PRAISES:

*Jesus’s presence with us at every moment and His love that compels us to live transformed lives (whether here, in Asia, or wherever you are!)

*An enjoyable and fruitful trip to NY. I’m so blessed by all the Lord’s children – our family is the best! Special thanks to those who demonstrated their gift of hospitality toward me for 3 weeks as well as all of the other artists who donated work for the art auction. Those who went home with a new piece – enjoy!!!

*Support-raising progress ~ I’m over 70% fully funded to go back to Asia in August!

PRAYER REQUESTS:

*Each day that the Bride will prepare herself for the return of the Bridegroom King. That His love would guide us in victory over all that still opposes Him and us.

*The ~25 Campus Target workers currently in Asia; the handful of us preparing to go back long-term; the dozen full-time stateside staff; and the 18 or so who are gearing up to have their lives and the lives of thousands of Asian college students changed forever when they step off that plane in August!

*Several short-term trips are happening this summer. Love, Protection, Unity, Obedience, and good Fruit.

* In a few hours I am seeing a chiropractor for my back problems (which thankfully have improved greatly); I feel this is the Lord’s lead as I am typically anti-medicine/Dr’s/hospitals etc. May He use the chiropractor to heal my back and use me to heal the Doc’s soul ; ))

May you be filled with the Spirit of the Living God that transcends all power, resources, and wisdom of men today!

As I walk through the ups and downs of my time in the States and particularly support-raising for long-term work in Asia, it’s easy to feel discouraged, to doubt, and to question God’s will, His provision, and His mysterious ways. But by faith I KNOW His claim and call on my life, and I KNOW that He will accomplish ALL that He has spoken over me and every other child of His. It’s easy to get caught up in What is happening, and forget the Why and the Who that is doing it. Pastor Josh at Elim Gospel Chapel said it well last Sunday: “It’s not the where I am going that is most important, but Who is going that matters.” And, as my good brother Steve always says, “We’re not here to be remembered, we’re here to be prepared.”

For the new recruits, those of us who’ve been on the field for awhile, and you, whatever things you find yourself in the middle of right now, may we all, as Heb. 10:23 says, “hold fast to the faith we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” Though we don’t know what lies ahead and may not understand it all, we do know He is with us, orchestrating all things to REcreate us into the spiritual sons and daughters He wants us to be. Let us walk with thankful hearts toward the Glorious One, who died and now lives for us!

***PRAISES***

A great minicamp with an awesome crop of new recruits!

Safe travels for me and all CTers

Divine appointments and opportunities! He is so amazing!

Our great big, loving family that is being added to daily with salvations around the world!!!

This week, we were astounded to hear from our relatives downstate (near Green Bay, WI) that they were awakened several nights in a row with loud explosion-like booming and shaking houses. The cause remained a mystery for days, and on the news you could sense people’s fright and confusion over the unknown. It reminded me that, as 1 Corinthians 13 says, we now see only in part, and that God is the one who reveals things to us in His timing and for His glory. Many times, we want to know things when we think we need to know them, but this only displays our lack of trust and our difficulty in living by faith, not by sight, which the Lord also urges us to do. If we knew everything all the time, life would require no faith, we would have no real free will, and, well, it just wouldn’t be any fun! 1 John also says that it’s by faith that we “overcome the world,” whether that be earthquakes or other disasters, personal trials, even death…

As I prepare to go back to China long-term, there are so many things I don’t know, so many things I would like answers to. But I truly praise my Heavenly Father that this causes me to seek Him all the more. I encourage you today to take the unknowns, the things that are testing your faith, and join me in laying them at His feet. Rejoice with me that though we don’t yet understand all things, God (who cannot lie) has given us the guarantee of so many amazing promises, sealed in His own blood. These promises are true, and give us freedom to walk as we should. May He increase our faith!

***Please pray for the following***

1) Love and unity to reign in the One world church. That God would continue to pour out His Spirit on all flesh.

2) Im embarking on about 2 months of sharing opportunities and support-raising which will take me first to Minneapolis and Eau Claire, WI this week, and out to NY in April. Please ask that I would be able to meet with everyone Im supposed to, that the Lord would move on individual hearts to be a part of the work in China, and for travel mercies (especially since I have had pretty bad back pain for about 3 weeks now).

3) That all of us would recapture the joy of our salvations (Luke 10:20), and live as though Christ will return in our lifetimes!

Thankfully,
Clive

I humbly ask for your prayers at this time for the following:

***A unique opportunity to take over a consulting company in K-town has opened up. This is the very city I have been lead to consider for a home when I return to Asia in August. This is a great open door, yet to walk through it I would need a strong and direct word from the Lord, financial provision, and possibly a change of plans. The great benefit would be having a working visa for years. Please ask that I, and everyone involved, would be hearing His voice clearly.

***At the same time, I have received word from our CT leadership that they have been sensing that I should go to C-town when I return. This would be for an indefinite time, allowing me to finish up language study as well as help with that city’s leadership and free up our in-country leader to help plant a work in a new Asian city! I have also made some very meaningful connections in C-town relating to the ID Arts Alliance vision. . .

***Financial provision to come forth — I need to raise another $800/month in support before returning to the field. “Where He guides, He provides!”

***My brother Josh’s healing. Please lift up his amazing wife Sarah and beautiful new baby boy Solomon as well.

May we all rejoice in ALL things, as He has instructed. Please let me know how I can be praying for you.

He is with you,
Clive

Please join me in believing for the following:

• Prayer warriors and financial supporters to join together with me and CT to see Asian campuses reached with the gospel and churches firmly established. I am entering a season of full-time support raising and currently need an increase of >$800/month before I return to the field.
• That I would continue in the process of mastering the language with diligence, wisdom, and joy.
• That more workers would be sent to the harvest in Asia — both foreigners and indigenous!
• For provision (plane tickets and housing when I go to NY in the spring) — I still have a bicycle I can use there — woohoo!
• CT’s April minicamp in which new potential workers come together to worship, seek, and prepare (also for CT staffers who are traveling to recruit this week)
• That God would develop the leadership within CT that is necessary to accomplish His purposes through us. (Our goal: top 100 campuses by 2020!!!)
• Asian believers would be united and unshakeable in their faith. Also, upcoming transition of government leaders this fall (a 70% overhaul is expected and this could be huge for us!)

I praise Him in advance for doing all of this and more! I would love to hear what’s new with you and how I can be lifting you up… Hope to see you soon to share some life and love!

***Our sister Gabriella’s small group went to a nearby city to share the gospel with college students there and the report is amazing — 16 young local people accepted Christ as Saviour!!!  (another 80 or so heard about Jesus, many for the 1st time;)

***There is a group of Americans visiting the Missionaries at our local fellowship, and we have gotten to be a part of many great activities with them, like handing out tracts and invites to church services, children’s activities in the apt. complex parks, and worship services. Please be lifting them up for continued protection and travel mercies as they leave soon.

***Language study is going well – the Lord has us right where He wants us, and I have made noticeable progress in the last month. I’m preparing to preach for the first time coming up soon! It will be for about 10 minutes on what being made in the “image of God” means (Col. 1).  Please ask for Him to bless this endeavor and use it for His glory!

***We’re hosting a Prayer/Worship night this week. Besides the obvious that every time we gather together in the Lord’s presence and seek Him, good things happen, we are also extremely excited for many of our friends to experience this kind of event. Many of them have never fasted, prayed for three hours in a row, or even prayed out loud before, and we expect God to capture hearts in a new way and show His intimate presence extravagantly on this night. Please join us in crying out for His kingdom to come, His will done……

Through and for Christ,

Clive

  A few days vacation after finishing our first year at an Asian University (Halelujah!), I took a quick trip to a province to our south with my German bro Jeremiah, and then I started more language study 3 days/wk with a local brother who is a pastor. Another 3 days/wk, I’m doing self-study including language, history, and calligraphy, then Sundays we have the weekly fellowship where I’ve been helping with the worship, usually on a hand drum, which is a blast! During free time, I’m trying to spend as much time as possible with local friends — yesterday we went to a local park and had a great day of singing, painting, frisbee, prayer, and feasting on PB&Js ; ))  The Lord continues to move in special ways in our midst, with new friends showing interest in the Gospel and attending services every week. . . .

Here are a few things you can ask for from the One who is able to do more than we could EVER ask:

***New friend Dongshan – met him at church on Sun and found out he’s not saved yet, but seems very close. The Lord really put him on my heart, and yesterday we got to talk a lot and then go to the Wed service to worship and hear the Word (which my teacher Thomas shared with passion and much insight about another Thomas who wouldn’t believe without “seeing” the nail holes).  I sensed the Holy Spirit speaking directly to Dongshan, who said he wants to think about and understand more before giving his life back to Christ.

  A few days ago, I was moved to ask specifically for a salvation this week, and feel like it could be Dongshan.

***Testimony – I’m preparing my personal testimony to share in two weeks at the Wed service, which usually draws about 40 local and foreigners. This is an amazing opportunity and will be my first time sharing formally with a group in the local language!   Pray that Dad would speak through me and would give me wisdom to know what to share, fluency in speaking, and that it would be fruitful for His purposes.

***Autumn in H-town – To renew our VISAs, we will either need to attend a private language school here, or attend the nearby university for another semester; please ask for wisdom in this decision — I’m asking for basic fluency by Dec. of this year!  I will also need to find a new place to live, so please ask that the Lord would open up the perfect place that is within my budget. Please also pray that God would continue to provide for me financially, as He always has.

PPRRAAIISSE ++++++  the girls’ landlord agreed that they can stay another half year after initially saying no. Total divine favor!

You are amazing – He made you that way!

Clive

Friday: 4am  -  wake up and head to campus with the sketched out plan and a bag of spray paint.

            5am  -  Amilah, Freefall, Lissi and I assemble on campus. The first cautious strokes are made; not long before we’re really having fun and the L()RD is guiding our creation….

            8am  -  wrap up for the day with the basic image painted on our chosen wall.

Sat:   4am  -  wake up to a thunder storm and decide to postpone.

         6:30am -  wake up again and ponder when to continue..

         8am  -  “a window in the rain”, sense God saying to go for it. Amilah and I begin painting the details and the script (18 translations of Jesus’ command to Love One Another)

         8:15am -  a security officer tells us we can’t do this. Our friend Lissi tells him otherwise

         11am – it is nearing completion…. several Chinese friends and our German bro and singing worship songs at the top of their lungs.  Hundreds of students passing by, many stop to take pictures and talk to us.

         1pm – exhausted, we clean up for the day, with just a few details left. Everyone is happy with the results!

Wed:  Finish the final details and pray that God will use this for His glory!

I want to thank everyone who supported this project with your prayers, encouragement, and finances. It would not have happened without you. We’re making a video that documents the process and also includes some brief interviews with Asian students answering the question, “What does Love One Another mean to you?”   I can’t wait to share this with you!

   Lot’s of other changes recently too — many friends leaving for the summer or for good; a new roommate for the month of July; finishing the year at this university and beginning study with the Omega fellowship (this is the crazy language part….4 hrs of speaking drills a day, 3 days a week. after one week my throat and mouth were really sore! its going to bear much fruit, and maybe best of all, my class fees are basically paying the wages of Thomas, a full-time worker for a local house church, aka. Missionary).

Praise the Lord for His constancy and His faithfulness every day, in every circumstance. He is our Rock.

Love and blessings in Christ,

Clive

Please ask that:

1. Permission is granted
2. Everything would go according to God’s perfect plan
3. He shows us the right place to create this work
4. That the right people would take part and the right supplies could be found
5. That this would glorify our Creator for a long time to come!

Thank you and may He be your inspiration!

Clive ><>

   I have to share about something really special and beautiful that the Lord is doing in our midst recently. Here’s a glimpse:

   The four middle-aged gentlemen stopped to have a look at the scene transpiring under a gazebo-like structure in the middle of a small park area on our university, all of them scowling and craning their heads to see better. What they saw, and heard, was about a dozen students of mixed ethnicity worshiping Jesus, some singing and playing local songs of praise, some creating artwork, and some reading the Bible. I wondered what was going through their heads, and if anyone would try to make us stop. Three of them lost interest and left fairly quickly, but one remained, and a few minutes later I looked over and saw him actually mouthing the word “jing bai” (which means worship) along with us as we sang!!!

This is just one example of what has been happening on our campus recently, where once a week for the last six weeks or so, me and my German brother Jeremiah have been meeting to read the Bible in the local language and then worship with guitars, hand drum, and voices at various outdoor locations on campus.

It’s ironic because we went in to the campus office to inquire about holding our ID Arts Club somewhere on campus and they said we needed a detailed report of purpose, specific activities, benefits to the university, etc. and also that someone would probably have to observe us as we met. Not ideal at all – haha ; )  So we prayed a lot about what we should do, and well, God has given us a space, and lots of it! We have been meeting on another day once a week off-campus in the apartment where the local fellowship is held, and this gathering on campus has evolved into more of the same…

   When He breathes on something, isn’t it amazing how much life and joy and creativity are infused without us even having to try?! One place we were meeting to read even seems to have the most lush and advanced plant life on all the campus, hmmm.

   Now, this weekly meeting has grown to many regulars (last week we had 3 guitarists including one of the leaders of the local fellowship!, and my teammate Amilah has started painting as well). Every week, we also have had awesome opportunities to talk and share with some of the hundreds of passersby who stop to look, listen, and inquire about this unexpected activity. This serves as a perfect platform to share the Gospel and tell people about the various services they can attend if they are interested in knowing more about the Savior. Hallelujah!

*** The Lord has also put it on my heart to do a mural on our campus that will glorify Him — please ask and believe with me that this will happen according to His perfect will.

*** Our friend Ivy is so close to taking the step of faith and becoming a Christian…..please be lifting her up!

*** My two male teammates just left for America and I’ll be living alone for awhile, but considering having another American who wants to come here to study move in. I’ve also been considering an Asian roommate. Please ask for His plan for this apartment to be revealed.

*Anyone who wants to come visit North East Asia let me know! ; ))

May He breathe on you today!

Clive