated with even more of a joyful noise than
usual.
FIELD NEWS
Thank you for praying for the many meetings at the
start of the year. These went
particularly well. Our field team is doing well. Relationships
are healthy, team dynamics are working well, and WorldVenture's
Praise the Lord that a bit more money came into
Adama Diouf's accounts. But
continue to pray with us for this. He still does not have enough for
the purchase of a reliable vehicle.
He is managing to travel to his many commitments and do his ministry, but he is
doing so with a borrowed jalopy that is very old and rickety, and which in our
estimation really should no longer be on the road. We are concerned
for his safety. (Account #6470 922 "IPM-Adama Diouf," in case
you want to give to this.)
Dan just finished two days of board meetings for the
MINISTRY
January 10th was
"Tabaski", probably the biggest holiday of the year for
Muslims. We purposely stayed away from the ceremonies of slaughtering a
ram, but in the afternoon we visited several of our neighbors to wish them a
good holiday. We were very warmly received. They seemed genuinely
pleased that we had come. We were particularly encouraged by the
reception we received at the home of Mbotch, the local imam for our
neighborhood mosque. We hope
this relationship will lead to opportunities to speak with him about Jesus, his
prophet, but our Savior. Your prayers could bring it about.
Continue to pray for ITES (Institut
de Theologie Evangelique du Senegal; formerly known as
IED). This month, allow me to quote from the newsletter of a
colleague and fellow professor at the school. She expresses the
needs and the opportunities so well:
"I, along with
my colleagues at the Institute, are feeling the need for a place for our
library especially, but also for some classroom space. Please pray with
us for a solution to this pressing problem. We are renting a place for
classes for now, but our books are still in storage. It is exciting to
have the problem that we have, not enough room! Praise report: ITES
hosted a seminar both in
Pray for the upcoming meeting of the
board of directors for ITES,
which will be Feb. 15. Dan, as interim board chair, will lead the
meeting. There are several significant decisions on the agenda, for which
the board will need wisdom.
FINANCES
God is so good! Due to the anticipated new addition to our family, our support
had to be adjusted slightly. Yet despite this, we are still fully
supported!
Thank you for your prayers. Your financial support allows to
BE in
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