Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2002 20:39:06
Subject: Alive and well

Friends,
	So much has happened since I wrote last.  I apologize for taking
so long to send out another update.  Things have been busy and
encouraging.  Things have also been slow and discouraging.  I know those
last two sentences contradict one another so let me explain.
	My time varies from hectic to coma-inducing boredom.  My weekly
schedule has been fairly consistent (http://www.keyspace.org/weekly.html)
except for the history dept. Bible study which has been off due to a
strike at the university (which only involves a few departments).  The
majority of my time at the Law School has been very good.  We have
developed a good core group of students there.  Since I last sent out an
update I have had a birthday (23rd birthday on the 22nd of May) for which
my girlfriend (Holly Alford) was present.  She came down from May 19 until
the 24th.  We had an awesome time, and she even brought down some gifts
from my parents and other family.  After that, I had a week off then a
team from Oxford, Mississippi came down.  You can see what they did at
http://www.trusteam.net/project_mississippi_2002.htm I acted as a
translator/chaperone/facilitator for that week.  I was pretty much only at
my house to sleep during that time.  After that I had about a week off,
but another team arrived last Friday.  This is just a 2 person team and
they are going to be conducting an English Workshop on both campuses over
the next 3 or 4 weeks.  They will be holding classes in order to help
students with their English and developing relationships with them in
order to share the truth of Christ with them.  I am currently staying
close to campus with Alexandre Luquete (our Brazilian missionary
colleague.  See http://www.trusteam.net/alexandre.htm ) in order to
facilitate their work.
	As I mentioned before, not only have I been busy, but I have been
bored at times as well.  Between all the busy weeks I have had some very
slow downtime.  Don't get me wrong, I like to have downtime in order to
reflect, analyze, and recuperate.  However, my recent downtime has
consisted of a lot of hardship - sadness, temptation, frustration.  My
experience has been much like what my Pastor Lewie Clark talked about on
June 9 (listen at http://www.thesummitchurch.org/sermons/20020609.mp3 I
highly recommend it).  Its all just part of being a disciple of Christ.
	I anticipate that these next few weeks will be difficult.  I will
be facilitating the English workshop for the next two weeks, then I have a
week of meetings with other missionaries on my field, and then I may
travel to Campo Grande for a week.  All that means I will have little rest
and sparse communication with people in the States.

	Pray for:
		the English Workshop
		the team's fatigue and fight against distraction
		my focus on my work here
		my personal bout with sadness, temptation, and frustration

	My remembrance of you is always sweet and I echo the apostle Paul
when he says in Philippians 1, "I thank God in all my remembrance of you,
always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all..."


Justin