Hi Friends, 

As it’s been just over three months since the pandemic was announced and many countries in the world moved into shutdown. On that not so happy anniversary, we want to take this opportunity to assure you that Reconciled World is still going strong. Like most everyone else, our world has changed dramatically since March; we had to stop travel and in-person trainings and shutter our center for students with autism and our discipleship school. Nevertheless, we’re still hard at work (although it looks a bit different) and still amazed at what God is doing. Here are a few of the highlights: 

  • CHURCHES STRONGER PROGRAM – This is a new program to help address the key needs that our partner churches identified they are struggling with during this time. It covers topics from money to marriage to counseling those dealing with anger, fear, or depression. The content is shared via WhatsApp to more than 1,100 pastors. We have heard back from various groups that are using the lessons as Bible school curriculum, gathering the pastors in their area to study, or preaching and teaching them at their churches. The materials are being translated into 8 languages and seem to have taken on a life of their own, reaching many areas where we aren’t currently working. And the response has been really positive—pastors are commenting that they are discovering new ways to generate income, gaining new insight into marriage, and gaining hope that they will come through this season stronger.
  • PRAYER – If you read our Semi Annual Update you’ll know that we have a focus on prayer. Nothing like a worldwide meltdown to help us remember to stay focused. We had a week of prayer and have continued to meet in groups to pray.
  • ONLINE TRAINING – In His Image and Ending Gendercide leaders have been doing online trainings. And Truth Centered Transformation has a whole host of new materials on the TCT website—including Module 1 video lessons, a short course on hermeneutics, devotional materials, and articles for use as radio broadcasts.

Unfortunately, not everything has been so rosy. Here are a few areas for which we’d appreciate your prayers.

  • IN HIS IMAGE – Probably one of our hardest programs to refocus has been In His Image, a school for children and young adults with autism. As hard as online school has been for most parents, for those whose children have significant special needs, it’s been even more of a struggle. We were hoping to have teachers do home visits with the lifting of lockdown, but many of our families live in low-income neighborhoods suffering covid outbreaks. Please pray that we would continue to know how to serve and support these families. Pray also for these families—many are desperate for a break.
  • FINANCES – We did have to make some sudden budget adjustments, as some foundations were forced to suspend granting (that really supercharged our prayer life!). We are so thankful for many of you who gave to allow us to run the Churches Stronger program. Please pray that God would continue to provide and we would be responsive to what He is teaching us through this season.
  • DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ECONOMIC HARDSHIP – These are two topics that we find ourselves continuously praying about. Lockdowns in many countries where we work have brought new levels of desperation. Many families are sharing with us that they are struggling to eat one meal a day. Violence in the home has multiplied as parents struggle to keep children at home and stress overwhelms families.
  • FOUNDERS – Our founders, Anna and Nam, can’t return to their home country because of ongoing travel restrictions. They’ve been staying in New Zealand since mid-March. Please pray that they will have wisdom with the decisions that need to be made—what to do with their home and where to base themselves in NZ. With no way to know how long those restrictions will remain, these decisions feel particularly tricky. 

Thanks for reading and for your prayers. We’re looking forward to seeing what God will do next!