June 2022

Heating Up

Dear friends,

Whew. I’m not sure what it’s like in your part of the world, but here in Texas it’s not even officially summer yet and we’ve already had multiple days over 100F. Looks like it’s going to be a long, hot summer! Ministry these past few months has also been heating up with many things going on.

Speaking of heat, I looked up the origin of the phrase “too many irons in the fire.” Apparently, it’s a blacksmithing term from several hundred years ago. If you had too many rods in your fire, it tended to cool the fire so that it was not as effective for shaping the metal. Pray that we will guard against becoming overly busy as things “heat up” so that we do not blunt our effectiveness! Anyhow, there is definitely a lot going on that we’d love to have your prayers for.

End of Semester

We closed out the spring semester at Texas A&M last month. Some of the highlights of Spring 2022:

• Running an MK (missionary kid) gathering for local college students who grew up overseas. Many of them do not have a place to call home, especially if their parents are still overseas. We enjoyed hot dogs and hearing stories from their experiences in countries around the world.
• Wrapping up the B/CS Perspectives class. Over 130 students registered and around 90 finished the class. Pray for these alumni that God would guide them in their next steps. Also, Neil represented Ethnos360 at the Perspectives Partners meeting in Louisville in April. This was a gathering of several mission organizations working together to mobilize this generation of young people!
• Partnering with other Ethnos360 missionaries to run the “Into the Buddhist Mind” cultural event here again this semester. Over 100 students attended (pictured below). We’re grateful for David and Laura Percy joining us again for this event. The students loved it.

• On-going conversations with many young people who are interested in serving the Lord after they graduate. Pray for these students that they will find God’s will for their futures.

Ethnos360 Bible Institute – Online!

Our Ethnos360 Bible Institute in Waukesha, WI has rolled out a comprehensive online program. This is a great opportunity for people who want to get Bible training while they are still holding a job, or for whatever reason can’t move to Wisconsin. (Although I hear it’s not as hot there?) As part of the rollout, you can take a free course on the Gospel of Mark here! Check out that link for more information.

Also, this week Neil will be traveling to Waukesha to help record an Apologetics class for the online program. Please pray for the filming and delivery this week that it will be effective and clear, and that the class would be beneficial for those who will take it in the years to come!

Mexico

Neil was able to travel to Chiapas, Mexico with a Dallas-area pastor to help strengthen the relationship between the missionaries on the field with the church. It was a great opportunity to get to know this young missionary team working among the Tzeltal people and to help the church discover the most effective ways to support and assist them. Pray for these families (pictured below) as they learn the Tzeltal language and build relationships with the people.

In July, Neil will be going back to Mexico for a two-week trip this time. This is for the Ethnos360 Encounter program, which is a two-week short-term trip to allow people to learn about church planting work firsthand, experience cross-cultural living, and help with a small service project. Pray for those who will be attending that God would use it to impact their lives for His glory!

Family Update

On the home front, we have much more activity around the house as Cara (and her boyfriend Braden) are back in Texas for the summer. Katie is taking summer classes and enjoys studying over at the house (especially as her boyfriend Coby is away on a mission trip to Kenya). It’s nice to have a fuller table for meal times.

Ben and DakotaKate continue faithfully in their jobs here in town and often drop by in the evenings. Michael is finishing up his time in Washington and will be returning to Texas next month!

Andrew graduated from Texas A&M Med School last month, and has just started his residency here in town in Family Practice. We are grateful he and Katie will be nearby for this next season of life.

Oh, and did we mention we have a granddaughter? Elle is doing great and Becky looks forward to taking care of her each Monday.

Thanks so much for being part of our team. We are so thankful for your prayers and support for us.

Gratefully,
Neil and Becky Burleson

More links:

https://ethnos360.org/missionaries/Neil-and-Becky-Burleson

https://ethnos360.org/find-a-representative/neil-and-becky-burleson-1