Hafa Adai #8

Warm greetings from Guam -- where we're in the dry season (meaning it only rains once or twice a day) and the trade winds are helping us to at least feel cooler.

UPDATE

• A few weeks ago we completed the sale of our home in Turlock, California and purchased a condo 3.3 miles from the Pacific Islands Bible College campus. Everything inside the unit has to be repainted so Brad has been spending his spare time with paint brushes and rollers. Hopefully in a few days things will be to the point where we can move from the duplex unit we've been renting to the condo. We will still be living in the village of Mangilao -- which was our first choice. Once we get settled in there we expect that a lot of the transition dust will start to settle and that we can create some routines. We will also have a comfortable room for visitors (hint - hint). Thank you for praying.

• Our second semester at PIBC began this week. Brad is teaching soteriology (study of salvation), which is the second class in the theology sequence, as well as a preaching practicum. In addition he is working on the implementation of a distance education program that will provide more options to our remote sites on the islands of Micronesia and Palau. He spends a lot of time trying to solve computer problems on campus. We are praying that God will send us an IT person who actually knows what he or she is doing! :)

• PIBC has an interesting mix of students. For example, in the soteriology class we have a haole student who just graduated from high school two weeks ago. He sits near a 51-year-old islander who has been the pastor of a Pohnpeian speaking congregation on Guam since the mid-90's and who has been steadily working on his biblical and theological education at PIBC. They're all a joy to teach.

• Cheryl now has her own desk and computer at PIBC, and she's been helping the bookkeeper catch up on some backlogged data entry. There's a lot of work to do, but she's making good progress!

• She continues as the 15-hour per week secretary at a nearby Methodist Church. The income from the church job is a part of our 30% self-funding.

• We really appreciate the consistent support from our financial partners. We know that we have to continue to add to the support base but those who have already pledged have been really faithful. Thank you for remembering us -- financially and in your prayers.

• We've been helping out at the Lutheran Church of Guam with music leadership on Sunday mornings, leading a small group in the Alpha program, and a few Sunday evenings ago our music team led worship at the territorial prison. The LCG started out years ago as a ministry to US servicemen. But they're a lot broader in focus these days. There are still many military people but there are also teachers and business people -- and lots and lots of children. The pastor, Jeff Johnson, is the husband of Mary, the academic vice-president of PIBC. They are both ELCA missionaries. The Johnsons and the LCG are good ministry partners for us.

• Eric (Covenant pastor from the San Francisco Bay Area) and Karyn (marriage and family counselor) Sorenson are in the process of raising support to join the PIBC staff in the summer of 2007. They will be the second set of Covenant missionaries serving on the Guam/Micronesia mission front. They are already at 45% of their financial goal! Keep them in your prayers. Since they are bringing children their financial needs and goals are significantly higher than ours. If you are interested in getting on their email list I'm sure they'd love to hear from you. Email Eric at ericsorenson@sbcglobal.net.

• All three of our children made it to Guam for Christmas. We are in regular contact via the Internet -- email, skype, and chatting -- but it is so good to see them in person. And now they have a better sense for where we are and the people with whom we work. We think they had a good time snorkeling, too!

• We love hearing from you all! It is a great encouragement when people tell us that they're praying for us. We’re praying for you too!

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SUPPORT INFORMATION

If you would like to support the ministry you can send a check or commitment response to:

PM Support for Boydstons
Department of World Mission
Evangelical Covenant Church
5101 N Francisco Ave
Chicago IL 60625-3676 USA

Checks should be made out to the "Evangelical Covenant Church" with the clear designation "for the support of Brad & Cheryl Boydston." If possible print and include this .pdf form.

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COMMUNICATION

• Call us! Brad -- 671-988-4252. Cheryl -- 671-988-4243.

• Skype us -- BradBoydston or seespleez

• Guam address & phone:
Pacific Islands Bible College
PO Box 22619
GMF, GU 96921-2619
Office phone -- 671-734-1812

• Email us -- Brad@Boydston.us or Cheryl@Boydston.us