• Paul Coy, a former missionary, visited Macau over the Christmas holidays. He has been in seminary in the Philippines.
  • Melissa Hull, missionary in Macau, is planning to get married in March. On January 25 her fiance, David, will arrive in Macau to help her pack up and head to the States. Melissa and David will leave Macau on February 4. The January 28 Chinese New Year party at the Taipa Center with the morning class students will double as a good-bye party for Melissa. They will then begin preparing to return to Macau to serve together.
  • Linda Neely, a volunteer missionary in Macau, will be visited by her parents on January 29. They will stay in Macau for about two weeks.
  • Former Macau missionary Linda (Burns) Chipman and her husband will also be coming to Macau for a short visit.

Dave and Becky Spencer had planned to be back in Brazil in January, returning to field service after many years of stateside administrative roles with Wycliffe Bible Translators. However, they felt God clearly telling them to remain in Orlando a while longer–maybe a year, maybe longer. Fortunately, they hadn’t yet sold their house in Orlando or bought plane tickets. And there are vital roles for them to fill at the Wycliffe USA headquarters.

From Arek and Donna Delik, endorsed missionaries serving in Poland with Operation Mobilization, report, “This year we had more new faces in our English school, especially a lot of young ones. Donna started an English club for children the year before, and expanded it in 2002 for 20 more children. We are praying earnestly for workers to join us, for there is so much we would like to do through this unique ministry.

“Our Shoe Box Present Distribution went very well this Christmas. Around 200 children and parents turned up for the event. Arek shared shortly about the greatest present God had given to us, while Bible school students helped us run a program. It is our third year doing this distribution, and it’s the first time we organized it in our church meeting place. We are praying fore more opportunities to share with the children and their families in the future. Also, this year our tiny fellowship prepared some shoebox presents for Ukrainian children.”

Ruth Ann Price is the first Missionary in Residence at Huntington College, her alma mater. This is a two-year assignment. She writes:

“A major goal is to raise the profile of interest and response in the student body toward work overseas, particularly in cross-cultural ministry. I’m excited to think it might be possible to interest and even place some students in cross-cultural ministry particularly in Bible translation somewhere in the world. I will teach some courses, which will be a new experience for me in the college environment.”

Ruth Ann will also continue working with Wycliffe, assigned to the Asia Area as a management consultant and trainer.

“I’m to be at Huntington College for the January through May semester, and in Asia from June through December. I will spend my time in Asia traveling, probably not located in one country for very long, providing as much on-site assistance as I can. The Asia Area office is located in Manila, the Philippines. The assignment and my work performance will be reviewed at the end of each six-month period by both HC and Wycliffe. If all are still happy with the arrangement, renewal will be automatic.”

Ruth Ann will not receive a salary from HC, but will continue as a Wycliffe missionary and will rely on the contributions of her supporters. However, HC will provide free housing.

“This will be a place for me to call ‘home,’ which will be especial crucial since the other six months of the year I will be without such.”

Alan and Doris MacDonald are endorsed missionaries serving with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Doris writes, “Alan continues to be the visionary and international relations man. In the past five years, he has enjoyed seeing much of his ‘vision’ come true–having a hand in training new project leaders and government relations personnel, increasing Wycliffe’s visibility and standing in the global community, networking to increase the effectiveness of like-minded organizations.

“His work often takes him to faraway places. This past year, it was France, Spain, and Scotland. In January, it will be Brazil. We enjoy the stories he comes home with, and most of all, enjoy the time he is at home. As usual, there is more work to be done and more places to be than is possible for one person–and I am proud of the many times when I see Alan not trying to do it all, but depending on God.”