here’s news from the Fox and need for urgent prayer

Dear Prayer Warriors – we returned to Lubango on Sunday evening after many dusty kilometers of travel to see the Menongue Bible Institute’s cattle BUT – here’s news from the Fox and need for urgent prayer – we’ll send another update about our trip.

On August 29:

Hello Prayer warriors,

We need your immediate prayer. We have just been informed that we have to evacuate the camp because of a forest fire that is burning out of control. We can see the flames on a ridge about 2 mountains away, and that is probably 7 miles, but it is not contained at all.

We were leaving for CIT on Saturday and have been making plans accordingly....however; that has just been upped to getting out in 30 minutes. We ask your prayers for safe travel and that we will rest in the arms of our Lord. We pray that the camp will not be harmed and that all will still be here to come back to in November.

At this present time we will be planning to live at our other camp, Harmony Pines, until we fly out to North Carolina for classes on September 6th.

Thank you so much for your prayers!

Cynthia

On Monday, Sept 7

“....we REALLY need extra prayer right now...we received a call this morning and they are 95% sure that our house has burned to the ground . . . .”

On Wednesday, Sept 9

Hello my fellow prayer warriors,

If there was ever a time that we needed prayer...this is it. We have just confirmed today that our house and schoolroom has been a total loss in the fires.

We had to evacuate Aug 29th and have lived in suit cases until we arrived at CIT today. During this time, it was continually up and down on news about the fire as it flowed toward the camp. When we were driving to the airport on Sept 5, we were informed that the firefighters guarding our camp, had to flee because of the danger....then from the plane we could see the actual flames from the mountains far away.

We just told the kids and they are taking it pretty well. Tomorrow's school assignment is to draw a picture of their house....don't know if this will be therapeutic or painful....please pray for strength.

The rest of the camp survived, our house was the only structure lost....leave it to us to always try to beat the odds.

Right now we are pretty much in shock, and we really don't have time to assimilate this in our brain in any manner, because we are beginning intensive training for cultural studies and language acquisition.

Because we were leaving for CIT and had 30 minutes to pack and get out, we did not anticipate that the fire would actually consume everything we own.....we were having to think "travel to North Carolina".

It has been a hard 2 1/2 years since we began our journey to Angola, Africa.....all we want to do is serve the Lord where He wants us...you wouldn't think it would be this hard. They say the Lord never gives you more than you can bear....well, He must think the world of us!!!!!

Please pray for the following:

1. Cynthia is pretty weary. She has lost ALL of her home school curriculum and most of her records. Her concerns are how to hold the family together and support them, all the while thinking about the school year that lays ahead and how to meet their educational needs.

She is also involved in deep studies herself and this is going to make it hard for her to concentrate. Please ask the Lord to show her some encouragement.

2. Lawrence is thinking about the family needs...that the camp will open soon...also the loss of personal items. A mind of study and trust and comfort that the Lord has everything in control.

3. Dylan is doing pretty good. Please pray that he can make some friends here....lots of boys his age. Also, that he could verbalize if he is feeling sadness from the loss of all his goods.

4. Megan. She is feeling insecure with all the new surroundings and people, but she usually perks up once she gets familiar with everyone. Ask the Lord to help her study....she's not the "school" type and this might be hard for her.

5. Garrett...he's pretty sad about losing his bionicles and tends to be our "pack rat", so he is considering the many things that he has lost in the fire, most have sentimental value. Already he is making friends (as always)....for a mind of study.

6. Melanie...she is acting really tough....but on the inside, I want to make sure that she is not verbalizing her sadness at things lost. We had to leave our cat behind, and we are not sure if he is alive....he was VERY bonded to Melanie. She needs prayer to make a good friend in her school class.

We want to be sure and give God all the glory for the many good things that He has done. Our vehicles escaped the fire, as well as Lawrence's tools that were in the shop....this is a great blessing to him. We are grateful also, that Cynthia's glass studio appears to have escaped the flames and is still standing.

We are indebted to him for keeping our family safe and in good health. Nothing else really matters. Things can be replaced.

Thank you so much for holding us up before the Lord. We keep telling each other, that if all these trials we have endured in the last 2 1/2 years is just to get us strong for the mission field in Angola.....I can't imagine what life there is going to be like!!! Satan seems to feel pretty strongly that he needs to attack us on a regular basis and with great venom. Please pray for our spiritual protection. It is obvious that he wants to divert our attention away from this training......and we REALLY don't want to do that....it's obviously important for the Kingdom of God.

Much thanks in our hearts for all of you,

The Fox family

Lawrence, Cynthia, Dylan, Megan, Garrett, and Melanie.

If you want to write us here at CIT, ( I know the children would really appreciate letters) you can send mail to:

Lawrence and Cynthia Fox

C/O CIT

P.O. Box 250

Union Mills, NC 28167

Thanks so much for your prayers on behalf of our colleagues!! We so long for them to join us here at Tchincombe! Pray that we will all be patient and trusting HIS timing about their coming to Angola!!

We’ll write again soon and also update the blog with photos of our trip!

In Him,

Donna