Lambs across the Lands

Dear Friends and Family,
No year can be quite as momentous as last year, when both of our adult kids married the loves of their lives. But 2019 was a good year for us, as a couple and a family. First, a couple of updates and cute photos of our kids in their new locations and homes: 

• Becca and Avery are enjoying their new life in Durham, North Carolina, where Avery is pursuing a dual master’s degree in Environmental studies and theology. Becca has continued to do consulting work for Pathways to Housing, DC while searching for full time work. They love their incredibly speedy dog, Sierra. She’s cuddly when she’s done running for the day, which can take a while! 
• Mark and Leslie continue to enjoy their lives in Hong Kong--as you can imagine, it has been quite a year to live there! Both are thriving in the world of financial technology. They also love their new dog, an adorable, blue and brown eyed Corgi, Moka. They enjoy hosting barbecues on their outdoor deck--a rarity in tightly packed Hong Kong!  

       Becca and Avery and Sierra in Durham, NC                   Mark and Leslie and Moka in Hong Kong

​We too (Rich and Lisa) have had a great year. A special gift of our year was the way that both long and short-term guests filled our home with laughter and joy. Nelson, a graduate student at Fuller from Liberia, and his wife Esther completed a year living with us and will complete a second year with us while Nelson pursues his PhD studies in missiology. They have been a gift and a delight, sharpening our cross-cultural communication skills and offering enjoyable friendship.

Another highlight of our year was our trip to Hong Kong. It was a gift to get to know the city that has become home for Mark and Leslie--a vibrant and cosmopolitan place. Lisa went on from there to Singapore to attend the triennial meeting of the Asian Theological Association, a gathering of deans and professors from over 170 schools around Asia. Her hope in attending was to explore possibilities for teaching in Asia, and several strategic and fruitful connections were made there.
 
That brings us to a significant update: we are discerning a calling to invest in leaders in the majority world, primarily in Southeast Asia. We are super excited about this! Lisa will complete her work at Fuller in June. We have re-engaged with our missions agency, Paraclete Mission Group, and we are in many conversations with deans, parachurch leaders, and missionaries in the region. Rich’s first missional venture, deepening his 18-year connection to the IFES in Eurasia, will be to Ukraine in January. We will then go to (between us) the Philippines, Nepal, and Malaysia this summer, offering training in preaching and leadership at a seminary, a Bible college, and for IFES campus ministry leaders.  We hope to relocate to SE Asia long-term, as early as this fall. More details coming soon! We appreciate your prayers as we step out into many unknowns in the year ahead, trusting in God’s goodness and faithful provision. We wish you all a joyful new year!

Merry Christmas! 
Rich and Lisa Lamb