For ministry opportunities at our UK home-church: July is Ester's turn to teach Sunday School at church (teachers are mothers rotating on monthly rounds). David continues to serve on the Council of the Mandarin Congregation and on its Education Committee. He will also have some duties at the worship services during July to Sept. We thank the Lord too for His faithfulness in granting sufficient all-around provisions, and especially for the ease with which our US visas (for academic research purpose) were obtained in late June.

Thanks also to those who write us (as a general practice we try our best to response to each letter) and those supporting us with much prayers.

Ester just finished a pre-school teacher's course sponsored by a local community centre (which means we have no fees to pay) and was encouraged to go for further studies. She is presently qualifying as a first-aider. One of her forearm is always aching, possibly due to over-exertion in child caring and house work; pray for permanent healing. The weather is strange recently, changing abruptly and frequently; pray for good health. Also Ester seriously watched two football games (Brazil vs Holland, Brazil vs France) during the last World Cup; this is a first in her life.

Turning three years old soon in this coming October, Mt likes to go to the park and spend two to four hours running and climbing; but he does not like the sand pit (which Western kids like very much). He can also do a 50-piece puzzle by himself with a little help from us. His sentences are long now, with prepositions already included. Ester ttells him the story of the *Little Goat Gruff* and he follows along, giving parts of the dialogues and changing his voice to fit the characters of the story. He knows where things are properly kept. His favorites objects are still acrs and his special portable blanket. He is good at remembering people and names, and where these people are from (like church, Parents' Centre, David's friends from the University, etc). On Sundays after church service, he spends about an hour with a few different adult friends during tea time (about 11:30-12, just before the Bible study hour at 12-1pm); these friends he makes it a point to spend time with regularly at this time. When Ester was taking a special course of study at the Parents' Centre, Mt knows he has to stay in the creche to let Mommy study. (We have been teaching him to say Papa and Mama for a long time; but he calls us Daddy and Mommy still, though he knows Papa and Mama mean us also). After E's class, Mt usually comes to meet Mommy, unless he is enagaged at the playground with his friends. Also he can identify practically all the alphabet and all single- digit numbers. His vocabulary has increased greatly. He occasionally tells us things and stories as well as gives us instructions on what to do in certain situations. His favorite bedtime stories are those we put together which are narratives of things that happened sometime ago or earlier in the day. His most requested stories are those about Lukas, a four-year old boy, a friend he made in Cardiff (capital city of Wales) last April.

Recently discovered: Some benefits of studying the history of Christianity in Fukien are (1) It provides a good background for understanding the Philippine Chinese Protestant churches. (2) The study of the relationship between Western missions and the Chinese Church helps one appreciate better the cultural/relational dynamics at an international ministry like Asian Theological Seminary. (3) The study of history makes one more down-to-earth and concrete, a corrective to naive idealism.

Hopefully these will help our ministry when we return to Manila later (2001 at earliest) for ministry. (Britain is a good place to live, study and retire; and there is a great need for Chinese pastors here. Also I recently got a letter from Australia asking if I want to go there to teach at a theological school; I have already turned this offer down).

The records of the British missions are here in London. But those of the American missionaries are not, thus we are compelled to undertake a 10-month trip to the US in October. This is the tentative schedule: New Brunswick in New Jersey (Oct98-Apr99) with day trips to the former Missionary Research Library in New York; Yale Divinity School/University (Apr-May); Holland City in Michigan (Jun-Aug). We will be back in the UK around end-August.

We will be traveling as a family since Matthew's interest are best served if at this age he is in the company of both parents. Also it will be costlier if Ester and Matthew stay in the UK while David is in the US. As we are keeping expenses to a minimum, the Lord provided Christian friends in the US to help find cheap housing.Thus far, at all places some accomodation seems to have been arranged, although Yale and Michigan are uncertain and requires reconfirmation in January.

*The salvation of David's father as well as for good health.

*Revival in the Philippine Chinese Church.

*Cessation of the general unrest and the anti-Chinese activities in Indonesia

*Wisdom, excellence and discipline at studies to glorify God; and that we finish at the soonest time.

*For the 10-month USA research trip tobe fruitful.

*For pre-evangelistic and evangelistic results ffg D's talk on 26th July to a group of scholars from mainland China.

*For a UK mail-receiving address (for receiving letters from banks,the School, etc) while we are in the US. We need this since we have to vacate our present dwelling which belongs to the School.

*Also related to the above, some place (or a number of places) to store our things in London while we are away.

May the good Lord bless you all.

His,