by Wayne Goranson
Thank you for taking the time to stop and read this latest Update! Your prayers, financial support and encouragement have been a blessing to us on this journey to recovery.My orthopedic surgeon gave me a good report this past month; I am healing so the aches and pains I am experiencing are normal for this type of injury. Some bones in the hip are still broken but healing. The ankle bone is totally healed. So he does not need to see me again unless something comes apart. There is no need for the use of a cane and he wants me to exercise often. So praise the Lord for His healing power!
I did not realize how much this was weighing on my mind until I felt a sense of relief and calm fall on me after the appointment. I have been taking it real easy over the past few months because the hip was popping and creaking and the last thing I wanted to do was re-injure it.
So now we press on to the new normal. There is no going back to pre December 2014. There will always be some kind of limitations but praise God I am able to do the things I can do!
Moving On
So where do we go from here? As I mentioned last time, we believe the Lord has been directing us tochurch plant here in Central America. Costa Rica seems like the natural place to start, but we also have an invitation to come to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. We visited our friends in San Ramon de Alajuela before going to spend time with our grand children in August. Our friend, Pastor Federico Acuna, has invited us to come and start an international church there. His church is Iglesia Olivo Verde (Green Olive Tree), which is located across the street from the University of Costa Rica. Pastor Federico translated Inductive Bible Study Seminars for me back in 2008 and 2009. He is now teaching the seminars throughout Costa Rica and other parts of Central America. We also have a heart for Mexico and would be open to plant a church in Ensenada or Guadalajara, two places with large expatriate communities.
The world is our drawing board and we are willing and able to pretty much go anywhere the Lord directs. Our ministry verse for the past 8 years has been; A mans heart plans his ways,but the Lord directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9
So we pray and ask you to pray with us for the Lord's direction. Pray the Lord will bring us in contact with young men with a vision to plant churches and a desire for an older couple to come along side to help them. Specific to now, please pray as we travel around in Oct/Nov and visit locations to discover God's plan for us.
I have also been asked to lead a Men's Bible Study at Horizon Church. We will be going through the book of Proverbs. Please pray for the men that need to attend and that will attend!
August and September
We had a great time with the grand children in Honduras in August while Jon and Marillyn travelled to the States to share with a few supporting churches and have a "baby moon" before baby Cinco arrives. (No that is not the name. It just means 5 in Spanish!) I also spent time directing the Honduran crew while they installed the roof on the new staff residence, Casa de Apoyo (Support Home). The kids also participated in the first ever RO4Y summer Olympics; javelin toss, grape fruit toss, soccer ball control, 50 meter dash. What a blast!
In September we went back to Iowa for doctors appointments. while there we also spent time with family and spoke at 3 supporting churches (CC Des Moines, CC Mason City, Britt Free Church). Here is the message I taught at CCDM, "Live Like You're Dying!" Thank you to everyone who welcomed us into their homes and churches and made us feel so loved!
I realized as I am typing this Update that I rarely share what a blessing my wife, Brooke, is to me. She has left many of her creature comforts to follow me around different parts of the world. She has experienced many things that would take out a much weaker woman; malaria, bugs galore, funky food, bad beds, jet lag, etc... not to mention having to put up with me. So I want to take this time to let you all know how much I love this woman and I am blessed to have her by my side and also venturing into the areas of ministry in which the Lord has gifted her. She has taken up so much of the burden these past 2 years as I recovered!
This month we celebrate 33 years of marriage and 27 years in ministry! Thank you Brooke Emily Goranson for being my help mate!
