Beulah Beach

It was great to be at Beulah Beach (Vermillion, Ohio) for a couple of days this week and relax and spend time with old and new friends.

Fwd: Cook Weekly - 21 juillet 2008

We took a family portrait this week. This is important to us because we're going to be living in three different countries very soon: Elysia will stay in America (attending college); Holly and Andy will live in Senegal (where their school is located); and we parents will live first in France (for 2 months) and then in Côte d'Ivoire (where the seminary is located in which we teach). Pray for strong family ties in spite of this locational separation.

Sunukjian Preaching Book

An influence on my preaching has published a book which I hope will include the insights of his lectures: Don Sunukjian, click here

Cook Weekly - 14 juillet 2008

Thank you for your prayers this week as we traveled to California to visit Matt's brother's family. We had a great time with them. (Picture above)

This week cars are very much on our minds. Elysia is hoping to upgrade from her 24 year old car to something in which she will have more confidence. We are alsp beginning to think about what kind of car we need to get in Africa. The road to the seminary is never in great shape and we need to have access to the seminary even during rainy season when it is in terrible shape (mud, holes, etc.) A small sedan is cheaper, but a 4 wheel drive would handle the mud. We need to get something fairly new because we won't have a budget for car repairs. Thanks to all of you who have already given to our "Matt Cook Vehicle Special".

Pray for wisdom for both Lys and us as we look for cars here AND there.

• If you want to invest to help us purchase a car and motorcycle in Abidjan,. Click here. ("Matt Cook Vehicle special")

Disneyland

Disneyland is both a world apart (imaginative) and so much like our own (all about consumption). Nonetheless, it was great being with family - we actually had two wheel chairs: Austin (nephew) had sprained his toe pretty badly while at the ocean the previous day; Cindy (wife!) is still not at full capacity after her surgery.

We have returned to life in Ohio now.

Cook Weekly - 07 juillet 2008

We have written about the dropping giving to the Great Commission Fund, but let us talk about one of the results of that financial problem.  The budget figures are out for next financial year and they have cut off the possibility of giving scholarships to any new CMA students studying at FATEAC.  In fact, those funds are not even sufficient this year to cover the students we already have here.  (We do have a small amount of reserves that will cover our current commitments.)  But we have no funds to scholarship new students.  Our budget comes from the GCF and this year it provide 70% of the student's total expenses—the other 30% is to be provided by the sending church.

If you would like to sponsor a student (4 year commitment) -- individually, as a small group, as a church -- this would be the amount.  We would match you up with a specific student and his family.

If I understood a recent communication from the admissions committee, there are 8 CMA families academically prepared to enter FATEAC this fall (even though I don't know the breakdown on family size, most come with at least 1 child).  Please let Laura Livingston (and me) know if you would like to sponsor a future leader for the church in Africa.

FAMILY SIZE     DONATION NEEDED per year (we admit that these figures are subject to change as the dollar value changes)
single                     $4,385                              ($366/month)
 
married                   $5,425                              ($452/month)
0 children
 
married                   $6,765                              ($564/month)
1-3 children
 
married                   $8,250                              ($688/month)
4-6 children