Volume 4, Issue 4

November 2011

Lutheran Bible Translators

Our New Role

During our time with LBT, we have experienced first-hand some of the difficulties, as well as the joys, that new missionaries encounter during their first few years. These experiences began state-side by getting the necessary training, speaking at churches and building a support team, saying good-bye to family, and packing up or getting rid of most of the things we owned. We then needed to learn to: speak a language (or two), be friends/family/coworkers with the same small community of missionaries, maintain relationships via Skype/phone/email with people back home, and function in a new language/culture (cooking, shopping, banking, going to the doctor, etc.). In many countries, there are often added stresses of sporadic electricity, phone service, and water (which usually must be filtered), high temperatures with no air conditioning, traveling in busy cities or on remote dirt roads, constant demands for money, and differences in the views of time and relationships (to Did you know? name a couple). There are unique challenges to single missionaries, couples, and those with children. Each individual in the family is dealing with these changes in their own way. Add to these challenges the physical illnesses that most will battle as their bodies encounter new germs in their environments. This is not to say that there is not a great deal of joy in being a missionary, but the amount of change, and therefore stress, that missionaries experience cannot be ignored.

47% of missionaries leave in the first 5 years of service and 71% of those leave for preventable reasons.

We have spent a large amount of our time in the last five years with other missionaries. Weve talked to them, read about them, and heard their stories. Many of them are very passionate and love what they do, but they all have stories of difficulty and struggle. They are real people, not super humans. God has given us hearts to help other missionaries in their ministries. We want to see them receive the best possible preparation and orientation, and help them (in the long-term) to avoid burn-out. That is the reason that we are so excited about our new role. Kory has been working for a month now, primarily concentrating on helping our organization improve in the area of missionary care. He is researching reasons for missionary attrition as well as best-practices for developing a partnership team stateside (which is crucial to sustaining the missionary and the ministry). He will be developing an assessment tool that will help identify missionaries strengths and weaknesses and address them in order to best prepare them for their work. He has also begun researching recommended classes, books, and other resources for missionaries. The focus, at the moment, is on preparation and orientation. The other role at the office Kory has been able to fill is in the area of recruiting. Interest in our organization is growing and Kory has been shadowing LBTs recruiter, Peter Slayton, with the goal of going out on his own to speak at events and Lutheran universities that Peter does not have the time to reach. Kory has really enjoyed being able to talk with college students, share his passion for Bible translation, answer their questions, and help them to see how they have been uniquely gifted to serve God in missions (whether overseas or state-side). Thank you for supporting us and continuing to walk with us on this journey. As of November 1, we have received $56,700 toward our ministry out of our budget goal for the year $67,346 (84%). Please pray with us, as we approach the new year, that our ministry would be fully funded!

John 13:14-15

FAY FOOTPRINTS

If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one anothers feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

On the home front

On September 17th, we moved from Indiana to Montgomery, Illinois, a Chicago suburb about 5 miles away from the LBT office. The transition went smoothly and we are beginning to feel settled in our new home. The children are growing like weeds and Cara is loving being able to spend all her time at home with them. We have enjoyed establishing routines and making new friends. Praise God for a womens Bible study through our church that Cara has been able to attend while Sam, Lucy, and Kye play with other children their age. Cara is doing really well and has continued counseling on a less frequent basis.

Pray for us... For wisdom as Kory seeks to put the research hes doing into making practical changes for our organization. For the students and others that Kory meets, that they will discern their role in Gods Mission and that He will lead others to join in the work of reaching those without access to Scripture in their heart language. For Kory as he travels for a recruitment event at Concordia Wisconsin Nov. 2-5 and a conference on missionary care and missionary mobilization Nov. 30-Dec. 3 in Virginia (and for Cara and the kids who stay at home). For friendships in our new community. For the Nizaa, that God would raise up workers to help make Gods Word available in His way and timing. Praise for our new church and friendly neighbors. Praise for closer relationships as a couple, family, and especially with the Lord. The mission of Praise for our new role with LBT and pray that God will use our experiences to be a blessing LBT is to help to others. bring people to Praise that our vehicle in Cameroon is being put to good use by other missionaries and is a faith in Jesus blessing to them in their ministries. Christ by making Praise for Kye, who turns one year old on November 22! the Word of God Contact us at: The Fays 97 Hillstone Rd. Montgomery, IL 60538 kcfay@lbt.org 317-228-7911 www.fayfootprints.com Send financial support to: Lutheran Bible Translators P.O. Box 2050 Aurora, IL 60507-2050 (Make checks out to Lutheran Bible Translators and write Fay ministry on the memo line) available to those who do not yet have it in the language of their hearts. For more information on LBT go to www.lbt.org

NOTE: New Address