Groth Report May 2009

From the Word

Be glad, O people of Zion,
rejoice in the LORD your God,
for he has given you
the autumn rains in righteousness.
He sends you abundant showers,
both autumn and spring rains, as before. Joel 2:23.

It is raining all around me,

I can feel it, the latter rains.

I asked Jesus to send more rain,

‘Til we are soaked, ’til we are filled,

With the latter rains.

The Ghanaian song above comes to mind today. The rainy season has started in Cambodia. This means that almost everyday at some time or another rains drench the fields, streets and homes of Cambodia. Without these important rains the rice could not be planted, grow and provide the most basic part of the Cambodian diet. So, while it can be dreary, muddy and uncomfortable, it is also a necessary part of life here. In the passage above from the Old Testament prophet Joel, God reminds us that it was the latter rains in Israel that brought special blessings to the people. No wonder the Ghanaians said that they wanted to be soaked and filled with all blessings of the latter rains!

Current Events

The first blessings of the rains this month brought our students to Sihanoukville to study the book of Romans. This is such an important book for Christians as they learn to live out what the life and struggle of being a Christian is really all about. I gave an introduction to open the course on Romans so our students had a little idea what the life of a Roman citizen was really all about. Chuck did an introductory session on the themes of Romans. Next came the work part as students split into groups and studied a specific session of the book of Romans to share its import with the whole class. We know that God brought blessings here, as the students were involved deeply in the study of the Word.
 

Students studying their texts for presentation

 

My rather hot, and not at all rainy, experience took me to Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Here, while the temperatures were hot, out of respect to our Muslim friends I wore a Jobab, long sleeves and long skirts to teach a two-day workshop on multiple intelligences. It was a good time for me to learn to look beyond the exterior and to see the person there. I made friends and shared a wonderful time of teaching.

Jeanette teaching in Jobab

  

Chuck had another rainy blessing experience (or maybe it was a sweaty lesson experience) as he taught a preaching class for two weeks to students at Life University (a local Christian University) in a 90 degree classroom with no windows or air conditioning! He came home wet and challenged on many days as he tried to teach these young Christians how to share the message of Christ and then apply it to their lives. What an opportunity to bring blessings from God through His Word!

And into everyone’s life some rain must fall…..

Ours is no exception. We have learned that LCMS World Mission will be moving us out of Cambodia and back to the U.S. We are going home to spend some time with family later this month and then returning to pack things up. This is a difficult, painful time for us, and we ask for your prayers to see us through this time with grace and a vision of God’s plan. We need your encouragement and prayer support in a real way. We are not ready to retire so perhaps you can help us in the next step along the way - a ministry position in the U.S. Rains can bring blessings, and we pray that we will be able to see the blessing of this “rainy season” in our life. We will continue to keep you informed of these changes.

With showers of blessings to each of you!

 

Chuck and Jeanette Groth

 

Thanks to God for Prayers Answered:

  • Safe travels
  • Good workshops and classes
  • Good loving family support in this difficult time

Continue to Pray for:

  • Focus on Christ in this transition time
  • Safe travel to and from the US
  • A call from God to a ministry that needs us
  • Jeanette to remain free from an MS flare up with the current stress in our lives

 

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