062009

FAY FOOTPRINTS Lutheran Bible Translators

Actively Waiting On Ascension Sunday, we heard a sermon on the topic of waiting. The phrase “actively waiting” was repeated several times and it seemed to fit perfectly with what we are experiencing in our lives right now. Those of you who receive our email updates know that we have officially reached a level of funding to be approved to pursue French visas! We are still speaking through the end of June because we are hoping to gain further support in the form of regular donations, but we are so thankful for all of you who have joined this team in various capacities. We are humbled at what God has done in a few short months (at the beginning of the year we were just 35% funded!). As we detailed in the last newsletter, visa application is sort of complicated but right now we sit, waiting, as various paperwork is processed. When you receive the next prayer letter, we could very well be in France! On the other hand, if the processing takes longer than we hope, it could be November before we leave. In some ways, we feel like we are in a bit of limbo because plane tickets cannot be bought, but once they are bought, it may be just a few weeks before we’re on our way! In this time of waiting, we are not sitting idly, we assure you! We have been very busy packing for two different countries (we are hoping to go straight from France to Cameroon– see “In His Time”), saying goodbye, and preparing for our final speaking engagements. Likewise as Christians, we actively wait; we keep our eyes focused on the Lord as we wait for Him to return. By His grace, as we wait, we stay busy completing the work He has for us. Our ultimate goal is to help bring people to faith by translating the Bible for those who do not yet have it in their heart language, but there are many intermediate steps and all of them are very important. So here we sit, busily waiting.

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

John 13:14-15

June 2009

 Praise God for the incredible support we have received from family, friends, and strangers alike!!!

 Pray for discernment as we

Pray For Us...

Volume 2, Issue 3

decide what to pack, what to leave, and what we need to buy

 Pray for us and our families as we begin to say goodbye

 Pray that the visa application process would go smoothly and quickly

 Pray for our children through all of the transitions

 Pray for the Nizaa

Possible Assignment In February, our supervisor took a trip to Cameroon. One of the things he was doing while there was discussing possible language groups we could work with when we come. After discussing this with the president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon, they decided that the best possibility at this time is probably with a group called the Nizaa (nee-zah). They are a group that is largely Muslim with about 10,000-15,000 speakers. They are located in the central portion of Cameroon near the Nigerian border (see the star on the map). We will give more details as we learn them- we are currently sifting through a dissertation and a Master’s thesis about the group! A couple of Norwegian missionaries have begun some literacy and translation work but the translation work, especially, did not get very far. Please pray with us for discernment in deciding if we will work with the Nizaa, and, if so, that God would prepare both us and the Nizaa to work together.

Following the Family When we brought Lucy home from the hospital and, as predicted by my mother, Sam instantly seemed much bigger and older. He is officially two years old. Since we last wrote, he has completely given up his paci and has begun peeing on the big boy potty. He will very proudly tell you "Sit. Potty. Get M&Ms. Just one." Hopefully he will continue to sit on the potty once he doesn't get M&M's anymore… Not much to say about Lucy. She's a sweety and hardly ever fusses. She does have a little reflux like her brother did, but she doesn't seem to care as much about it. She will yell at us if we forget about her, but who can blame her for that? You can read more about what the adults have been up to on the front of the newsletter.

My Greatest Joy by Sharon Vega, Missionary Personnel Supervisor Thank you so much for your participation in sending the Fay family to Cameroon to serve with us in Bible Translation ministry! By the time a new missionary is ready to go to the field, I have been following them for more than two years as candidates and then prefield missionaries, working through questions, references, training, preparing for and successfully accomplishing partnership development, finally the residence issues of their new country and the celebration of a commissioning service. I grow close to each missionary and the families as they struggle with the challenges of intense study, constant travel, and preparing to live in a place they may have only seen in pictures. It is always hard to say good-bye, but it is also very joyful as they go to do what God has put on their hearts, and my prayer will go before them and continue with them as they fly away to their new homes and lives. The Fays have stayed focused on their goals and have achieved a growing, involved base of church and individual partners. They have made the goal of an average at 100% of the needed funding. Their household project is complete. How can you continue to help? The biggest need they have at this time is for each of you to continue your prayers for them and your sustaining financial support. Again, thank you for your partnership– that all may know the good news of Jesus Christ.

Write to us at: Kory, Cara, Sam, Lucy and Fay 30 Garden Point Zionsville, IN 46077 [email protected] www.fayfootprints.com

Top: All smiles; Right: Lucy’s baptism; Bottom: Eating ice cream on his 2nd birthday In His Time June– Say goodbye in Topeka, speak at churches in Kansas and Nebraska, and make a short trip back to Indiana for our Commissioning June 14 Last week in June- Speak in Las Vegas, NV First half of July- Meet with the French consulate in Chicago and visit the LBT Service Center July- Pack for France. begin to pack for Cameroon, and say goodbye in Indiana Early August- Leave for France January 2011– July 2013- In Cameroon

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 or Fay Vehicle on the memo line)

The mission of LBT is to help bring people to faith in Jesus Christ by making the Word of God 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