Dear Friends,

For eight days, three hours, and 20 minutes, I (Priscilla) helped 16 Black Forest Academy students to discover Christian service in Burkina Faso.  Among other things, we assisted four doctors in the health-screening of 375 children.  Doug (who had gone earlier to teach his language technology workshop) and friends welcomed us at the airport and supported us throughout the week.  God was working and providing for our unknown needs (Prov. 16:9).  Since November, we had been planning, researching and preparing for this Spring Break Mission.  We praise God for His traveling mercies as His hand was upon this whole trip. Each student was able to experience Burkinabé culture while standing shoulder to shoulder with Christian field workers and learning how God might use them some day.  Thank you for your prayers and financial support that encouraged us on this trip!

Both Priscilla and I (Doug) are washed in emotion once again as we see God at work opening and closing doors.  Our apartment in Germany was available for only one year. We have to move out in less than three months and were getting rather anxious. Three different times we said yes to three different apartments, but in each case, they fell through. At the same time, the Lord was leading us to consider hosting Lydia, the daughter of our friends in Burkina Faso, so that she can attend the Black Forest Academy. Just a week before her application was approved, a larger apartment opened up with plenty of room for us and her.  Now the four of us will have plenty of space, and even a guest room for you to visit ;-). God is good!

God has also been blessing our ministry. There were some adventures, like when I arrived to Cameroon without a visa and was almost put back on the plane, missing the workshop I came to teach. I had incorrectly thought I could get a visa on arrival as I had done in the past. Fortunately, although it was after midnight,  the local SIL administration went to bat for me and I was able to stay for the consultant training workshop I came to do.  That training was in French, and just now I am preparing the same materials in English for the workshop in Kenya that starts April 29. New technology requires new ways of working.  In the end we know these Bible translation consultants will be able to work more efficiently, but without the special training, it all looks fairly intimidating.  We’ve all been there… ever try to program an early VCR to record a show when you weren’t at home? It used to require a degree in computer science.  But the technology does continue to evolve, and so it does with our Bible translation software. This is one of the reasons we are so eager to promote the newer version.  We want to simplify the task, and are convinced it can be done… to the glory of God!

A second focus at the Kenya training is teaching consultants how to put the Scriptures and audio recordings on cell phones.  To make that work, we needed smartphones to train them on. We bought 30 of them and are making them available to the participants at the subsidized cost of only $50 each.  You can learn more about that on the Smart Scripture Phones facebook page we set up.

After two years of college at John Brown, our son Kevin has decided he wants to get practical training at a safari field guide internship program in South Africa. We think it will suit him well. He is now looking for a job and place to stay in the Grand Rapids area until he saves enough for this next phase. We are praying that the Lord would go before him and help him get a job that will both challenge him and provide for his needs.

Thank you for your continued prayer, financial support, and encouragement!  We are privileged to carry on this ministry with your blessing.

Partners in the Gospel,

Doug & Priscilla Higby
 

Prayer & Praise

• Praise God for His watchful care during the start of 2013. Doug traveled to four countries on two continents with no great complications. (Gen. 28:15)
• We have been greatly encouraged by the the Lord's leading and direction in our lives, especially with the suitable apartment for next year. (Prov. 16:9)
• Pray for the students who experienced the mission trip to Burkina Faso, that God might lead them to lives of service for Him.
• Pray that the remaining $800 cost of the Burkina Faso mission trip would be covered.
• Pray for our son Kevin to find a job in Grand Rapids that will help him save for his future training goals.
• Join us in praying that the translation consultants in Kenya will be both patient and enthusiastic as they learn new ways of working with and sharing Scripture.