The Rubias' Update



Life here....

...Most of you, knows when we moved to this new place. Dad has been faithful to bless us in various ways. Things are getting expensive, school fees and materials are getting higher, but we are just amazed how He provided for everything we need. One thing that we thank Him, how He helped us to keep our focus to Him, that even what we have is His, and that we will use this for His Glory and Honor. Every time we talk about His faithfulness as a family, it humbles us and made us realize that we are here, not for ourselves, but for Him. Honestly, there were times that we asked Him, are we really in this right place? But His answer is still the same....wherever we are....just obey...There will still be struggles and discomforts, but we thank Him, for His joy is still our strength...and that there is still overwhelming joy in us. Last year, was a year of learning.....learning new things, new characters of the people around us, learn to love the locals more...and learn again to depend on God in everything....and everything, is just part of us being changed, into the image that He wants us to be, to be more effective for the work that He assigned us to do.

....We thank Him for being able to travel to another place of this province last Christmas time, being able to do some trainings on livestock, and to join the Lisu Christmas celebration in the area. We thank Him for how He provided new friends here in town, especially for our landlord who is a policeman and his wife who helps us when we need some help. Last New Year's eve, our hani friend and some Filipino friends came to celebrate with us. We invited our neighbors, the internet guy and our landlady's family for fellowship. It was a blessing to be able to share to them His blessings especially Him. Our landlady has been asking interesting questions about Him, and has started reading His Word; pls pr that what she heard, and read, will continue to work in her heart, and that she will feel comforted by His Word because it's been over a year when her only son died. She took us to three self chu to join the worship service today, we are blessed to see the believers there. We are happy to see our landlady excited to see the other believers in the chu(but she didn't join the fellowship there). We thank Him for wisdom and guidance how to deal with her (knowing that she is a wife of a policeman).

.....We thank the Lord for the workers at the farm, for their love and concern for us. It is a blessing to be able to minister to each of them, be there when one gets sick, and just encourage them by His Word. When we were away last Chinese new year, the farm manager called up, telling us that they missed us(they made us always wanting to go back to the farm). Last Chinese New Year we went to Hani village to attend our friend's wedding, we were blessed to see them grow in Him, and grow in number too. The elder people complaint why they didn't do the ancestral worship (because they did Christian wedding), the family explained that they are Christians, and they will do what the Good Book tells them to do. We didn't want to go, because the place is so far (and that it's where Sammy got interrogated before). The people there were very happy to see Sammy and us, especially the family and the village leader. We were encouraged to see the believers, especially the 3 guys that we trained before at the center during those difficult times. We were happy to see the hani couple that we worked with before from our former place in another farm. It was a reunion....for us couples and the girls and with the family. We thank the Lord too for Dadai's sister and brother-in-law who came during the Chinese New Year. They are both agriculturists, and both worked before in ARLDF as seed production supervisors. It was a time of refuge for them here, as they were waiting for His next direction for them this year. They help Sammy worked on our small nursery, and taught us how to mix the soil and other stuffs for seed propagation. They also conducted a one-day introductory training on Community Development, Extension, and Planning for our Filipino brothers in the city. It was such a real review for us, and new learning for some stuffs, but to our Filipino brothers and sisters, it was a great learning, that suits for the work here.

Brianna and Samantha's news.......you have grown a lot! That's what our friends used to tell them...Brianna has been a supportive and loving sister to Samantha. She is Dadai's co-teacher sometimes, (for she helps Samantha with her school when Dadai goes out to the farm). Samantha has been obedient younger sister too (will complain sometimes, but finally obeys), and still loves to sing and dance. They both help us with the house chores, and in taking care of Elijah. When Samantha doesn't want to do school, Brianna encourages her....They miss all their friends from the former farm, but they had chance to see Enhui and Enyu last Chinese New Year. They were very happy, and even slept together and take shower together. The night before we left, the four girls cried, complaining....that why is it that mom and dad stays together, why can't friends?(almost difficult question huh?) Well we were able to settle it with the story about Sarah and Abraham who left their place and going to the place where Dad wanted them to go.....but they had to wait....so they finally understood, and we left happy and blessed.

Elijah....he has improved a lot since he came.....he is a happy boy now.....and is cooperating with us.

Pls pr for:

1. Relationships with the people around the farm, neighbors and with our team.
2. Language studies (we do pr to have someone to help us with our language, and at the same time help us at home)pls pr for the right girl from the village around.
3. for Brianna and Samantha, that they will find friends especially now that we live at the farm 5 days a week. Please pr for their studies, as they need to finish this March for grading reports.
4. pls pr for the farm, that He will bind the work of the enemy, so His H.S. can freely work in the hearts of the workers at the farm, and that people who come to the farm, will feel His presence.
5. Please pr for more local people to come to the farm from nearby villages
6. Please pr for our health, as we have been having stomach problems.
7. For wisdom for Sammy, as he plans for the houses, pls pr for the right contractor, and workers. Pls pr for wisdom, as he continues to minister to the guys at the farm, especially the farm manager.
8. Dadai, for wisdom for work, and as she teaches the girls. Pls pr for her, as she continues to minister to our landlady and the women at the farm.
9. Please pr as we continue to establish relationship with the people from the nearby villages at the farm.
10. Pls pr that our love will grow deeper as a family for Him, as our passion for the lost grows stronger. Pls pr that the girls will always have a hunger of His Words everyday.

Again thank you all for your support in various ways, especially your pr support that we need most.

Love in Him,
Sammy, Dadai, Brianna, Samantha and Elijah