A year ago, we went on a two-week evangelistic mission trip with our church in McMinnville to Perm, Russia, where we have a sister Calvary congregation to whom we had sent a Pastor. That was our first test, and we came back fired up and the desire to go back long term has only grown since then. I have been studying Russian slowly over the past few years. Our son, Brennan, now 18, has a burden for the Israeli Jews, and has started studying Hebrew; so we are also exploring going there and working with the many Russian Jews immigrating to Israel with many needs, social, linguistic, economic, and of course, spiritual. MAny of them are coming to Christ!

The economics, of course, is going to be a primary test, especially if we go to Russia, due to recent more onerous requirements in renewing visas. We don't have any retirement money to speak of saved up as I have worked my whole career as a freelance technical writer and have pretty much just kept the bills paid. We have recently pulled the equity out of our house in order to use it for down payments on as many rental properties it will buy, as a means of creating an income stream not dependent on my doing technical writing, but we don't know yet just how that will pencil out, or how fast it will come together. We are looking for the first property now. We plan to rent out or sell our current home in order to pursue this work.

By the way THANKS to all who prayed for Brennan's brain operation for his Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which was debilitatingly severe. We went to Sweden for this operation in October, and it was quite successful! His symptoms are reduced to a manageable level now, so his prospects in life are much brighter. The only side effects were that he drags his left foot and drools a little (JUST KIDDING!!!)

So, that's the big news from the Meyer household. We would appreciate your prayers for God's leading to be very clear. One thing I have recently become aware of though, is that God rarely shines lights in the sky regarding his will for us, but rather leaves it to us to take steps in the direction his Word, our burdens, longings, and the fires in our bellies draw us, and then either confirms and makes it fruitful, or else redirects us; but we are not automatons waiting for Him to push a button or pull a lever in our backs. You gotta be in motion to be directed, so we are planning and taking steps as though this is really going to happen. We wanna go out burning bright for Him! Paraphrasing Paul, we will gladly spend and be spent for those He loves and died to save.

If any of you feel like you would like to support our effort in this regard, if and when things get to a point where we need a support team, would you let us know?  Part of our feasibility study, so to speak, will be seeing what kind of support we will be able to raise.

Much thanks! Bye for now.
- Bernie, Mary and Brennan Meyer