Answwering Questions late on a Sunday

Okay, I'm going to try to get this done NOW because this next week it will CERTAINLY get buried in the inbox!

Praying for every spiritual and personal Blessing on all of you on the Missions team at home...

God is so good! (he's even giving grace to me to break the sabbath and do a little work tonight!)

it's great to be a part of the extended body of Christ at FEFC.

K!Mberly

We describe your work this way: Jim leads CRM Singapore, a mentoring movement of local pastors, mission agency leaders, and Christian CEO's. Helping develop Chinese Christian leaders in Singapore is considered strategic because they will be well-equipped to help develop small groups in the mainland. Kimberly is a dramatist who uses theatre as her springboard for ministry in churches and schools, as well as a ministry with those not yet following Jesus who work in the entertainment industry.

Is this description accurate? Are we missing anything important?

Yes! it's great!

How has the work been in the last six months? Do you foresee the work changing in the next year?

This year Kimberly has added teaching for Theological Centre for Asia. She's teaching the 2 core theatre courses for a "certificate in creative arts ministry" (Helped design the curriculum and the courses started last August)

I'm leading a weekly prayer time for the egroup I faciltate: 300+ believers in Singapore who are passionate about Jesus and the Arts. I met one of the members of this egroup in church today (just by 'chance' HA.) he's been reading my pastoral posts, and hadn't been in a church for years! He'd come for a baby dedication. I slipped into the empty seat next to him and for the first time in the 5 years we've been attending, the pastor said, introduce yourself to someone new and spend the next 3 minutes getting to know them!

Also, I started a new mentoring group with 3 women/artists on Fridays. One of the women, a stage-manager/dancer has just taken a position with Emerits Airline to be stationed in Dubai as a tentmaker/flight attendant. Another is a theatre practitioner who's recently 'come back to the Lord' and is really growing spiritually as she walks with him and knows his healing power over some deep hurts in her past. I look forward to seeing how God is going to use this new friendship between these two women -- as mutual support. The 3rd is Jim's new Administrator for CRM Singapore.

I'm singing more. Have been invited to do a concert at a classy arts venue (the old parliment building downtown) on April 27th with a few other soloists and musicians. "alabaster jar" is the name of the concert and will include sharing our faith along with our music.

A long time answer to prayer came last month when Jim hired a very capable Administrator (Executive Support!) and the first Singaporean has begun to serve as CRMSingapore staff. Two other pastors consider themselves part-time staff in this mentoring ministry which has taken a lot of germination time - People needed to experience it first hand to believe in and practice a new paradigm of leading and mentoring others.

The big change for us is that we are in the process of packing up and storing our lives in Singapore, and will be taking a year in Pasadena starting June 2007. It is our 10th year as missionaries and our eldest son's 9th grade year. After reading and interviewing others about TCK issues, we have decided to spend a year in the states when the boys are in 9th grade (in another 4 years it will be Cameron's turn and Tyler will be starting University). This coming year, besides connecting with our supporters, and keeping connected with some of the ministry in Singapore, Jim will work on a ThM and I will be taking courses in theatre and the integration of faith and art. We are VERY COMMITTED to returning to Singapore in 2008 (and a couple times through the year as well). We are "permanent residents" here and that means a lot to Singaporeans (even though we didn't have to give up our US citizenship!)

During this year I hope that there will be opportunities to do some theatre workshops, teaching and perhaps even performing for the Creative Arts Departments of our two "home churches" Rolling Hills and FEFC. 

What has been encouraging to you? What has been difficult?

all of the above has been encouraging. And that all of last year I was struggling with pain related to a neck injury which went away the day after I put it in an email prayer letter and asked our friends to pray for me.

Difficult?

i've been spending more time personally in prayer with artists and the difficult part is that I'm not a counselor. There are A LOT of needs and spiritual strongholds. I've never before been so dependent on the LORD. Seriously. Especially if we walk through the Steps to Freedom in Christ (Neil Anderson's workbook). Taking back ground the Enemy has stolen from these women doesn't happen without a fight.

Are you connected to a group that you worship with regularly?

Yes. I have developed a sweet friendship with our sr. pastor's wife and sometimes go walking on Mondays with them on their day off. I also attend a women's bible study on Thursdays - and these women are the ones who are my dearest friends and a group I know are supportive sisters in Christ. I've been meeting early with some of them each week to pray specifically for their husbands who are not yet believers.

How are your finances?

I'll let Jim answer that one! We're definitely living by faith, and having to trust the Lord. It's been amazing to see how he's provided over these 10 years.

Is there some way that we can help you?

After I have a chance to read over the "missionary re-entry packet" I'll know more of what's in store...

Do you know of anyone in the Pasadena area with a nice little place needing occupants for a year (the rents there are pricey and Providence Homes only has a 2 bedroom/1bath available to us). You have heard the story about how we've been living in a penthouse the last 2 years? (the MOST AMAZING VIEW in town!) I learned then that sometimes God wants to give us nice things...and, "it doesn't hurt to ask."

Are there specific things we can pray for?

Spiritual and emotional strength. I have an artistic temperament and feel things deeply. I need the Holy Spirit's protection to fight the blues and remain strong confident in the Lord!

Our prayer is that we'll get spiritual and intellectual nourishment in USA this coming year. Clear leading from the Lord on how to invest in others while we're back.

Praying that Jim is a blessing to RHCC this weekend as he brings the Missions Conference/50th Anniversary message.