From: Adam Waller [MyAllForChrist@CadLinx.com]
Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 8:20 PM
To: Adam Waller (Adam Waller)
Subject: Prayer Update 3/3/06 Reports from China
Friday, March 3rd, 2006
Dear Family
and Friends,
So much has
happened in the past week, it feels like we came back from
For the
past several years, the Character First! team in
Touring a
couple of these companies, I was impressed with first-hand reports of the
difference that the character focus has made in the workplace. One company had
gone from many work-related accidents requiring compensation to twenty-four
months without a single accident. Another told us that after implementing
Character First!, they saw such a change in their
company that the leadership in their
Traveling
from
Meeting in
Peter's home on one of the first days, we had the opportunity to spend some
time with the Character First!
My brother
David led the Children's Seminar, assisted by the rest of my siblings, while I
shared some sessions for the teenagers. A number of local families also joined
Peter and the Character First! team, so overall, we
had about 20 staff to help as nearly a hundred families came to attend the
Understanding
that our life will often communicate a far greater message than anything we
say, I decided to use a lot of personal illustrations as I taught the teenager
sessions on the topics of praising family members for character, and making
appeals. The Lord answered prayer in giving the students a real interest as I
shared about Isaac's life and example, my own experiences of standing alone at
my first job, and other personal examples.
Visiting
the parent's session, I watched as after learning how to praise for character,
husbands and wives praised one another for demonstrations of specific character
qualities. I felt tears welling up in my eyes as I watched a wife, perhaps for
the first time, praising her husband for the character that she had observed in
his life. Although I could not understand the Chinese, the joy on her face as
she looked up to her husband with tears running down her cheeks was a picture
that I will not soon forget.
Towards the
end of the seminar, my Dad was invited to speak for a few minutes on how we
have worked to build character as a family. Although our family of eleven was
in some ways a contrast to the one child policy in
After my
Dad finished sharing, he asked if I could come up and share a few words. With a
joy and boldness that only the Lord can give, I shared about the importance of
the choices we had made as a family. We still have many things to learn, but as
I look back on the life of my twin brother Isaac, I know that the choices to
build character as a family are choices that we will never regret.
After the
session a couple guys came up and started talking with Dad and I. They said that they really appreciated what we had shared,
and after some more conversation we learned that they were also Christians.
Although we had been very careful not to use religious terms, they had sensed a
deeper message in our lives, and wanted to know more about what we were doing
in
We saw
God's hand working in so many details of our trip. One example was in the
teenager session that we did in
What none
of us realized was that a couple hours later, Jenny would be needed to
translate for the final sessions of the seminar. Looking back, we could not
have planned it better. I was able to cover much more material with the
teenagers, and Jenny was able to have a little rest so that she could be ready
for the additional translation work.
In between
the planning and seminars, Peter had arranged for our family to do some
sight-seeing in
Visiting a
Carrefour store, it felt like we were walking through a four story
Wal-Mart! I could hardly believe the vast array of things for sale. The food
section alone was bigger than most grocery stores. You could buy live frogs,
turtles and eels, and just about anything else you could ever want.
I remember
watching a lady walking through one of the isles, placing various household
items in her cart. I wonder how many people go through life, buying all the
material possessions that they could ever want, but lacking in the basics of
family relationships. Material possessions often portray a mirage of happiness,
but behind this illusion lies the wreckage of millions
of lives, destroyed by the love of money.
There is a
true joy that can only come from right relationships. First,
a right relationship to God through Jesus Christ, and then having strong
relationships with our family, and those around us. All of our things
are just going to burn up one day, but the ways that our life has touched
others can bring fruit that is eternal.
Right now I
believe that
I believe
that God is doing some special things in
We have
arranged our schedules to try to help with as many things as we can, but we
still cannot keep up with the requests. On Tuesday a journalist came, asking if
we could do a one hour interview with Channel 5, one of the most popular
channels here. She was a former coworker with Khishgee, who works for WindFM,
where we do a weekly call-in character program.
I normally
do not jump to volunteer for these kinds of things :-) , but when God
clearly brings an opportunity to make His ways known, may I not shrink back
from proclaiming His truth to the nations. In myself I have nothing to offer,
but in His Word, God has given us timeless principles and truths that bring joy
and peace to those that follow His ways. It is God that has made us able ministers, and it is His grace that
empowers us.
At church
we are also seeing great things taking place. Last Sunday our pastor introduced
the district leaders, mostly young men under thirty,
but with a dedication to God that puts to shame most of our American youth
groups. We also heard testimonies from several that publicly asked forgiveness
for offending others, and another lady shared an incredible testimony of God's
provision for a financial need as she took steps to apply God's ways to her
life.
We continue
to hear exciting reports from the weekly cell group meetings, as the Mongolians
learn and apply Biblical principles in finance and other areas of life. Our
friend Ganbaa was going to share a testimony about clearing his conscience and
asking forgiveness for stealing, but there were so many other testimonies that
he didn't get the chance.
Back on the
home front, Ganbaa, the crippled boy that we took in after finding him
shivering in our stairwell with frozen ears when it was predicted that
night to reach a temperature of -50F. Now rooming with one of our
Mongolian staff, Ganbaa is taking great strides in Spiritual growth and
character development.
Amidst the
amazing advances that we are seeing around us, we also see very real challenges
that remind us of our daily need for God's grace. You might remember the Morely
family, a missionary family that runs an orphanage on the outskirts of the
city. (Derrick brought a western saddle from
On Sunday
morning Tim and Angie received a call from the Morelys
and we learned that on Saturday night their house had caught fire. The guard
was awakened by neighbors at midnight, and called for help from the fire
department. Arriving in record time, the firemen worked with the badly leaking
hoses in -22F weather to battle the fire that was blazing through the roof.
Mr. Morely
and others worked to drag furniture and personal items from the fire, using all
the available fire extinguishers in an attempt to slow the fire's advance as
the truck drove back to the city to refill the water tank. Five hours later the
fire was finally out, but the entire roof and part of the house was destroyed.
The weary firemen were covered with ice from the leaking hoses, and had to drag
start the fire truck before they left.
On Sunday
afternoon we bought some food and drove out to visit the Morelys.
As we looked over the charred remains of the fire, something caught my eye.
There on the top of a pile of rubble and burned books, I could still see the
large words on the title of a songbook "Great is Thy Faithfulness".
What a neat picture of the hope and confidence that we have as Christians! Even
when we are staring at the charred ashes of our circumstances, we have the
confidence in the promises and faithfulness of God in working all things
together for good.
As the
Mongolian guard told us a little later, the important thing is that no one was
hurt. A house can be rebuilt. I was very encouraged to see the faith of the Morelys as they trust God through this situation. It was
not that long ago that Mr. Morely was standing by my side in the death of my
twin brother. What a wonderful picture of the love of God's people as we hold
up each other's arms, and encourage each other to an ever deepening trust in
our Faithful God.
Praise
Points:
- Thank you so much for your prayers for our family while
we were in
- My parents were able to take a few days away last
weekend for Mom's birthday. It was a blessing for them to have some time
to catch up on rest, and to have a little break from the responsibilities
here.
- Last Saturday we started our Character English Classes
with the largest ever number of paid registrations. Nearly ninety
students came to the first class as we taught on the character quality of
patience. We are grateful for the generosity of the
- A specific answer to prayer from my last update is that
we were able to locate a programmable phone for our new phone system. We
found a good used one, which was far less expensive than a new unit.
Prayer
Requests:
- This week we began a weekly training schedule with the
Batbaigal bakery staff. Baigalmaa came to know Christ a couple years ago
after a character training, and her husband Bat
has also recently believed. I am really excited about the potential of
working with their company in the weeks to come. Pray that the Lord would
use the character trainings to make a real difference in the lives of
their workers.
- Yesterday Erin, Cindy and I went to the Channel 5 TV
studio to tape a one hour program that is scheduled to be aired this
Sunday. I was able to share about Isaac's life and example of character.
Pray that the Lord would give wisdom to the engineers as they put together
the program, and that it would touch the hearts of many people.
- On Monday of next week we have the early registration
deadline for the English and Russian Basic Seminar planned
for early April. Pray that many English and Russian speaking Christians
would be able to come and hear practical truths from the Word of God.
- We are very grateful for the phone system that the Lord
provided through some friends in
- Please pray for continued grace and strength for the
Morely family after the fire. They have been a testimony of God's grace
through this time, but I know that there are many decisions that have to
be made and projects that will require extra time and resources.
Pictures:
Our staff
gathered in front of the school where we held the very
first
Character Family Seminar in
In between
the preparation and seminars, we were able to do some
sight-seeing
in
"
On our final
day, we spent the afternoon at the Great Wall.
You can see
several more pictures on our website at the link below.
The Morely's house on the day after the fire.
This is the
sight that touched my heart as we surveyed the charred
remains
outside the back bedroom.
P.S.
If you
would like to write a little note of encouragement to the Morely family,
please send it to me, and I would be happy to forward it on to
them.
You can
see many more new pictures on our family website.
The
pictures page for this update includes over a hundred
photos, mostly from our visit to
Interesting
Fact:
Here in
Thank you
for your continued prayers for our family. It has been exciting to see all that
the Lord is doing in these days and weeks, and I often feel like the updates
just barely scratch the surface of our daily adventures. -You will just have to
for a visit and see for yourself. :-)
In Christ,
- Adam
Adam Waller ~ MyAllForChrist@CadLinx.com
Family
Website ~ http://cadlinx.com/wallerfamily
"And
let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint
not." - Galatians 6:9
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