Warm, summer breezes are blowing today and I love to feel them bringing the promise of sunny days and pleasant evenings. I love to be outside whenever I can, I guess that’s why I love summer. There is just something about connecting with God when you are out enjoying His creation. Even the work of gardening is tolerable because in the midst of it, God’s handiwork is all around you. I love to think about God and His work when my hands are covered in dirt. I’m amazed at His creativity in the design of a ladybug or a centipede. I love to think of Him delighting in His creation of people as I listen to the giggles of children playing in a sprinkler or setting up a lemonade stand.
Hmmm…, God delighting in us, His creation, as we delight in Him… could it be that this was His plan all along? The creator Father, loving and delighting in His children. The Maker of the universe finding pleasure in us as we discover and unveil Him in the world around us. The Sovereign God longing to redeem this fallen world and see His Kingdom reign. I’m amazed when I think of the great privilege of seeing God at work and being able to join Him in his redemptive work. That He would see us as worthy of that calling – what an overwhelming and humbling thought. What do warm, summer days cause you to think of? Take some time today to delight in God and all He is. And may we join together in praying …Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Delighting in Him,
The Schmors

(written by Shelly)

Cameroon Gateway Team

Maybe you heard what seemed to be a somewhat brief headline here in our part of the world regarding a plane crash in Africa?

See http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/05/07/ap3692239.html for the story). I saw the headline first on Sunday afternoon after being out of touch for the weekend; a Kenya Airways jet going down and leaving from Douala, Cameroon and my thoughts went immediately to a Gateway Team from California that we had in Cameroon that I remembered was flying home this past weekend sometime and going through Kenya....

I read a little more of the article and saw that among the 114 aboard there was only one American, and was somewhat relieved that the team was probably not on the flight. But I called the Team Leader and left a voice message just to make sure; and received an email this morning that the team was on the same flight 2 days earlier and had considered at one point staying over a few extra days to be on the flight that crashed.

So....relief yes, but sorrow for all of these people that did die in a country that many people have to be shown a map just to know where it is. For us, Cameroon is a place we hear about often, having many North American friends there as missionaries and Cameroonian friends that we have been partnering with over the past years. So, I guess it kind of feels like it hits closer to home.....

Sometimes it can seem like an after-thought to me - "pray for the safety of our Gateway Teams as they go travel" - but then something like this happens and it reminds me that this is not a trivial or trite prayer....

So, to our prayer supporters - please, pray for the safety of our teams as we'll have around 13 more going out before year's end.

Let's thank God as well, for keeping this Cameroon Gateway Team safe from harm.

And...let's pray for the families of those that were on that flight....this tragedy is hitting a number of people very close to home.

Thanks,
Randy