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Prayer Partner Letter
April 2014
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Dear Prayer Partners,
Luke and Amy Wiest (pronounced West) serve Christ in the Middle East. In a recent newsletter they shared a story that embodies what every Pioneer Bible Translators’ missionary is seeking to do in their ministry for Christ. |
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Arwan Sherun was born on January 15, 2014, weighing 3.7 pounds. Our nanny had some complications in her pregnancy…. It turned out that she had Preeclampsia and a week after it was detected she had an emergency C-section and delivered the baby at 32 weeks. He was tiny, and in the NICU, but he is healthy and strong now, at home with his mama.
We praise God for several things: 1) it was miraculous that this Preeclampsia was even detected because she was not getting proper medical care so things could have been a lot worse if it had not been detected; 2) the baby was quite healthy even though he was delivered so early – in the NICU just under a week, but no machines or anything crazy – he’s a strong one, just like his mama! 3) the cost for the surgery and the NICU, even at the most humble of hospitals (where our nanny had to bring her own soap, drinking cup, juice – everything she needed – I mean EVERYTHING) was going to cost much more than she was prepared to pay. But…the family of God across the world prayed and helped her out financially as well. But the real miracle is that her bills just kept diminishing miraculously – from what should have been several thousand dollars to less than one thousand. God was with her all the way. The baby is at home and the small family is doing well. She had a speedy recovery and is actually coming back to work for us tomorrow with her new baby.
A really sweet part of this whole incident was our ability to love this beautiful woman of God through this struggle. When Amy first found out about the pregnancy she was not only able to help her in physical ways but she was also able to really listen to her, cry with her, comfort her, and pray with her. She was able to take her to the doctor, spend hours in the hospital with her, and shower her with love. She was able to take pictures of the precious baby boy before his mother was able to see him and bring them to show her. And because of all of this, our nanny asked Amy while in the hospital after the baby was born if she would have the honor of naming this new life. She said, “He would not be alive if it weren’t for you, and I probably wouldn’t be either.” So we named him Arwan, a name which means “courageous, brave, and strong.” We want to speak that over him, that he would be courageous and brave, like his mother. Our nanny had found the name Sherun in Isaiah as she was reading (in her native language) and it means “blessed.” So may this boy be brave and blessed, all the days of his life. Enjoy a picture of this tiny boy. |
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- Thank God for the love of Jesus that the Wiests showed to their nanny in her time of need. Pray that the baby boy, Arwan Sherun, will grow up to be a courageous, Christ-like man, influencing many to become Christ’s followers.
- Thank God for the many missionaries in Pioneer Bible Translators who unselfishly give of themselves to minister to the needs of the nationals where they live. Pray that each missionary will seek the Holy Spirit’s leading as to how to respond to the many needs around them so that it draws each national closer to God rather than building an unhealthy dependence upon the missionary.
Thanks for your prayers,
Gerald Denny
Care Department Director
Pioneer Bible Translators |
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