Dear Friends and Fellow Laborers, May/2024
Time, for as long as I can remember, has been a paradox to me. It seems to both pass too fast and too slow at the same time. Each day seems to go by slowly. While at the same time Inara just celebrated her first birthday. All the while it feels like only a couple months ago we were anticipating Inara’s birthday any moment, or just struggling and figuring out how to say “Hello, how are you?” Time just flows, with or without you.
A quick update on our language school: Those who follow on Facebook may already know, but I have officially graduated from language school! Though in many ways I still feel inadequate in Indonesian, I now have a strong foundation to build on. I told someone the other day that yes, I have graduated, but there is still so much more to learn, and I will continue learning Indonesian as long as I am here. I am very proud of Gina’s ability in Indonesian. Each semester, in writing class, there are several things you are required to write and write about. One of the things they do each semester is judge the best written document from each level and award the top three. Gina’s last written document took third place out of 45 students! Please continue to pray for us as we continually grow in the language. Especially for Gina, she still has one more semester before graduating.
Pray for me as I continue on to the next step and focus of these first two years here. Our first term here was only ever planned on being a two-year term, while we had an emphasis on learning the language, and learning the culture. Here we are a little over a year later and, because of having finished language school, I know get to focus on trying to help Every Nation Baptist Church grow. Mainly, that will entail witnessing, inviting people to church, and discipling someone. It is very easy to get busy with anything and everything else while living in the States, and even more so on the field. Your prayers for my boldness as a witness, and focus towards ministry are needed now more than ever.
Please pray for Thalia’s ear. A couple weeks ago, she started complaining about her ear, Gina and I thought she was just a little too rough with it, but after a couple days, we brought her to the hospital and found she had a ruptured eardrum. She’s doing very much better now, but it could be as much as another 3 weeks before she’s back to 100%. Also, over the last 2-3 weeks several people I know have been coughing and congested. Even Gina and I have caught a little of whatever bug is going around. Your continued prayer for our health is very much appreciated!
Thank you for being faithful to pray for us, and for our prayer requests. Pray for us to have patience and wisdom to deal with the trials that God allows to come our way. Pray for our children that we may teach them about the Lord so that they may one day have a personal relationship with Him. Lastly, pray for us as we continue to grow together as a family.
With Love in Our Hearts,
In Service to the King,
Jens, Gina, Thalia & Inara Looney
Your Missionaries to Indonesia