Dear family and friends,

It seems hard to believe, but my summer is now over. Thursday was the first day of our new school year. I am working with a great team of ladies. It was my turn to bring the devotional this morning at our early morning staff meeting (7:15 A.M.) Last year I was given a framed picture with some words that speaks what my heart feels. I shared it at our staff meeting this morning. Since it is quite long, I will share an excerpt with you.

I am a minister. I minister to children. My challenge is big. My vision is clear. My desire is strong. My influence is eternal. My impact is critical. My values are solid. My mission is urgent. My purpose is unmistakable. My direction is forward. My strength is supernatural. My reward is promised. And my God is real. In a world of confusion, I offer truth. In a world of immorality, I offer values. In a world of division, I offer reconciliation. In a world of bitterness, I offer forgiveness. In a world of hate, I offer God’s Love. I refuse to be dismayed, disengaged, disgruntled, discouraged or distracted. I do not have time for business as usual, mediocre standards, small thinking, normal expectations, average results, ordinary ideas, petty disputes or low vision. I will pray when things look bad. I will pray when thing look good. I will trust God when obstacles arise. I will work when the task is overwhelming. I will get up when I fall down. My calling is to reach boys and girls for God. It is too serious to be taken lightly, too urgent to be postponed, too vital to be ignored, too relevant to be overlooked, too significant to be trivialized, too eternal to be fleeting, and too passionate to be quenched. I know my mission. I know my challenge. I also know my God. Let God get the glory. I am a minister. I minister to children. This is who I am. This is what I do. (Roger Fields)

My teaching load is quite a bit lighter than it has been for the past couple of years. I will be teaching 3 classes every day. My day starts out with second grade math. Then the first graders come into my room for their math class. In the afternoon I teach history and geography to the fifth grade students. This is my first time teaching fifth grade so it will be a challenge for me. The first three days of school went well and I have a great group of students. I am also filling other roles such as greeting the students each morning when they come into the building as I take attendance and supervising the morning recess time. When I am not teaching, I have time to grade papers and prepare my lessons. I will also be taking a college math course at Seminole State College. I need to complete just one more course in order to receive my diploma in Early Childhood Education. I am still firming up exactly which course I will be taking. It will be either a Monday or Tuesday evening class. Classes start on August 26th.

Brad has been making a few changes to the way things are processed in the finance office here at NTM Homes. He is trying to make things easier for everyone involved. As always, this includes doing things on the computer. He works closely with different ones from our Mission Headquarters, which is located just over a mile down the road from the retirement homes here.

Two of the staff ladies here at NTM Homes put up a bulletin board in the Latham Center. They included photos of the 10 residents that live in the independent wing. They listed the different ministries that these folks participate with here on our center and in our local community. These folks are all very much involved in God’s work in a vital way. Their ministries include sending notes of encouragement, visiting nursing homes, setting the table in the dining hall, mentoring at a local elementary school, praying, vacuuming the carpet in the dining hall after dinner, serving as a deaconess here in our fellowship, working as a Bible translation consultant, reading newsletters from missionaries and highlighting the prayer requests, ministering in the prison and detention center, sanitizing salt shakers, etc. on the tables after meals and … I think you get the idea. These retired missionaries who are in their 70s, 80s, and 90s are still active for the Lord. This is who they are. This is what they do.

One of the residents who lives in a duplex is presently in Papua New Guinea for the dedication of the New Testament for the Siawi language. Linda was part of the Siawi team for quite a number of years and is still involved from a distance. Tom and Corrine , another couple from here, will be leaving later this month to travel to PNG to be there for the dedication of the revised Hamtai New Testament. The photo to the left is of Tom as he packed up the New Testaments for shipping from Pennsylvania to PNG. These folks too, continue to minister. This is who they are. This is what they do.

Please pray: 

  • That Brad and I will keep our focus on the Lord.
  • That we will do whatever the Lord puts before us with a willing heart and willing hands.
  • That we will bring encouragement to those that we work with.
  • That we will guard our time in the Word and fellowship with our Savior.
  • That I (Wanda) will be able to get my college class scheduled and purchase the necessary textbook by Aug 26th.

By His grace,

Wanda (and Brad) Hull