Suesday, Aloha, and hello! What an awesome month it’s been! So grateful to the amazing group of leaders I work with who have been able to give me this month to travel with Naomi connecting with family from all over the world. First Bible Core Course in CambodiaOur family of missional leaders in Poipet have pulled it off again and we’ve officially graduated the first ever Cambodian Bible Core Course. After 3 months of intensive bible study our 14 students are now equipped with a biblical worldview and a lifelong understanding of how to study scripture in context. I’m so proud of our students and leaders and grateful to have been apart of the school’s leadership team. Hawaii FamilyAfter Naomi and I taught in one of the final weeks of the school we started to get ready to visit her friends and family in Hawaii. She was born and raised in Oahu and grew up in an amazing church her father pastored in Aiea. Connecting with her Aunties, Uncles, Cousins, and church family gave me a much greater glimpse and insight into the crazy beautiful person I knew I’d be asking to be my wife a few weeks later. After a few short days in Oahu we flew over to Kona to connect with my sending base at Port Ywam. The Ywam Ships family hosted us so well and celebrated with us all that God has been doing in Poipet and in our lives. So much of what we do in Ministry depends on God’s grace and a combined effort of literally hundreds of volunteers giving their time, money, and prayer. Washington FamilyAfter almost a week of connecting with Ywam family and some financial supporters we hopped on a plane for the mainland. Naomi and I separated ways for a couple of days so she could connect with one of her supporting churches in California before joining me here with my family in Portland. We had an awesome week together and my family quickly fell in love with her just like I have. That was the last little confirmation I needed to take the next step which was asking her to be my wife. The proposal worked out perfectly with us alone having a picnic on top of a 2,600 mountain. We were talking about what we would want out of a marriage and how we both share the same heart to spend the rest of our lives going to the hardest places to make the radical love of Jesus known. After over 20 years between us doing just that I know we meant it and partnering with her for the rest of my life seemed like the most exciting opportunity since pursuing Jesus. She really is the person I can’t live without out and I’m beyond blessed that she said YES! We had an engagement dinner with family and the next day one of her best friends Amy flew out from California to join the celebration. It was a short but precious time with Naomi before she flew back out 3 days later to California to continue connecting with her friends, family, and financial partners there. Supporting FamilyAll of this time has shown me a beautiful picture of how the whole family works together to make something happen. Naomi and I couldn’t do what we do if we didn’t have awesome people investing their time, prayers, and finances into our ministry. Tomorrow night some of that family is going the extra mile and putting on a fundraiser for us at a local church. After 3 years on a 125CC moto I feel like purchasing a vehicle would enable us to do far more, with more people, for much longer. Our desire isn’t simply for greater comfort but for greater impact. If you’d like to give towards our first vehicle please click here and follow the instructions. Welcome to the family and thank you for being apart of our lives.
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Leave a Reply.AuthorMy name's Uriah Lyford and I'm a volunteer with YWAM. My dream is to see the spiritual solution of a restored relationship with God through Jesus be made available to every person on earth. I do this through the mentoring and training of young people to build and become the Church Jesus died for. Archives
June 2018
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