Praise & Prayer

Roger & Laura Dye — Chile

Church Planting for Today’s Latin America

August 2012

	Stale Bread

	“No hay pan duro” is the playful greeting you will hear when you come to our home in Chile. “There is no hard bread.” as if you were begging for food. Hudson even greeted a senator at our door with those words as I scrambled from whatever it was I was doing to run interference. You'd think I could run in the Olympics for all the sprints I do every day keeping up with Hudson! All joking aside, we do have a regular group of beggars who come to the door asking for a little something. We always give something when they ask, even if we feel we are being taken advantage of. One lady I have known for at least 9 years, but most I don't know their faces or names. A few weeks ago we had a fellow at the door claiming to be out of work and needing something to eat. I eyed the unkempt growth outside our gate and called what I thought was his bluff. "Here is some food for tonight. If you want work, come back tomorrow and clean this grass out. The job pays $10 and I will be glad to have it done.” He showed up at noon and started what I was sure would be a two hour job. Two hours turned into a hard 7 hours of labor. I fed the five foot man a large plate of food, enough for three men and he kept working. I had already noted his hard work, persistence, gratefulness for the food, and even just the fact that he showed up. (I also noted that the jeans Hudson just grew out of would probably fit him quite well.) I never let on that I was planning on paying him more and he never asked for anything more all day. What a pleasure to pay him well for his hard work and send him on his way with a bag of jeans. It just takes the edge off being taken advantage of. So what are the Dyes doing in Chile anyway? With so many Dye and Park family crises as of late, you might be asking yourself that question. The area of ministry that Roger is working on as part of church planting is marriage discipleship: teaching and training key leaders in each congregation to deal with the marriage crisis that is destroying churches across Chile and Latin America. www.uni2hoy.org Churches here rarely plan ahead more than two months, yet it looks like we are fairly busy until the end of November. Roger has been connecting with the pastors in our denomination, and also with like-minded pastors in other denominations, to schedule marriage discipleship with their leaders. We are finding that each training session is as different as the congregations themselves, so it takes some flexing and sensitivity to meet their needs. Another prayer issue is that we would like to start involving American couples in the conferences. Our prayer is that one or two couples would come with (1) a testimony of what God has done in their lives and marriages, (2) prayer support during what has proven to be an extremely busy time, (3) physical help associated with the conference so that ALL leaders can participate, and (4) relationship building with couples, leaders, and pastors, taking back to the US a firsthand perspective to hold these leaders up in prayer as they strive to meet the spiraling marriage crisis in Chile. Is God calling you and your spouse for short term ministry in Chile?

About the kids. . .

Thank you for praying for our family!

Deanna, (19) graduated from high school. She is taking a year off from studies to finish healing from two head injuries this year. Laura already appreciates her help and support that she gives so energetically. She plans to attend college in the fall of 2013. Deanna would appreciate your prayers for her future as she figures out what God wants her to do.

Isaac, (17) just returned to the US to finish his senior year at Ben Lippen High School. He is well cared for by our dear friends, Dr. Igou and Linda Hodges. Isaac flew all night, showered, and was in class within an hour of landing in Columbia, SC. We are so thankful for God's provision for Isaac and what He is doing in his life. It makes missing him not quite so painful.

As for Hudson (11) and Suzy (9), we are back in homeschool, trying to keep them both challenged and learning well.

Many thanks to you all for the kind words and sweet gestures of comfort during these last few months. God has once again used you all to encourage us and hold us up, sometimes physically. Know of our prayers of thanksgiving for you all today!

Roger and Laura Dye

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