Praise and Prayer

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with the folks at church in the morning and then with a collection of missionary families in the afternoon. The fellowship was so good that it lasted until nearly midnight. Each of us left encouraged and grateful to the Lord for the provision of friends who can understand the life we lead. Now plans are in full swing for the varying activities surrounding Christmas. House-to-house carol singing is still popular in PR. We hope to start dropping in on folks this weekend. Our church family will hold a banquet on the 19th. This is a highlight for us all as we share some terrific food and sweet fellowship.

Wanda and Wendy have attended Sunday morning services for several weeks now. A week ago they brought another family member. This week, we also had several additional visitors. It is exciting to see the Lord reward the efforts of different church members as they invite family and friends. We are hoping to see the Lord do great things through each of these contacts. Pray with us that the Lord would bring these souls to Himself and add them to His Church.

Pray also concerning some very important issues which will be addressed throughout this week. The Devil tries to get his toe in the door, but we are trying to keep him outside the fold. I cannot give details at present, but the Lord knows the need in the hearts of each person involved in these meetings. No discipline is pleasant at the moment, but we are promised that it can result in great blessing.

Many students are coming down with viruses and respiratory ailments. Though we don't have the drastic temperatures some of you enjoy at this time of year, the nights do get rather cold for PR. Whether the sickness is due to that or whatever cause, the effects are the same. Since we are in the final two weeks of the semester, the absences complicate matters, especially for students who have lagged behind their goals. Pray that our strength holds up so that we may avoid the down time.

Prayer Request Updates

On Sunday, Wanda and Wendy were in attendance. They heard a clear presentation of the Gospel, and though they gave no outward indication of the Lord's working, they seemed to enjoy the service and the folks at church. Keep them on your prayer list. God is working in them and drawing them to Himself. Four other people raised their hand in the invitation time to indicate a concern for their spiritual condition. No one came forward or sought us out after the service, but we praise the Lord for the Spirit's working.

Gary Jones (missionary to the Philippines) is recovering well from his quintuple bypass. He has been moved from ICU to a regular room and may be home by week's end. His recovery will take some time, so continue to pray for him. Dr Dreisbach will have some additional tests to determine whether he should have a catherization. For now he is resting comfortably and waiting on the Lord.

No news is yet available on the other requests. Thank you for interceding for each of these needs.

Various Prayer Requests

On Wednesday (11/12), I visited with some family members of Danny Santiago. While there, Wanda and Wendy (adult daughter of Wanda) came by. You may remember that I had several conversations with them during Danny's illness and subsequent death. They have heard the Gospel on several occasions, and Wendy seemed close to a decision but various interruptions came at the critical moment. Well, they both said they had been thinking a lot about coming to our church. I told them the subject of Sunday's message will be "Giving to God What Belongs to God," and they seemed eager to hear the message. They usually sleep-in on Sundays, so pray that they both awaken early (with or without an alarm) so that they will be able to be in attendance. The message will open with a strong salvation emphasis, so pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to their hearts and that they and others will respond to the Lord's leading.

One of our church members is in need of intercession. Anita served in our Christian school for 20+ years, retiring last year when her vision deteriorated due to complications from diabetes. She has recovered somewhat, but just a few days ago she awoke to find a blood stain on her pillow. The blood seems to have come from her good eye. She has not yet seen a doctor, as far as we know. This has been a tough year not only due to her condition, but also due to her brother Chu's battle with cancer. He is also a church member who loves the Lord.

Pray also for two fellow missionaries with GFA. Gary Jones is a veteran missionary in the Philippines. He had a quintuple bypass surgery on Thursday and is currently in ICU with absolutely no visitors allowed. Pray also for his wife Edie, their adult children and the various ministries under their care. Also, Dr. John Driesbach is in a hospital in Greenville, SC with chest pains. No further details are yet available in this case, but your prayers will be greatly appreciated. His wife went to be with the Lord a year or so ago. He has lead a full life of Christian service and continues to be a blessing to all who come in contact with him.

Some of you know my father, Elwood Sr. He and his ministry partner, Dr. Phil Kissinger, are in Africa to visit some national pastors and encourage them in the Lord's work. They will return to the States on November 25. Pray for their safety and for the opening of doors and hearts for their ministry.

Recent Developments

Election day was as intense here as anywhere in the USA. No, we could not vote in the national election, but we had some important issues of our own. One of the principal parties openly supports an aggressive homosexual agenda and has planned to impose a curriculum in January 2009 which will openly advocate homosexuality. This is to affect all schools, public, private, Christian, even home schools. Christian leaders informed other believers and encouraged them to vote according to Biblical principles; other groups of a conservative bent also worked to shed light on the issues of this campaign. The result was a decisive victory for the most conservative party from governor and legislature to the mayoral races. We must still be diligent to pray that these newly elected leaders will turn the tide and reject the curriculum which is set to be imposed by the whim of the head of the Department of Education.

On Sunday, November 2 at 5:14 am, Anna Pfaunmiller (Bill's grandmother) went home to be with the Lord. She had suffered a massive stroke about one week earlier, so we knew she would not last long. The Lord gave her 94 years in this life and the chance to see the work here in Ponce about 4 years ago. We are grateful that our furlough allowed us to visit with her on several occasions. Several family members need to trust the Lord, so pray with us for these souls.

Julia is doing very well following her leg amputation. She has recovered her joyful spirit and is doing well in the rehab program. Another of our members is also in need of your prayers. Felix has sickle-cell anemia. Periodically he has very painful bouts with the illness as his hemoglobin drops perilously and his joints become inflamed. Last Wednesday he drove himself to the hospital at 2 am and was admitted to the ICU. They gave him several transfusions, pain medication, and other appropriate treatments. He is now in a regular room as he continues his recovery. Felix is about 40. Pray for his complete healing and for God's direction in his life.

The recording equipment is coming together. We have done some test recording, but now that the digital recorder is on hand, we hope to get things really organized. A few details remain, but this new ministry is becoming a reality. We pray that it will be used mightily in many lives. Praise the Lord for the folks here who are burdened and excited for this means of reaching out to family, neighbors, and perhaps complete strangers. Another phase of this project will be uploading some messages to our website. This could allow some of you to download messages to share with Hispanic folks in your area!

Thank you for praying. May God give us each grace to stand for right and be the salt and light God has called us to be.

Prayer for Intervention

Have you ever felt like the Devil is working overtime to cause mayhem? Perhaps it is beginning to dawn on him that his time is nearly at an end. There is so much evil around. Here in PR a law was passed in 2006 which seemed relatively innocent, but is proving to be a tool for evil. The original law concerned domestic violence and authorized the approval of curriculum to help avoid this increasing problem. Under the guise of implementing that directive, the Secretary of Education has written a letter to all public school officials informing them that a new curriculum will be in place in January 2009 which provides a "perspective on gender." This material will inform children that sex and gender are not synonymous terms. According to this curriculum, gender is a matter of personal choice and self-discovery. In other words, this curriculum will be an indoctrination platform for homosexual and transsexual perversity. This requirement is going to be applied to all schools, including private, Christian, Catholic, and home-schools. Freedom of religion and conscience are in serious jeopardy and there may be little we can do about it.

Pray with us. Our elections are held on November 4 also. We need to see a landslide of support for those who have professed strong family beliefs. Three of the four parties are solidly behind this perverse agenda, so the choice is clear. However, even believers tend to vote by tradition instead of by conscience. Please pray that God will intervene directly to remove this horrendous material from even the public schools. Similar things have been tried before and they have been defeated, but since the Secretary of Education is not an elected official, the democratic process has been entirely bypassed. Still we know that God can defeat such crafty maneuvering.

The other night I was called to intervene in a family situation. Though I cannot give out many details, suffice it to say that there are many problems that only the Lord can work out. Pray that this couple would submit to Scripture completely. I have stressed to them the fact that divorce solves nothing. They will carry the problems with them unless they deal with them Biblically. Pray also that I would have wisdom to see through lies and self-deception to help them face and resolve their faults.

At 8:00 AM on Saturday, Julia was allowed to check out of the hospital. She had her left leg amputated on Monday and has recovered nicely. Teresa, Bethany, and I visited her on Friday and sang some choruses with her. A nurse came into the room and opened the door so that others could hear the music. We were singing Psalms, so the Word went out to more people than we thought it would. Praise the Lord!

Getting You Up to Speed

Tuesday, we saw the Orthopedist regarding Nathan's back. He looked over the x-ray, examined Nathan, and pronounced that our son will not likely grow much more (due to something he noticed in his exam, but I didn't catch what that was) so the spinal curvature is not a serious concern. Still he recommended annual x-rays until Nate's growth cycle is complete. I think Nathan was pleased by the result.

Nathan drove us to Caguas. This 1 1/2 hour trip was his longest to date. He did well and learned a few things along the way. We arrived at the doctor's office at about 7:45 am. Here in PR you don't get a time-based appointment, only a day. Being a new patient, he was required to be on hand by 1:00 pm. Due to our early arrival, we had slot 18 out of 60+ patients to be seen that day. The waiting room was large and comfortable (Nathan thought it was cold). We settled down for a few hours of "boredom" (remember I asked for that). I had a book in my hand to keep me occupied, as did Nathan. Mine was Trusting God Even When Life Hurts by Jerry Bridges. This is a tremendous book that highlights our need to trust our sovereign God even when He sends adversity our way. Perhaps I'll jot a review later on, but it has been an incredible read filled with lots of preaching material. I marked the book and jotted notes all over the place and still managed to read 140 pages until Nathan's turn came up at 2:30 pm.

On our way home, we stopped to see Richard, a friend we met during our time in Salinas. We had a good visit in which I was able to share some thoughts from the book of Ruth concerning the providencial control of God over "everyday" circumstances. It's so easy for us not to notice the hand of God when life seems to chug along on Normal. Yet in each of the details of Ruth, God's hand placed the right people in the right places as He pieced together an unlikely series of links in the geneology of Jesus Christ! God works in the same quiet way in our own lives. No obvious miracles may be employed, but the plan of God unfolds without fail. We may fail, but His plan does not. Still, most of us complain and fret away our years as if we were in control, and all the while God is saying, "Trust me. I will see you safely through the storms of life. Cast your anxious care on me. I will work out the details while you rest in my love and wisdom." Richard found comfort in those thoughts since he has been struggling with many stressful issues.

Today, I was able to visit with Julia. Her amputation is very near the hip. She is still feeling a lot of pain, but it is subsiding. Her joyful spirit is still heavily taxed, but I was able to bring a bit of laughter to her. I shared the opening verses of James 1 concerning the believer's reaction to trials. The Word tells us to rejoice, not in the content of the trial, but in the fact that there is Divine purpose in the trial. God is in the trial accomplishing His perfect plan. Our duty is to cooperate with Him so that the trial may result in blessing. Julia's recovery is going very well. Tomorrow they plan to have her work on sitting. You don't think about the difficulty of something so basic until you don't have a left leg to rest on. So far, no sign of infection has been noted. Praise the Lord!

We are also working on acquiring the technology to record the messages in church so that those who are not able to be present can still benefit from the teaching of the Word. If you have any good information on recording equipment, whether CD or digital, I would appreciate your input. Thank you for your prayers. God is powerful, He is good, He is wise, and He is in control. Selah! (Pause, meditate, and worship Him.)

Julia Is Doing Well . . . Considering

At 7:30 AM Julia was taken to surgery. The doctors amputated her left leg well above the knee. Her surgeon said the procedure had no unexpected complications and that she should recover nicely. I stopped by to see her this evening. She was conscious and very uncomfortable due to the pain. They want her to be still which is difficult given the intensity of her pain. Medication was on the way as I left. Please, pray that she will recover without any infection and that the pain would subside quickly. She will face some substantial adjustments which would be daunting to a person half her age. Her family is supporting her very well which should help greatly. She loves to sing, so our church will get a group together as soon as possible to help her praise the Lord.

Nathan has his appointment tomorrow concerning his scoliosis. His back is tilted 20 degrees out of line. It is at that point that doctors seek to take corrective action. We do not know what to expect from the appointment, so we simply ask for your prayers. On our way home, Nathan and I hope to visit with Richard. He is a friend from Salinas whom we have not seen in three or four years. He knows the Lord, but has been facing some health battles. We hope to be an encouragement to him.

We also have word that the school teacher who has been in Florida helping her elderly mother will be returning to the island at the end of October. I look forward to having her back in the classroom, but another job already awaits me. Our math teacher has resigned, so I will need to fill in that gap for the foreseeable future. We also have a pile of paperwork to do for varying government agencies. It seems that our office building was never properly registered in the church's name (in 1997). The lawyer or someone dropped the ball. Once that is straightened out there is the matter of a tax lien to resolve. Our tax exempt status should eliminate the debt, but pray that this will indeed be done and quickly. Then we must secure a new occupancy permit. At the same time we are being required to change our electric meter since the electric service is set for an industrial application far above the voltage we require. This involves digging a trench, building a cement column at the corner of the property, making the connection with our current system, and securing the electric company's assistance in shutting down and resuming the electrical service at a time convenient to us. Each of these things is time consuming, patience draining, and some facets are quite expensive. I don't think anyone will hear me complain of boredom any time soon. In fact, I would love to be bored for a while. :o)

Thank you so very much for praying. You are our lifeline. Isn't it wonderful to rest in the confidence that God is truly in control!

Update on Julia

We have written a few times lately concerning the health condition of Julia. She is in her 80s and has known the Lord for about 20 years. She has been going through some trials over the past year or so. Shortly after we began our furlough, she fell and broke her left hip. Her surgery went well and she healed rather well. A short while ago a sore appeared between two of her toes and her foot began to discolor. A vein replacement surgery improved her condition markedly.

Yesterday, she saw her doctor again. He became very concerned about her toe and sent her to the hospital for additional tests. She was admitted and given the required tests which showed that she does not have adequate circulation below the knee. The doctor then informed Julia that she will need to have her left leg amputated somewhere above the knee.

We do not know when the surgery will occur, but Julia would certainly appreciate your prayers. She is in good spirits and is trusting in the Lord. However, this will be a trial beyond any she has so far faced.

Hope in Sorrow

After the forecasted storm, we did not know what to expect for Danny's burial service today. Your prayers kept the sky clear until 10 minutes after we had left the cemetery. The message at the funeral home was from 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort who ministers to those in need so that they may minister to others in need. I mentioned the fact that being a Christian does not take away all the pain, but it does give us the strength to bear up under the load of sorrow. The family will still need the support of family and friends in the days ahead, especially those who have passed through similar trials and experienced God's comfort. I shared my family's loss of my two older sisters in 1975. God's great comfort was certainly evident in our lives, preparing us to reach out to others in their grief. One such piece of advice I always share is that the family not be present when the casket is closed. It is such a tramatic moment that is usually best avoided.

At the graveside, I spoke from John 11:25-26, "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" These powerful words of our Savior provide hope for those who are grieving by assuring us that not even death can separate the believer from his Lord. How reassuring it is to dwell on the fact that Jesus Christ has already passed from death to life.

Norma did exceptionally well given the circumstances. Her faith will see her through. Her husband, Freddy, still needs to trust the Lord as his Savior. Keep praying for him. One of Norma's brothers has declared that he will be in church on Sunday. He and his wife both claim to be saved, but they have not been to church for quite a while. I first met them when he was in the hospital with pneumonia and heart trouble. Since then, I have been able to visit with them about four times. The Word is having an impact on them. Praise the Lord.

Great Grace

God's grace was very apparent tonight at the funeral service of Danny. His mother was able to greet family and friends without breaking down. We had a good service in which the Gospel was the key element. I spoke on some of the sayings of Christ from the Cross and their significance to the sinner. Christ's willingness to forgive all who come in repentance and the assurance that all has been accomplished in order to secure our salvation were the main points. We heard a number of good comments regarding the message and keep praying that some of the unsaved will come to the Lord in these days. The burial will be tomorrow morning at 10:30. Norma will need your prayers.

The storm which was headed for us has become hurricane Omar, but it has been turned aside by God's grace. We will continue praying until it has moved far north of us since these things seem to have a habit of turning around and doing strange things this time of year. Yesterday we did receive some heavy rain, but hardly any rain has fallen today.

Thank you for all your prayers and encouraging notes. By the way, Jon had a great time at school today. He had nearly everyone sign his cast. I think a couple of his classmates were jealous of the attention he got, but we hope they won't break an arm to get it.

Request Updates

At 6:00 PM today, Daniel Santiago went home to be with his Lord and Savior. Bill was able to be with the family from 4 until 9. Both last night and again tonight we took time to read the Word and to sing a few hymns. Danny's only comment came last night. He was asked if he liked the hymn we had just sang. He said, "Qué lindo" (How beautiful). About noon today his breathing became labored and he stopped interacting with his visitors. When I arrived at 4, it didn't seem he would last long. His passing was peaceful. Throughout this ordeal the Gospel has been given to many people. Pray for the messages which will be given during the next two days. We are praying for Souls to be saved.

Jonathan went to see an orthopedist today. The doctor decided that a cast was in order. He was a bit disappointed not to have a cast last Tuesday. Hopefully he won't get tired of it before it has to come off. Pray with us for quick and sure healing.

Urgent Prayer Requests

Danny Santiago has been declining over the past few months due to cancer. A few weeks ago he lost all strength in his legs and shortly thereafter could not move them. Now he cannot move his arms and has trouble speaking. His liver has ceased functioning, so his skin and eyes are very yellow. Tonight we received a call from Danny's mother saying that the doctors say he is dying, and all they can do is give him pain medicine and send him home. Danny was baptized about three months ago. The next day he was in the hospital. We gave blood to help him out then, but he's been in and out of the hospital ever since. Pray for Danny and his mother who also knows the Lord. She is doing well, but this is very hard on her. Bill has had numerous opportunities to witness to family and neighbors during Danny's sickness, and Danny is resigned to God's will. It's hard to say how long he will last.

Puerto Rico is also under tropical storm warnings. We had torrential rains at the end of September that they called the two-hundred year rain because that tropical wave left more rain in three days than we've received from any hurricane in recent memory. With the ground already saturated, they are calling for 15-30 inches more of rain with high winds. Landslides and flooding are always a danger with rain, but with wind, many trees will succumb to the super-saturated ground. We imagine if the storm comes we'll be without electricity for awhile. We will do fine with the storm as long as we are home. Our street floods when it rains hard, but the drainage system handles it fine as soon as the rains stops. Others from our church are not in secure areas and are making preparations now.

Our Jonathan fell in gym class last Tuesday. They took three x-rays at the hospital, said the technician would look them over good that evening, but they didn't think anything was broken. Jonathan didn't complain as much the next day with his splint on and me doing all his writing in school. But after picking up the results, we found that he does have a fracture. We were told to see our pediatrician. He told us this is not his specialty, so we should take Jon to an ortopedist. People at church said the hospital "dropped the ball" and we should go back to the hospital. The person at the emergency room said they don't deal with pediatric fractures (Jon is nearly 10), but she'd try to consult with a pediatric orthopedist in the hospital. After making a call, she said those doctors were all at a convention. Apparently this is not the week to break a bone. This has been a long holiday weekend because PR celebrates Christopher Columbus Day. So it's been a week since he broke his arm and with the storm, it may be quite a few days more until the situation is satisfactorily resolved. We'll keep his hand in a wrist stabilizer and trust it mends well.

Our Nathan also had x-rays in August because the pediatrician suspected he has scoliosis. The x-rays confirmed that he has a 20 degree misalignment of the spine. We have an appointment with a spinal orthopedic doctor on October 21. We don't know what to expect from this appointment, but we would appreciate your prayers for wisdom for the doctor and us. Nathan is also supposed to take his ACT test on Saturday (October 18). This is a big week.

Medical Updates

Julia is doing well. Her doctor prepared the family for the worst when he discovered that her left foot no longer had any significant circulation. She entered the hospital, and then a week of delays ensued. Finally, the doctor decided on a plastic vein replacement. She now has a very long scar, but she still has her foot! Praise the Lord for your prayers and His wisdom given to the doctor. Her foot is doing very well.

Danny, on the other hand, continues to decline. For the last week, he has not been able to get out of bed. He also has a lot of pain in his legs. A high fever has taken him back to the hospital. He was given medication for the pain, but he is still very uncomfortable. He is not entirely lucid and cannot speak. He has not been eating anything for several weeks either. It seems that the Lord may call him home soon. Pray that his passing might be soon. He is ready to meet the Lord. His mother is suffering with him, but she is also strong in the faith.

Add Miguel to your prayer list . . . twice. The first Miguel is a believer who had strayed from the Lord. He is recovering from pneumonia and claims to have turned back to the Lord. He has a smoking habit which has plagued him for years and been a source of estrangement from fellowship with God’s people. We have encouraged him to return in spite of this issue since we are confident that the Lord will take this from him if he is willing to follow Christ. I don’t think anyone has actually reproached him over his smoking, but his conscience will not let the issue go. His wife is a dear believer who has been faithful for quite a number of years.

Miguel number 2 is an unsaved man who Bill met at the hospital. He is a neighbor of one of our church members who had foot surgery, apparently related to diabetes. Incidentally, this hospital has an entire floor dedicated to diabetic patient care. He and his wife heard the Gospel gladly, though they made no decision in this first encounter. They are very open to follow-up visits and promised to visit the church once he has recovered. That promise was not even solicited but the result of good neighbors showing an interest and sending their pastor to visit a neighbor in need.

When You Pass Through the Waters . . .

You may have heard of the storms which have been drenching Puerto Rico for the past week. Ponce’s usual annual rainfall of 20 inches has been passed in just four days and more rain is in the forecast. Sunday night the rain began, and it didn’t let up all night or most of the day on Monday. Widespread flooding has left many communities inaccessible. Houses, roads, and lives have been lost throughout the island.

The Lord has protected us, though our road was turned into a river. We joked about a small craft advisory being issued for our street. The only effect we have noticed so far is a small leak in our roof. Since our roof is sealed with urethane, this is a matter of concern. We are told that when urethane starts to fail, it basically turns into a sponge. That is not a comforting thought since our roof is flat and several extensive areas appear to be damaged. Until the rain stops and the roof thoroughly dries, there is nothing we can do but pray. Even when dry weather comes, we are not sure how we will address this problem. Worst case scenario is several thousand dollars of repairs. We will pray for a more economical solution and will appreciate your prayers to that end.

The church did well through the storms. Very little damage occurred outside of the church’s mission apartment. The metal roof leaked rather badly, damaging if not ruining the queen-size bed. We cleaned the room today and more rain arrived this evening. We eventually hope to put a cement roof in this area, but temporary repairs must be undertaken immediately. We are very grateful for the roof over the cafeteria. It kept out almost all of the water. What did get in was cleaned up with a mop in a minute or two. Considering all the damage throughout the island, we are extremely thankful for the protecting hand of God upon us.

The rain has delayed Julia’s treatment (see previous blog entry). The doctor now plans to place artificial veins in her left leg to resolve the circulation problems on Thursday (tomorrow). This is a far better prognosis than the amputation which was planned. I hope to have good news tomorrow, but keep praying for her.

Pressing Health Needs

One of our church members is facing an urgent need. Julia has known the Lord for about 20 years. Until recently, she has been extremely faithful in her attendance. For the past three months she has had a foot ailment. It seems that the circulation in her left foot has been seriously impaired. Today she was admitted to a local hospital where doctors plan is to amputate her foot on Thursday unless something extraordinary occurs. She is in good spirits, but this will certainly be a difficult time for her.

Another recent addition to our church is Danny. He has been battling cancer for the past 6 years. His appetite is almost gone and his hemoglobin keeps dropping. He has received transfusions several times in the last few months. He was admitted to the hospital once again today. Blood is in short supply and most of us have already donated blood recently. Pray that the Lord will encourage Danny and use his situation to reach several family members and friends who are still unsaved.

Earlier this month, one of our teachers left the island to help meet the needs of her mother in Florida. She expected to be gone for about one month. It now appears that her stay will be at least double that time. Bill has been filling in for her since no one else was really prepared to step into the classroom. It has been a challenge to fit this unexpected work load into an already full schedule. Pray for wisdom to order each day so that the important things will be done and that the ministry here will not be hindered by either sickness or exhaustion.

We are confident that the Lord has a specific answer to each of these requests. Our wisdom points out seemingly obvious solutions, but His way is often different and always wise. Our first desire is that lives would be transformed by the Gospel. Our counsel for each person in need is to trust the Lord for His gracious provision, so that is what we are doing as well. Thank you for your prayers.

Summer Projects Coming to a Close

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Our school year began on Wednesday, August 13, just two days after the scheduled opening. The minor delay was necessary to allow for the completion of several of our summer construction projects. We praise the Lord for all His help in bringing all the details together.

First of all, He provided the funds to allow us to build the cafeteria and install floor tile in the upstairs classrooms. Second, He gave wisdom to plan and execute the plans. Third, He provided personnel to do the work.

The funds came from several years of saving funds from both the church and school. Even in our absence, the funds were laid aside. This occurred in spite of the fact that Puerto Rico’s economy has been adversely affected by poor fiscal management on the part of our island government and the added pressures of rising prices due to the inflation of oil prices. God’s people here have learned that it is a joy to give to the Lord, and they have done so sacrificially.

Planning began during our furlough as we exchanged ideas and drawings. No one has a corner on the market of good ideas, so we worked with a contractor in our church, our church’s leadership, and the members themselves. Originally the walls were not going to be done in block, but we decided on the more permanent structure to allow for better security and comfort. The work began in early May while we were still in the States; otherwise, we would never have been finished on time.

The Lord had placed a builder in our congregation during our absence. He is a man of integrity who serves the Lord through his talents. He found a helper who was faithful in showing up for work and cooperative in adjusting his schedule to suit the needs of the project. In early July, the Lord sent us a mission team that installed the roof of the cafeteria in record time.

The flooring project gave us a bit more difficulty. We had a little difficulty finding someone to install the tile, but the Lord provided the right man at just the right time. He worked with us to finish the project on time, even working on Saturdays to meet the deadline.

I have included a photo gallery to help you understand the progress God has granted. Church members, students, and parents have all commented at the amazing amount of work done in just a little over two months. Praise the Lord for His goodness!

VBS and Other Blessings

A week ago we held the closing service for our VBS. We had lots of help from the church folks in organizing and carrying out the entire program. 45 children attended throughout the week, and 9 of them trusted the Lord as their Savior! What a joy to see God bless His work. About 100 people attended our closing program.

This summer we are trying to accomplish two large projects. The first is well underway and should be finished on time. It involves the building of a cafeteria for the school. We had a small roof which did not provide adequate shade from the scorching sun. When we arrived in Ponce the cement walls were about halfway built. Over the next three weeks that phase was completed and preparation was made for the roof.

A mission team from Michigan built the roof for us from galvanized steel. They worked tirelessly for a week with the sun beating on them every day. Without complaint they moved the hot metal, cut it, and bolted it into place. At the same time the rest of the team was busy painting wall, cleaning, cutting trees, and cleaning out a vacant lot beside one of our buildings. Many of our people have commented about the love shown in these tedious and seemingly unspiritual projects, but the effect has been spiritual.

We also planned to tile the floor of our second story classrooms. We are over halfway done with the first stage, but the second step is grinding the floor down to a uniform level. That will begin on Monday. Our contractor wanted to begin on August 4, but Bill persuaded him the start a week earlier in spite of the fact the all the tile will not be down. We have a plan to make it all work, but God must bless in a special way to make all the details come together. Thank you for praying with us.

Doors of Opportunity

Two weeks ago Sunday I met Daniel and his mother Norma. They had begun attending church during our furlough. A week ago I was informed that Danny wanted to be baptized. We set up a meeting for Monday, June 23. In the meanwhile, I learned that he has been told that he has cancer and a terminal diagnosis.

When I arrived tonight, I found a full house. In addition to Danny and his mother, His father, uncle, and two family friends were there. I began by asking Danny to tell me a bit about himself. He is 34 years old, had been raised in church, but had wandered far from the Lord when he got out on his own. Nearly three years ago he awoke to find one side of his face grotesquely swollen. At the hospital he was told that he had lymphoma and would need immediate chemotherapy. After three rounds of treatment, he could not take it anymore and declined further doses.

Throughout the ordeal he thought back to his childhood instruction in the Word of God and cried out to the Lord for salvation. A second doctor advised that the cancer had spread and would require radiation. He consented, but after one treatment, he became so ill that it took a week before he could function normally. As a result, he declined further radiation.

As I spoke to him regarding the nature of saving faith, I became convinced that he has truly repented and is not merely reaching out for a cure. Since there were so many others present, I tried to include them in the explanation of the Gospel and other Scriptures used to counsel Danny. At one point I began to inquire of the others if they attend church anywhere. I found that none of them goes to church or knows the Lord. Yet each of them listened well to the entire two-hour conversation. I was able to leave them each a Gospel tract and an invitation to Danny's baptism as well as to come to church.

I was excited to see the way the Lord opened so many doors at the same time. We will be able to renew contact with each of these persons since they all live in the same general area. Pray with us for Freddy, Miguel, Wanda, and Wendy. God is able to bring them each to Himself. Pray also for Danny's physical and spiritual needs. I will be discipling him as he is able.

Back at Home

On June 6 we arrived in Ponce, PR once again. We praised the Lord for His goodness in returning us to the place that has become our home. Our hearts were especially gladdened to see three familiar faces in the crowd of waiting people. It was especially remarkable that they came since our flight arrived at 2:00 AM! We exchanged hugs and typical Christian greetings with our friends and then headed home to get some rest.

Energy costs have soared in our absence. To help control our expenses, we had already decided not to use the window AC units in our home. We have purchased some fans to increase our comfort, and the Lord is giving us grace in spite of the heat. Our overnight low temps get into the low 80s and when we are blessed they drop into the high 70s. We have to wait a while to see what the damage will be, but the bill should be manageable.

Food costs have also jumped. Milk was $4 per gallon when we left, but now it is $5.60. All other costs are significantly higher, but we are sure the Lord will provide and give us wisdom to cope. Gas is hovering just below $4 per gallon. I know you can identify with these prices since things have gone up around the world. Still it is good to know that the Lord is on the throne.

Today I began a series of messages on the book of Daniel. While 1:1 tells the historical facts of the Babylonian invasion, 1:2 tells the real tale. It says that the Lord [Adonai -- the supreme King] delivered Judah into Nebuchadnezzar's hands. Daniel is a historical case study in the sovereignty of God in the affairs of nations. Just as He controlled all that happened then, so He controls all that happens today -- both the good and the bad. It is remarkably easy to affirm that God is in control when all is well; it is an entirely different thing to declare God's sovereignty when the ungodly prosper and the people of God suffer. Yet this fact is the bedrock of Biblical truth. God's sovereignty is reality; perception is deceptive.

We are more than content to be back where we are supposed to be and to await the Lord's continued blessing. We are attempting some ambitious construction projects this summer. The school year begins in early August, so we have to be quick. We will also have several interesting ministry opportunities. A mission team will arrive July 1. They will help us with some projects and assist us in a youth rally on July 7.

Thank you for praying and helping us continue our ministry here. May God bless each one of us and use us for His glory.

God is Merciful

Praise the Lord for His mercy! Our vehicular adventure seems to be over. The mechanic has informed us that a line that runs to the auxiliary transmission cooler popped off its fitting causing the fluid to provide additional rust-proofing to the undercarriage of our van. The line is now doubly secured to prevent future mishaps.

The bottom line is that the repair came in at just under $100! God is so good! As we prepare to return to the field, the expenses are high enough without adding large repair bills to the mix. Hopefully, the transmission still has a good deal of life left in it. We will be testing it out over the next few days as we prepare for our weekend travels.

Thank you for praying for us, and many thanks to those who called or sent emails to assure us of your concern. Such circumstances are sent from God’s hand to drive us closer to Him and to make us realize how much we depend on His care. We have learned this lesson before, but it is good to review and pass the pop-quizzes.

Trusting God's Wisdom

Last evening the Lord presented us with another lesson in trusting Him. We always begin our journeys with prayer for safety, a timely arrival, and the opportunity to serve Him along the way. He has always been faithful to answer our cries, though sometimes in unanticipated ways. We attended a church in northern PA over the weekend with a Mother's Day banquet and afternoon service. It was a wonderful day, and the fellowship was great.

At 3 PM we headed south toward Altoona. As we traveled, we shared blessings of the day and the weekend. Less than 10 miles from our destination, a light began flashing on the dash. It read O/D Off. I wasn't sure why the light should be flashing, but we were nearly home, so we continued on. At the end of the exit ramp, we stopped to await a green light and noticed smoke billowing from under the van and discerned the scent of transmission fluid. If you don't know what that smells like, thank the Lord right now. Only those who have had problems recall that pungent odor.

We kept heading for Bill's parents' home, though the van was not able to accelerate as usual. Less than 1/2 a mile from our destination, the van could go no further. We parked, got a ride from a helpful neighbor, and continued praying. Later we returned to remove our luggage, then we called AAA to have the van towed to a garage. By 9:00 PM all was settled, except the knowledge of how much the repairs will cost.

Pray with us for the Lord's provision of either an economical bill or the funds necessary to make the repairs. We have noticed that the Lord has not panicked yet, so we are trying to emulate Him. Isn't it amazing that the problem did not occur while we were enroute to PA from SC? Isn't it providential that no meeting was scheduled for this Wednesday? Isn't it amazing that we were so close to "home" when the van could go no further? God is good all the time!

Back in PA

Our last meeting "down south" was in Conover, NC on Sunday evening, May 4. We had a good time visiting and sharing our ministry and then headed up the road a few hours before spending the night in a Comfort Inn that offered us a friendly rate for two rooms. The breakfast was incredible -- waffles, French toast, cereal, hard-boiled eggs, muffins, bagels, fruit, etc. That would have cost about $30 or so for our family if it had not been included in the price of the room. Praise the Lord for such blessings.

We arrived in Hershey, PA around 3 PM and began to plan for a few visits that needed to be made. Back in September, Bill led Thelma to the Lord. She speaks Spanish so the church is having difficulty in discipling her. She has also been approached and confused by Jehovah's Witnesses. Her husband still needs to be saved, so we had several reasons to visit.

On Tuesday, we were able to see Thelma and help her see Biblical truth regarding the person of Christ and the nature of salvation, but her husband was not home. On Wednesday, we returned and found Sergio. We had a very good visit which we hope will open the door for further ministry. Keep praying for this family.

On Wednesday evening we were able to visit Mountain View Bible Church and encourage them with the prospect of reaching out to Hispanic people in their area by starting an English class for adults. We hope to help them find suitable material which will help them meet a need in the Hispanic community while also evangelizing and discipling these folks.

Perhaps you need to start such a ministry in your area. You do not need to know Spanish (or any other foreign language) to teach someone to speak English. Many foreign language speakers would love to speak English since their new culture is dominated by this language. "If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost" (2 Cor. 4:3). How much more is it hidden from those with whom we cannot clearly communicate!

Ministry philosophy in foreign lands demands that missionaries learn the foreign language to communicate the Gospel clearly, but here in the States, the philosophy changes so as to teach them a social skill they desperately need (English) while giving them spiritual truth without which they cannot face eternity. If you would like additional information on starting such a course, please drop us a note. If you have some good suggestions or materials currently available, let us know that also.

Steven Graduates May 3

Steven will participate in the commencement exercises at Bob Jones University at 9:00 AM, May 3. He will still need to complete 4 courses in Summer School, but the end of the road is near. He has requested a schedule change at his job to accommodate the classes. His plans beyond graduation include marriage. No date has been set, but they hope to get those details worked out within the next couple of months. Diane is from the Greenville area. Her family attends Mt Calvary Baptist Church.

Keep praying for the Lord's direction in Steven's life. He feels inclined to a career in business, but needs the Lord's direction to find that niche that he should fill. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Return Date Set

After conferring with Dr Mark Batory at GFA, we have set June 6 as our return date. After just over a year's absence, we will finally be headed home. Everyone is excited by the prospect of unpacking our suitcases and living a more normal life than furlough affords. We have enjoyed our travels, but there is no substitute for being where God has appointed you to be.

In the interval we have meetings in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Pray with us that the Lord will use these meetings in a special way to touch the hearts of His people and to call the unconverted to Himself. Pray also that these and other furlough contacts will be led of the Lord to join our support family so that our income will be adequate to our needs.

As you know our past term was rather trying in financial terms, but the Lord has allowed us to make up ground during our travels. We still lack about $450 per month to reach 100%. We will be contacting some churches in Ohio to see if we can participate in a few missions conferences in the Fall and/or Spring to help see our support need met as well.

The Lord has provided tickets for us at just over $150 per person (all taxes and fees included). However, since there are six of us, we will still spend over $900. Another $900 will be spent in shipping our van from Jacksonville, FL to Puerto Rico, $95 more will be spent on a one-night hotel stay in Jacksonville, and $250 on a one-day van rental to take us from Jacksonville to Orlando. Nothing is free, but the Lord always provides what is needed.

Catching Up

It has been a month since I last made an entry here. Obviously, I do not "live to blog". Our travels make it interesting to find a place with a signal we can borrow and to find the time to jot a note. We have concluded our Florida journeys where we enjoyed our time greatly. It was almost like being in Puerto Rico since the weather was warmer, palm trees were everywhere, sandy soil abounded, and Spanish could be heard at regular intervals.

We continue to experience the protection of the Lord. While in Panama City, FL we faced a tornado warning in which the newscaster advised everyone in our area to seek out a safe place immediately since circulation had been reported. No tornado developed, however. Then we went to Milton, FL and again severe weather was forecast. We left there and a few weeks later were in Lady Lake. Just one year earlier a very destructive tornado had ravaged the neighborhood. Again, severe thunderstorms were announced, but seemed to dissipate before reaching us.

Then we moved on to Savannah, Georgia. A strong thunderstorm struck that Saturday night, the lights went out for several hours, and a tornado went through just 1/2 hour north of our location. The following day we went to Atlanta where a tornado had done serious damage just two days earlier. We are always amazed by the hand of God directing us and protecting us, and that is just when we know of the danger. How many times are we protected from danger that we are not even aware of?

Another evidence of God's goodness was seen in the fact that on Sunday, March 16 I (Bill) came down with a chest cold that left me with a voice barely stronger than a whisper. Isn't it amazing that we should have a break in our schedule from then until Sunday, March 30. By then, I should be recovered sufficiently to preach. I thought I would be able to attend the Bible Conference at Bob Jones University last week, but the cold made speaking so difficult that I decided rest would be a better option. No, I was not a speaker at the conference. It's just that I met so many people I know on campus the one day that I did attend a service, that my voice suffered from the many conversations. I'm doing much better now. Praise the Lord!

Steven also needed some help in these days. He had lost his previous car in an accident, so we set out to find a suitable replacement. We found a Ford Taurus at an auction which should serve him well for a good while. It needs a little repair, but the problems are minor. Unfortunately, even minor repairs tend to be expensive. The Lord also provided a job for Steven which we hope will allow him opportunity to fully support himself. He will finish his college degree in summer school, but will be allowed to march in May. We are looking forward to being on hand to celebrate his achievement.

Congratulations, Dr. Dad!

On February 16, Bill’s dad returned from another of his overseas journeys. He is the director of Way of Truth Ministries and frequently travels to encourage missionaries and promote worldwide evangelism. He has made such trips since the mid-80s. This latest journey took him to India where he encourage several native pastors with whom he has labored over the past 7 years or so.

In spite of being delayed for several days due to weather, they arrived at a Bible college graduation at which Dad was to preach. He barely had time to don his gown and join the procession. As the diplomas were being handed out, Dad was asked to come to the platform once again. The host pastor and Bible college director then presented him with an honorary doctorate in consideration of all his labors to promote the work of the Gospel there and around the world.

Congratulations, Dad! You have and continue to labor for the cause of the Gospel in spite of many obstacles. May God grant you many more years and much more energy to do the work He has called you to do.

Support Progress

The Lord has continued to move us along toward our goal of returning to Puerto Rico. At present we lack $450 of monthly support. We are eager to see these funds come is as God prompts people’s hearts. Most of our increases are due to our supporters extending their commitment to our ministry. We have been in many churches that do not support us yet, and we are hopeful to hear from some of these as we draw our travels to a close.

We are currently in Florida. Our meetings with supporters have been very encouraging. We will soon visit some new contacts as well. Our hope and prayer is to return to the island by June of this year. Pray with us that this will be granted for God’s glory.

A Great Book on Job

I have been reading Beyond Suffering by Dr. Layton Talbert. This book is a study on the book of Job. The author makes the point that so many of us know only the beginning and end of the book and rarely do anything with the bulk of the book other than mining it for pithy sayings and proof texts. He explores these conversations between Job and his friends to help us understand the true message of Job. Below is are a few quotes from this book to whet your appetite for reading a truly enlightening study.

“Here is the core of comfort in the message of Job: beyond suffering, past our pain and loss, is a God Who is not only all-knowing and omnipotent, sovereign and free to do as He chooses but also always good and just, loving and wise, purposeful and perfect in all that He chooses to do or to allow—and intimately aware of all its effects on us” (Preface, xi).

“Robert Bell notes perceptively, ‘Satan would have us believe that God is not fair, yet we seldom consider the cruelty of the devil. I have never met anyone bitter about what Satan has done to him, but I have met many who were bitter toward God’” (p. 39).

“At the root of God’s dealings with fallen people is His intention to display dimensions of His character to a spiritual world that we never see and rarely consider” (p. 42).

“Job suffered to prove, among other things, that there are people who serve God “for nothing” other than for Who He is, people who worship God “without cause” (1:9) even when they suffer “without cause” (2:3)” (p. 45).

The book is full of helpful insights into our own lives and to the character of God that help to give meaning to experiences that seem to contradict what the Word so clearly teaches us about God. This book is available through Bob Jones University Press or on Amazon.com.

Summer Projects

This summer we are planning an ambitious list of projects in Ponce. With only two months to pack in all the necessary labor, advance planning is a must. However, long distance planning can complicate those plans. Due to our furlough, of course, we are not in Ponce, but we do have good folks there who help in organizing the details.

First, we will install terrazzo tile in the upstairs classrooms. This project has been delayed for at least 13 years due to other pressing matters. The rough texture of the floors makes cleaning a very difficult chore. After the tiling is done, maintenance will be much easier.

The second project is covering the area where the school students eat their lunch. This will also give us additional space for activities and protection from the weather. Torrential rains make lunch a less than pleasant experience in this expose area.

Final details of both projects should be in hand shortly. Funding will come from the school as well as the church. We are always glad to see our projects handled with our own funds. It is a faith-building experience. In July we also have a work team coming to help us ensure that the projects will be done so that classes may begin in early August. Keep these plans and projects in your prayers.

Heading South

On February 7, we headed even further south to Panama City, Florida. We are hosted by our good friends at Grace Baptist Church. They have always been very gracious hosts. We look forward to being with them for a few weeks as we visit several churches in that area.

Pray for the Pastor’s wife. Mrs. Curtis had hip replacement surgery yesterday and will need special prayer during the recovery stage. Pray that the Lord would prevent infection and allow her to regain mobility. She has suffered excruciating pain for some time and is trusting that the surgery will allow her to resume her former activities soon.

You may also pray for our health. Nathan and Matthew have colds which could easily spread to the rest of us. It’s so much easier to travel and visit with folks when you actually feel good.

Pray also for Steven to find a job soon. He has a few good contacts which may result in jobs and will be attending a job fair shortly. He hopes to make some good contacts there if not before. It is a bit frustrating to want to work and not find the right openings in the market place. We know that the Lord can do amazing things, so pray to that end. Most of all, we want him to have the job that the Lord has in mind for him.

Happy to Be Here

We are now located at Happy Acres Missionary Transit Center in Woodstock, GA. This is a marvelous facility dedicated to short-term housing for missionaries on furlough or deputation. They have a two-story building with various accommodations. We are occupying three rooms. The room Teresa and I share has a kitchenette which is very convenient.

The kids have a place to do their school work in their bedroom, a library and a sitting room, and I can get some office work done while they do so. We also have had opportunity to have some family fun time. It is amazing that though we are together most of the time that does not mean that family time is a regular item on the calendar. Most family time is spent in the car as we travel from one church to another. We are also enjoying some time to read and catch up on correspondence. The holidays put us a little behind in that department.

Praise the Lord for this merciful provision and the meetings we will participate in while here. That got off to a rocky start as two meetings had to be rescheduled due to conflicts. But the Lord was again gracious as both meetings were repositioned. The “down-time” has allowed us to visit a couple of churches we may not have visited otherwise. These have been refreshing to us as well.

Progress Toward Our Goal

We began furlough May 23, 2007 with a significant support deficit and a worrisome personal debt. So far we have made progress on both accounts. Our debt has been reduced due to a generous gift from a family member. We still have one more hurdle in that direction and need to raise the funds to eliminate this problem. The benefit will be a reduction in our operating budget making our monthly support goal more attainable.

Support has also increased. So far three supporting churches have increased their commitment by a total of $225. Several other supporters are considering similar action while some of our new contacts are weighing adding us to their list of supported ministries.

We need to raise an additional $600 per month to be fully supported. GFA has a sensible requirement of 100% for returning missionaries. This makes a lot of sense when you consider the volatility of our economy here and abroad. Pray with us that this goal will be reached soon so that we will be able to actively plan our return to PR.

Steven’s Situation

Our oldest son, Steven, is just 12 credits from finishing his bachelor’s degree at Bob Jones University. As a result he is finishing his final semester by correspondence. Since the close of the fall semester, the Lord has provided a car and lodging, but a job is still needed. Until he can afford the expense we will be helping with his apartment costs.

We are certain the Lord has a special niche for him, but finding that job can be a daunting prospect. He has the advantage of knowing three languages, but lacks any significant experience. Many jobs he is interested in require the experience he does not yet have. Pray with us for his prompt hiring.