Dear Ministry and Prayer Partners,

We cannot thank you enough for your prayers and encouraging words. We had safe travel to Ghana for our spiritual retreat, and a lengthy, but smooth border crossing. It was a special time for us. Our prayer requests for these months are very similar to the prior month. I'll list them again for you.
1) Pray that our ears would be open to understand the Grebo language and our tongues would be loosed to speak it.
2) Continue to pray as we compile a worldview study for the Grebo people. This needs to be accurate and up-to-date recorded findings on their belief system and how they view life so that Christians can better reach them with the Gospel.
3) We desire creativity in strategically reaching the Grebo with the spiritual barriers we have found. At times we find ourselves becoming easily discouraged. Pray that we stay focused on God's plans instead of our own.
4) Continue to pray that we will GROW IN CHRIST and that God would continue to CULTIVATE A LOVE in us for the people.
We would love to hear from you. Please keep in mind that we are unable to receive photos via email as well as forwards. Should we receive a forward or attachment from you, it will automatically be deleted unless we have made arrangements otherwise. This is due to risk of 'catching a virus' on our computer. Also, if you are receiving this by postal service and you now have an e-mail address; we would like you to share that with us so we can begin sending you updates via e-mail. Thanks for your understanding in this matter.
Now for another one of Guy's stories about West Africa life.

In His Name,
Guy, Cindy, Derrick, & Erin DeMars
Missionaries to West Africa

Inconvenience or Opportunity
Well, today I had the privilege for the second time to cut Cindy’s hair. What a desperate person she is to allow this terrible thing to happen to her. But like a sheep led to the slaughter she did not maaaaake a sound, yea right. The Lord really had a good opportunity to humble this young lady, by allowing her loving, gracious and so handsome husband to give her a bad haircut. And ladies you know you like your hair just so and so does Cindy. Well, she used to. To start off with, my clippers only come with five unique styles: guard 1, guard 2, guard 3, guard 4 and my favorite no guard. So its not like she did not have many choices to choose from.They ranged from "Mr. Clean" type to the nice style that I sport.
Some say her hair was gapped up, some say it was cut with an weed eater and some have went as far to use the word--- bush hogged--and that hurts. I, on the other hand, I look at it as art. Well, a masterpiece, if you will. However, with scissors in hand I have to admit that I had an overwhelming sense to break out singing, “I’ve got the Power”. I will not reveal Cindy’s opinion. You know we keep things like that just between us and do not share them with the public.
So, I walked in the other day and find her with her head wrapped up in a scarf. I asked, "Why have you covered up my masterpiece?" She starts quoting some scripture about women should cover her head or something like that. I said, "Since when did you start reading your Bible?" Now these last two sentences I have stretched a little bit. Well, all right, I just flat out lied. With all do respect, Cindy has come a long way to allow me to cut her hair. Three years ago we would have had to go to counseling if I ever suggested that I cut her hair. And really it’s not that bad. As a matter of fact, I might just cut hair when I get back and open my own place and call it “There’s no hair we can’t gap”.
By the way for those who don’t know me very well, I love my wife dearly and she has read this letter and corrected my spelling, grammar, and anything else she wanted to change in it because--Mama’s always boss. We have laughed and laughed about the haircut situation. Well, I have for sure. We gave up physical possessions when we left, not fully realizing the personal things it would cost; like who's gonna cut your hair, their ain’t no hot water, and my favorite—their ain’t NO water. Oh, the womanly and manly smells we now produce due to sweating 24-7 and we thank God that we can joke about it among ourselves and with others.
There are so many things in life to discourage us and sometimes we just have to laugh at things, circumstances, and ourselves to keep from literally crying. God has granted us the grace to put up with one another in the mist of all these difficulties. And really, they are not difficulties. They are inconveniences--that’s all they are. God never promised Cindy that her hair would not be gapped up no more than He promised me that I would have a full head of hair, but He did promise that He would never leave us nor forsake us. And friends you can testify as well or better than I, that He has, He is and will be forever faithful. He has been so good to all of us. Let us be ever mindful that God sent His Son into the world and He had difficulties and inconveniences by our standards. But Christ viewed them as opportunities; with the cross in sight He saw opportunity. When He drew His last breath and said, “it is finished”, He knew that there would be opportunity for mankind to approach God through Himself. If Jesus Christ would leave the Father and come into the world as a man fully God to make a way for folks like us, the very least we can offer back to Him is our life, placed on the alter daily, so that Christ may be glorified.

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