News from the Sholl family

Pete writes: I’ve started work

What it’s all about!
God has opened the doors and opportunities to be teaching the Bible are rolling. After spending the last two years in dedicated preparation for this job - time at St Andrew’s in Melbourne, deputation in Sydney and language learning here - it’s great to be finally working! (Yes, language learning is work, but you know what I mean.)

Currently I am teaching ‘Creation to New Creation’ (‘Introduction to the Bible’ in the Moore College course) to two groups each week here in Monterrey. The first is three university students (Daniel from Costa Rica, Juan from Mexico and Esteban from Costa Rica) plus Omar (a ‘grown up’) from Mexico. They are all very keen, coming each week with their preparation complete and thoughtful comments. They are enjoying the challenge of working out the application of a passage by looking at the context, and always have lots of good questions that show they are starting to think theologically about life issues. These men are also very helpful in correcting my Spanish (which feels very inadequate for the task, but I’m making progress).

The second group is the Friday night men’s Bible study that I have been part of for a year. All of the regular group, plus lots of extras, have enrolled in the course, and are working well. I was uncertain how some of the older men would feel about doing a structured course that is completely unfamiliar, but I have received positive comments from several. One member of this group, Miguel, has been so enthusiastic that he encouraged 15 of his friends to do the course! Some of them live in other states and will do the course independently using the online material. It’s a great blessing that Adrian and Anita Lovell (who will be going to Bolivia to do MOCLAM work) have been working with Grahame and Patty and getting the online resources more functional.

My big pressure, and need for urgent prayer, is my trip to Cuba next week. I’ll be sharing the with a group of pastors in a local seminary and a Cuban pastor will teach Old Testament 1 in the same intensive week. I’m feeling that time is very short to get the remaining classes prepared before I go! Thankfully, God has organised the timing such that I have taught half of the course in Spanish twice before. So third time lucky – or more accurately… third time can benefit more from the fruit of hard labour!

I’ve also preached my first sermon in Spanish to our church. I think they understood … and they definitely liked getting chocolate prizes!

Please Pray
• Thanks that God can use me in my weakness and that I can teach in Spanish
• Pray for ongoing fluency in Spanish
• Thanks for the enthusiasm and desire to learn and grow in godliness of Omar, Daniel, Juan and Esteban.
• Thanks that the men’s group are studying the course and pray that there will be a flow on effect throughout the church with people hungry to read and understand God’s word in context, and grow in godliness as a result of what they learn.
• Thanks for the opportunity to teach and equip pastors in Cuba, who in turn will train others.
• Pray for safety and good health for Pete.
• Pray for Sarah and the girls at home in Pete’s absence.
• Pray for the Cubans who face political oppression because of their faith, and pray for their perseverance amidst poverty and hardships.