Check out Gary's pic of the cheery Christmas tree at the Plaza Sol!

Christmas is definitely in the air in Spain! And we get to celebrate here until January 6, the day of the Kings, celebrating the arrival of the wise men to see Jesus. This beautiful Christmas tree stands stories tall in the middle of the Sol Plaza in the center of Madrid.

Pachalians bring special language abilities to team -

Can you imagine walking through a crowd in Madrid and recognizing the South American country people are from just by the way they speak Spanish? Pablo and Carmen can do that! Native Spanish speakers with vast South American experience and years of work with imigrants in the US, they are just what THE doctor ordered up for our cluster. Nolen and I have decided that one of the best ways to improve our Spanish is to be around them. They are good Spanish coaches too!

Prayer needed for Spikes Visa process -

Jim and Lori Spikes, headed for Barcelona in January, opened their visa process at the correct time in the correct place, New Orleans - BUT - then that consulate closed its doors! Their process has been transferred to the Houston consulate and things seem to be moving s - l - o - w - l - y ! Pray that it will still be possible for them to make Spain in January. It wouldn't be fair for them to miss out on ALL the cold weather! Thanks for praying for their visa process to be facilitated!

Welcome Buddy and Lois Woodson!

The Woodsons join our Cluster with a background of missions in Chile and pastoring in Virginia. They will be serving in the Netherlands. Please pray for them as they prepare and seek the specific direction that their work should take. Buddy and Lois have two adult children, Dale and April, and a son-law, Tim. We look forward to having them with us in Europe early in 2010!

An update from Brook

Thank ya'll so much! Sorry this is the first i can reply. i was discharged sunday night after 8 hours of getting fixed up in the ER at a different hospital than Taryn. I have a fractured ulna on my left arm and 17 stitches, and scrapes and bruises to my right hand and face with 2 shiners. Taryn has broken fibulas in both legs but had surgery that night to reset them with pins, and some broken bones in her jaw with a swollen face and black eye. today (tuesday) taryn had facial surgery to fix her jaw; she has no memory of the accident. they said she won't have any scarring, and i haven't heard the results back yet. she'll be in a wheelchair for a few months as she is rehabilitated. she's in high spirits and making jokes as she always does :) while i was in the ER i got to share the gospel with several folks, and first thing i heard about taryn she was doing the same! thousands have been in prayer and its evident! the Lord is using this for his glory. my bible flew out of my purse during the accident and was left behind. the man who owned the car went to see it and shared the word with my little bible with a man working the lot. tayrn's nurses won't stop telling about the sweet girl in 214. The Lord has been good. It has kept me going to know that he knew all this was going to happen while we were here at this time, and that he saved our lives. the report from the car by the men who have seen it say Taryn shouldn't have legs, and I shouldn't have a head.

Our greatest prayer needs are for 1) thanks to the Father 2) Taryn's quick recovery with no more apparent physical trauma 3) the Lord will restore my mind from the memory of it all 4) that we will be able to be there in Spain as soon as possible and lastly for our families and friends dealing with this hard time.

I can't thank you enough for all your prayers, they have certainly been heard!!!! They mean more to us than anything else :)

In Love and thanks,

Brook

Please pray for Brook and Taryn!

Please pray for Taryn and Brook! They were in a bad accident Sunday afternoon in Virginia. The girls swerved to miss an oncoming car and hit trees. Brook has been released, after having lacerations treated. Taryn has had surgery and has had pins inserted for 2 broken legs. Tomorrow, Tuesday, she will have surgery for broken facial bones. We are thankful they survived and have a good prognosis for recovery! Please pray for them in these difficult days ahead. I will post frequently so that you can keep up with their progress.

Pridemores in new apartment!

Our new apartment is on the Manzanares River in Madrid. This location is at the North end of the La Latina district which has Madrid's greatest concentration of persons from South and Central America and the Caribbean. Our location as well as Gary and Julie's location in Puente de Vallecas will be strategic for ministry.

Pachalians headed to Madrid! Woodsons to be appointed! Updates!

Please pray for Pablo and Carmen Pachalian who are flying to Madrid today! We are excited to have them join us after a wait of many weeks! Also join us in praising God for the appointment next Tuesday of Buddy and Lois Woodson who will be working with us and located in the Netherlands.

We praise the Lord for Taryn Blocker's visa progress and also ask you to pray that our Journeyman, Brook Johnson, will have her visa process expedited! At present Brook's documents have had serious delays.

One more praise for today is for Gary Clifton who is finally feeling better after being ill for more than a week. Please pray for him to continue to regain strength. Pray for little Matthew Clifton, not yet 2, to adjust to all the moving and unfamiliar activity of his new city. Pray for Julie to have wisdom as she balances being missionary, wife and mom.

I'm sending a picture of our new apartment building located at the Segovia bridge in Madrid. We're finally beginning to settle in! Please pray for us, the Cliftons and now the Pachalians as we settle in and begin to reach out in His name!

Praise from Dan and Betty Jo Hall!

Dan and Betty Jo Hall sent this praise after Dan's heart cath procedure on Monday.

"Our God is faithful and He does hear our cries. Rejoice with us that Dan was discharged from the Cleveland Clinic today and his cardiologist took him off of his atrial fibrillation medications! We are both resting well at home. Your prayers and petitions made a difference in our life! Our desire is to:

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer" Romans 12:12 (NIV). "

Pray for Dan Hall:had heart cath procedure today.

Dan Hall, going to London to work with Brazilians, wrote: I will be having a repeat heart catheter ablation procedure on Monday at the Cleveland Clinic. The procedure is only 70% successful the first time. I'm one of the 30% that has to repeat it. I wore a monitor for the past three weeks and it showed that I am still having atrial fibrillation. My heart is actually stopping for three seconds at a time, which accounts for me sometimes being light-headed and dizzy.

Our prayer is that the procedure will be successful this time in taking care of the A-Fib and then consequently, my heart "pauses" will stop. Hopefully, I will be able to also stop my medications. We are claiming Philippians 4:6-7 and choose not to be anxious and to rest in His peace. If there are no complications this time, I should be home on Tuesday.

Great comfort! He is with us always!

He is with us! Through ups and downs, open doors and closed doors, sadness and joy, busy times or waiting times, He gives strength and patience! He knows what awaits us around every turn in the road. May we all be listening, receiving, obeying and following. May He fill our team with humility, love and passion to see people come to know Him! Brook and Taryn have started their several weeks of FPO. The Pachalians will arrive in Spain soon. Pray for Carmen's visa to arrive in the next few days!! The Halls are waiting for their "marching orders" to be revealed, as far as what they need to do to prepare for London. The Woodsons are beginning to work through all the somewhat complex details of going to Amsterdam. The Spikes will be coming to Spain after the first of the year. How much we do all need prayer!

News from Taryn and Brook

Brook and I are now at FPO. Things have been going great so far. Of course a little overwhelming initially, but I really appreciate the training and the opportunity to learn. We'll keep you updated on any further visa news.

Happy Birthday, Julie!

Today is Julie's birthday!

Julie, we pray you will have a very special day today, filled with the knowledge of His presence and the joy that He brings! May you have a great new year of life, used by God to His glory, and spreading your naturally joyful spirit to all around you! May God bless you, Gary and Matthew richly as you begin to serve Him in Madrid!

Sunday morning praises!

What a beautiful day to praise the Lord! The Americas/Caribbean Diaspora team in Western Europe is moving closer to the starting gate! PRAISES: Pridemore's have found an apartment! Madrid is getting better all the time! Cliftons are getting closer to finding an apartment that will meet their family needs and also in a strategic area of Madrid. Please pray for that. Pablo and Carmen Pachalian, our ISCers, should be here by the end of October, possibly with visas in hand! Pray for Carmen's visa to come in by the end of the month. If it does not, she will have to return to LA to pick it up. :( Taryn and Brook, our Journeygirls, start training next week! They are excited, as you can imagine. Jim and Lori Spikes are on target, despite some inicial visa problems, to be here in January! We're anxious to get them to Spain! Dan and Betty Jo Hall and one other couple whose name I will share later, are in preparation for assuming the London and Amsterdam positions. Thank you Lord!

Our prayer, our dream, our great hope in the Lord, is to reach people who will in turn impact the world - not only their host cultures, but the hundreds of nations represented by immigrant groups around them! Please pray for us as we develop strategy to that end!

(Click on picture to enlarge and see detail.)

Have a great Sunday! Bendiciones, Sheilah and Nolen, Madrid, Spain, the world

People need joy and hope!

That is why we tell people about Jesus! He is the source of all real and lasting joy. Please pray for us that we will share openly and freely the faith that gives us such peace. We have asked you to pray for visas, travel, apartments, etc.. but the real need for prayer is that we will always have the faith, courage, wisdom and compassion it takes to boldly share in a place where our message is so unheard and so mistrusted. Pray that we will come to understand and love the people around us more and more! Pray for open doors and open hearts!

Not in a rut!

I tend to like ruts in my life! They feel comfortable and they simplify decisions. So right now here in Madrid there seem to be no ruts anywhere. Everything is new and different. It really is like looking at a map upside down. North is where South should be, if that makes any sense! :) I like a path to follow. Things can be topsy-turvy all around the path as long as I know where to step. And I don't really like rocks and boulders in my path either.

However, learning to work with rocks and boulders makes me grow stronger, I know that, but they CAN be stressful. Jesus says to us, "I am the way. . ." I DO have a path and it is Jesus himself. He is the path I follow. He is the one who helps me around the rocks and boulders. He is the one who puts joy in my heart and a song on my lips!

So forget the ruts; they tend to be straight and boring! I'll run after Jesus - the most exciting Way I know!

Apartments, Visas, Strategy. . .

I am thankful for so much today! PRAISE: Thank you for praying for our apartment search. We have found one and should move in by October 10! PRAISE: Thank you for praying for Pablo and Carmen. They should have visas and be here by the end of October, the Lord willing! REQUEST: Thank you for praying for the Cliftons.Please continue to pray that they will find a good apartment, strategically located and one that meets their family needs. The search requires so much strength and patience!

Please pray for the Spikes, Halls, Woodsons and Taryn and Brook as they wait and prepare to come join us.

Have you thanked God for His blessings in your life today?

Finding a place to "nest" in Madrid!

Nolen and I love Madrid! The subway, train and bus systems make it great to get around, even though we do not at this point have a car! The historic center of the city is incredibly ornate and beautiful. Our colleagues who also work in Madrid sharing Christ and starting churches are wonderful folks and have hosted us well. Here is the prayer request! We need to find an apartment - as I say, a place for me to make a nest. Even as I write these words, I remember that Jesus said of himself, "the Son of Man has no place to lay his head". Please pray with me that Christ who knows my needs will help me find the right place for me to make a home here in Madrid. May I be satisfied with His providence in this! We have been hunting for several days now for an apartment and the search has been frustrating. Apartments here are very small. You just don't put much "stuff" in them! Please pray with us as I trust the Lord to provide a place for our "nest". And if some of that "stuff" won't fit, well, I truly know that I am promised His strength for whatever is necessary as I follow Him! Hugs and thanks for praying.

Cliftons here/Another new unit coming/Pachalians need visas/ Etc.!

PRAISES AND REQUESTS: The Cliftons have arrived and are getting started well! We've just received news that another couple is to be appointed soon for Amsterdam! These are 2 great praises! Pablo and Carmen Pachalian are in a visa delay and we need them here as soon as possible. Please pray that the Lord will open the door for them to get here SOON!

Clifton's arriving in Madrid!

Tomorrow morning Gary, Julie and Matthew Clifton will arrive in Madrid. That will give us 2 units here out of our initial 8. Please pray for their flight tonight (Sunday night) and for a great beginning in Madrid.

Boarding now for Madrid! Weds 7:30pmEST

Please pray for us as the time is finally here for us to be able to "get to work" following the call God has given us. We thank you all for your prayers. We will be in Madrid EARLY tomorrow morning, Thursday Sept. 17. Finding an apartment to rent is one of the first things on the schedule. We will stay in a furnished apartment until we find our own place. We are not planning to have a car in Madrid, but we will have one while we are hunting an apartment. It is hard to believe we are finally going! Will write more from Spain!

Pablo and Carmen -training finished almost!

Please pray for Pablo and Carmen as they finish several weeks of training in preparation for going to Madrid. Pray that their visa is granted soon so that they can join us in Spain by mid October. Thank the Lord for their enthusiasm and passion for the task God has called them to!

Spikes Visa Update - The Roller Coaster Begins

Jim and Lori Spikes began their visa process in New Orleans. It seemed to be going well, but now that Spanish Consulate has closed and transferred all processes to Houston. New Orleans sent a request to Houston asking that the visa be handled in an expeditious manner.

The best case scenario is that the Houston Consulate likes and respects the personnel of the New Orleans Consulate and will be willing to receive and process this paper work using the criteria of the New Orleans consulate and accepting their validations along with the money order that accompanies it. Hopefully, in this case, the fees are the same and the criteria are similar enough to allow the process to continue. In this case, there will be a need to travel to Houston if and when the visa is approved.

Pray for this and visas of all our team members.

Prayer Request: Visas for Julie and Gary on Sept. 14

Long story! Gary has a visa. Julie and their son Matthew now have visas, but the family must go to Ecuador to pick them up. (They are currently in the US.) So, Gary, Julie and Matthew will go to Ecuador to pick up the visas on September 14. Please pray that they will be able to get their visa at the consulate on that day! Also - please pray that they will then be able to get airline tickets quickly to get to Madrid.

Pray for the Americas Affinity Group Leadership Team in LIMA!!

Please do ask God to lead us in crucial strategy decisions which are being made. May God receive all the glory and honor in the outcome of this meeting. Our meeting continues until September 13. Pray especially for Terry Lassiter, our Affinity Group Leader, for South and Central America and the Caribbean.

Check the column on the right for new info on our colleagues! Again, thanks for praying for visas and travel! Have a great week!!

Pray for Leaders in Lima

Nolen and I are on the way to Lima, Peru, for a meeting of all our Americas cluster leaders. We'll be inspired, informed, warmed by great fellowship, and strengthened by prayer for two weeks. Please pray for safe travel for all and for God to guide us and bless our time together in every way. May great things come from this time together. Thank you for praying.

Personal praise from Sheilah

One year ago I was diagnosed with a serious illness. It has been a long year of treatment, but we are celebrating today! I had a checkup with bloodwork, xrays and examination and all came out totally normal. We are more than ready to get to Spain! Tickets are purchased for September 16!

Please pray for visas...

Again we ask you to pray for visas to be granted for Spikes, Pachalians, and Brook and Taryn to Spain. We can now add the Halls to our list for London. Of course, we need ALL the details of each move to be worked out in a timely manner, but more than that, please pray that in all the busy rush of getting ready to go we will all stay very close to God so that we will understand His will and orientation in all things. May we all truly be examples of compassion, patience, wisdom and joy every step of the way! Thanks! I'll bring you up to date tomorrow.

Praise: Halls to London!

I hope you will take a moment and thank God for His provision! We rejoice that Dan and Betty Jo Hall have received clearance to work with our team in London! They are excited about the challenge and we are thrilled to have them officially on board! We are now located in Madrid, Barcelona and London. Please keep praying for our Amsterdam couple to be appointed soon.

Praise: Another visa received!

We are excited about this praise! This morning Nolen and I received a call from a young man in the Spanish Consulate in Chicago who enthusiastically announced, "You can start packing! I have your visa in hand." So on August 20 I hop a plane to Chicago, pick up my visa, (this takes about 10 minutes), and fly back to Houston. I'm glad I like to fly. Thank you Lord!

Urgent need!

The individuals forming this new cluster ask you to pray for visas, packing and moving, language learning, planning and training - in short, all the details of relocating to Western Europe to begin this important task. Please pray for Nolen and Sheilah Pridemore, Jim and Lori Spikes, Gary and Julie Clifton and Pablo and Carmen Pachalian, career couples moving to Spain. Pray also for Taryn Blocker and Brook Johnson, "Journeymen" (I'll explain that later.) who will be working with the team. Pray for 2 more needed units to be able to be appointed to London and Amsterdam in the near future!

Okay, here we go! No. 1: Pray for the forming of a new "cluster" (cluster: a group of teams) which will target the Americas/Caribbean peoples dispersed throughout the world. This task is critical as we look at immigrant populations and see that people from the Americas form one of the largest "gospel-receptive" immigrant groups world wide. Their openness to the gospel makes them potentially unique agents of light to the world's nations! Pray as this team develops strategy, recruits personnel, locates them in Western Europe and follows God's lead. Look for monthly updates in this blog.