Hope is beautiful and robust, even more so when our hope is based on the promise of God. In Jeremiah 29:11, the Lord declares,
“For I know the plans I have for you,
Jeremiah 29:11
plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.”
All of us hope for a better life for ourselves and others we love. We live with the hope that our family remains healthy and that they prosper. We desire better job opportunities. There is never an end to hope.
As a family, we had hoped for many things in 2017. The past year was a challenging yet very fruitful year of hoping and rejoicing in our work and the Lord.
At the beginning of the year, Pratiksha was encouraged to apply to Eastern College in Australia to do an online Masters degree in Transformational Development. This week, we were delighted to hear that she has not only been offered a place on the course but also a scholarship to cover the tuition fees. As we had been praying for provisions for Pratiksha’s studies since 2015, this is an answered prayer. Thank you for praying for and with us.
Phil started an online MA in Graphic Design at the University of Hertfordshire in September. His first semester was challenging yet very rewarding. Phil is thrilled that this course will not only satisfy the official visa requirement for Nepal but is providing him with broader perspectives in design and other areas that relate to his work. Trying to fit the time for these studies along with the already busy work at UMN is a challenge, but as the course progresses, we hope that it will become easier to manage.
Prayer Requests
UMN is currently reviewing our work in the clusters, and we are thinking of ways to benefit our communities more effectively and efficiently. Please pray for wisdom for the leadership team and all those involved in leading this change process.
Pratiksha is setting off to Doti and Bajhang next Sunday to evaluate an education project that has been working to promote quality education for all. Please pray for safety in her travels and wisdom. She will frequently be travelling in the coming months.
Please pray for Phil’s role in the communications team. Please pray that they will continue to share UMN’s work in new and creative ways.
Phil’s mum and dad Brian and Sheila are coming to visit us in Nepal in March! 🙂 Please pray for safe travels and for a good time for all of us. Please also pray that Sheila will be fit and healthy for the whole trip, as the last time they visited she suffered from altitude sickness.
Blessings,
Phil & Pratiksha
