Hello Everyone,

Bringing you the latest of what is happening here. We know that Sri Lanka has been making some international headlines these days. We are facing quite a crisis right now, with inflation that increases daily, shortages that leave many without basic necessities, power cuts that have lasted up to 12 hours a day, no fuel for our vehicles or for cooking, and political matters that have taken people to the street to protest for now 50 plus days.
All of these matters are of great concern but despite what’s happening in our lives we see God’s hand at work. 

Here are the ways that your support to our ministry is helping. Some reasons why we continue to remain here during this time. Also how you can prayerfully consider assisting our ministry.

The Bud Centre – We can’t tell you how wonderful it feels to spend our days back at the Centre. We are back in the full swing of things and on any given day have between 20 to 65 kids attending. We have hired another full time staff member by the name of Kavishka just last week and so that brings our staff count up to five, including Nishanthe and myself. Each day we get to serve the kids in our community feels like a blessing that we won’t take forgranted. We are meeting their emotional, intellectual, physical, and spiritual needs through our programs and classes. We have increased our capacity to caring more than ever for the nutritional needs of the kids. We previously provided tea and biscuits for them every afternoon but now we are giving rice and curry every afternoon. Many kids who come are potentially living on one meal a day right now or are lacking meals with sufficient nutrition to help their immunity.

New Investments at the Bud Centre – We were recently blessed with a scooter. It is much more economically friendly when fuel is hard to come by or just too costly. Also our staff will be able to utilize it and it will help them in many ways. We are grateful for it. Another recent investment was a printer for our class work printouts and for sending information home to parents.

We have a guest house next to the Centre that is nearly ready to receive individuals, families or teams. So if any of you are interested to come and serve in Sri Lanka, opportunities await you. We are also undertaking a new project of building a living quarters for staff as its a challenge to find affordable living or within close proximity to the Centre.

We were so blessed to have visitors from Canada last month. Our Uncle Marlo, who Pastors in British Colombia, and our friend Tyler. They spent two weeks with us as well as a weekend away visiting another ministry they are involved with in Badulla. They spent their time just being with us at the centre, encouraging us and brought us some loving treats and goodies from Canada. It was a really special time together.

As a family we are doing as well as can be. Nishanthe has been dealing with some health challenges so please keep him in prayer. Our kids have been a bit under the weather with colds and runny noses but other than that they are doing well. We are managing the best we can with the circustances in our country. It has been a bit stressful and overwhelming at times but we remain strong. Many of you have reached out with concern for our well being and safety but at this point we don’t feel that its time for us to leave. We do have a deep desire to visit Canada. We long to connect with family and  introduce Kyla to her Canadian family. We would love to connect to all our friends and supporting churches. The timing of our visit we keep in God’s hands at this time.

LFM Ministry – God has been opening our hearts and eyes to see the needs where we could best serve at church in new ways. We had previously split our Sundays serving at both Lighthouse church and LFM but Covid changed this. We have been serving along side the ministry team at Lanka Faith Mission (Youth With A Mission) Church in our village all these years but its increased significantly. Nishanthe and I usually share the word at least once a month. Nishanthe has been driving through the village picking up anyone who needs transportation to church, as well as driving them all home. Our support is also providing for the leadership and we are providing a lunch following every service as a chance to extend our fellowship and to provide food for families who are feeling the hardship of the times we are living in. Our Bud Centre staff are also are also serving in areas such as Sunday school, youth and worship leading. Our prayer is that one day soon we will see even more kids from the Bud Centre and their families coming to church. That’s the goal.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all your care and support. The family of God is an amazing collaboration of love and hope. May you all be blessed.

One last thing that is on our radar is the idea of doing a food hamper. We are sensing the desperation of the times in our nation. People can’t afford the basics and they have been deprived of much. If God places it on your heart to help make this possible please respond to this newsletter and we can discuss it further. Or you can make a donation to our PAOC donation site and specify your giving.

Please keep Sri Lanka in prayer.