This is finals week at BJU. Nathan has several exams he would like you to remember to pray about. On Monday he has Calculus 2 and needs an A to preserve his grade. On Thursday is his Geometry test which is also important for him to do well on. He departs from Greenville on Friday morning and will arrive here at 1:30 PM EST. We are all excited since we have not seen him for a whole year.
This week we visited a gentleman who fell from his roof the Sunday before Thanksgiving and nearly died as a result. He has some memory loss and some behavioral abnormalities. Jaime is also in need of Christ. His mind is not clear enough yet to truly understand the Gospel. His wife was very attentive during our visit. She claims to be saved but has drifted away for the Lord. She promised to be in church today and kept her word and brought her husband along! After the service Margaret spoke to me about her need to get right with the Lord. Keep both of these folks in your prayers.
A few weeks ago I mentioned a young man who visited the church who has an ongoing drug problem. He has a court hearing tomorrow, but we are not praying for him to get away with anything. Rather our request is that the Lord would do whatever it might take to bring him to true repentance. I'll not mention his name, but would appreciate your prayers.
Chu is still battling cancer. He is at home and receiving hospice care. His spirit is good, but he is unable to get out to church. His kidneys have resumed their duties after a complete shutdown a few weeks ago. We did some Christmas caroling at his home last week to ensure he does not feel left out.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
RAIN!!!
For the past week we have had rain, rain, rain. The hurricane Tomas did not strike us directly, but it has left us soaked and more rain is on the way. On Friday evening the streets were all flooded with water covering the curbs. Youth meeting was poorly attended as a result. In addition two young ladies were absent because their mother was in the hospital due to severe asthma. Esperanza has a chronic and severe problem with asthma. Please pray for her.
Herminia is recovering from shoulder surgery. She will be laid up for a while before she is able to get around comfortably.
Pray also for Alvino. He heard the Gospel last Tuesday and was very receptive. Several others showed interest in the tracts we gave them, though we were unable to have an extended conversation with them. We are trusting the Lord to do His work in these lives.
Herminia is recovering from shoulder surgery. She will be laid up for a while before she is able to get around comfortably.
Pray also for Alvino. He heard the Gospel last Tuesday and was very receptive. Several others showed interest in the tracts we gave them, though we were unable to have an extended conversation with them. We are trusting the Lord to do His work in these lives.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Teen Meeting
Last Friday we hosted a youth meeting in our home. We've been averaging about 8 to 10 each Friday, but this last meeting was attended by about 22 people (including our family). At least one of these was an unsaved teen. He also came to church on Sunday! Pray for Kevin to respond to the Spirit's prompting. We enjoyed some good food, good Scripture songs, Bible study, and some fun and games. Everyone had a great time. It was good to have such a break out attendance, but our desire is for the Lord to reach each teen at the point of his or her greatest need. Pray with us.
One of our church members suffered a serious fall last week. Herminia is 79 and rather weak. Her episode of imbalance caused her to break her right arm and shoulder in 3 places. The accident occurred last Wednesday, surgery was on Thursday, and she was sent home Friday morning. She is rather sore and somewhat discouraged. Teresa visited her in the hospital on Thursday evening just after we found out about the fall. I was on my way to pick up folks for the midweek service, so I didn't get to see her until Sunday afternoon. She will be sidelined for a bit, but we hope to encourage her to keep trusting in the Lord for strength.
One of our church members suffered a serious fall last week. Herminia is 79 and rather weak. Her episode of imbalance caused her to break her right arm and shoulder in 3 places. The accident occurred last Wednesday, surgery was on Thursday, and she was sent home Friday morning. She is rather sore and somewhat discouraged. Teresa visited her in the hospital on Thursday evening just after we found out about the fall. I was on my way to pick up folks for the midweek service, so I didn't get to see her until Sunday afternoon. She will be sidelined for a bit, but we hope to encourage her to keep trusting in the Lord for strength.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Additional Prayer Requests
The past few weeks have yielded some excellent contacts. Please pray for the following:
Sharon -- She needs to be saved but has many questions. We contacted her through our visitation program. She cares for her elderly mother and does not get out much, but the Lord allowed us to share the Gospel with her in detail. We hope to renew contact with her soon.
Andrés -- He attended our school years ago. As an adult he faces a number of problems and questions that trouble him. He came by the office today and we talked for well over an hour. He knows the Gospel, but wants to resolve certain questions. Pray that he will trust Christ soon.
Javier -- The Lord lead us to him tonight on visitation. He could have made many excuses, but the Lord had planted a seed of interest in him that caused him to want to listen. Teresa and I shared the Gospel with him and exhorted him to trust Christ.
God is working in hearts. Problems are a part of each of these stories. These difficulties are the backdrop on which the mercy and love of God shine brightly. Praise the Lord for drawing souls out of the darkness into His marvelous light.
Sharon -- She needs to be saved but has many questions. We contacted her through our visitation program. She cares for her elderly mother and does not get out much, but the Lord allowed us to share the Gospel with her in detail. We hope to renew contact with her soon.
Andrés -- He attended our school years ago. As an adult he faces a number of problems and questions that trouble him. He came by the office today and we talked for well over an hour. He knows the Gospel, but wants to resolve certain questions. Pray that he will trust Christ soon.
Javier -- The Lord lead us to him tonight on visitation. He could have made many excuses, but the Lord had planted a seed of interest in him that caused him to want to listen. Teresa and I shared the Gospel with him and exhorted him to trust Christ.
God is working in hearts. Problems are a part of each of these stories. These difficulties are the backdrop on which the mercy and love of God shine brightly. Praise the Lord for drawing souls out of the darkness into His marvelous light.
August Prayer Letter
Thank you for keeping us in your prayers. We have weathered a very busy summer filled with work and blessings. Our Christian school was able to acquire better desks for the students from another school which no longer needed these furnishings. We had to make five trips across town to move everything. The heavier furniture had to be lifted by forklift to the second floor. Those were exhausting days, but the Lord brought us through them without injury. A new coat of paint was needed on many of the walls, so that occupied several weeks.
In late June we held our Vacation Bible School. We set attendance records nearly every day and ended with a good crowd on Friday evening. Four children professed faith in Christ, and others spoke with their teachers regarding questions and decisions they needed to make.
July 5 through 9 was the week for youth and children’s camp. Churches from around the island brought over 100 campers. At least 6 salvation decisions resulted and a number of other decisions were also recorded. Praise the Lord for continuing to touch young hearts.
Our outreach program has moved into a new neighborhood, Santa Teresita. We are trying to make sure that every home in this area is contacted, so the effort will span several weeks. Some excellent contacts have resulted. Erick attended on a Thursday evening just after we spoke with him in his home. He claims to know the Lord, but he needs to grow in many areas. Sharon listened attentively as the Gospel message was explained to her. She is very open but has not yet trusted Christ.
This past Sunday morning (Aug. 15) I changed the format of the morning service to be more interactive. We had a “conversation” regarding the excuses we often present for not being involved in fulfilling the Great Commission. It was encouraging to hear people honestly express their concerns and then answer each of these from the Word of God. Our desire is to energize the church to be faithful in giving out the Word so that others may find Christ through us.
Our support has been steady until recently. Our school has been helping us financially, but the enrollment will not allow this any longer. The church continues to do what it can for our family. Also two churches that played a significant role in our support have had to discontinue their support due to financial pressures of their own. As a result our support level has declined to below 90%. Pray with us for the wisdom to adjust to these changes. We have no personal debt other than our home mortgage. Our car, though 10 years old, continues to provide faithful service. It needed several repairs over the summer, but that is much better than a car payment. These are trying days, but the Lord often works most amazingly when the needs are most pressing. May each of us be faithful to our Lord and not complain about the difficulties.
Thank you for standing by us in love, prayer, and support.
In late June we held our Vacation Bible School. We set attendance records nearly every day and ended with a good crowd on Friday evening. Four children professed faith in Christ, and others spoke with their teachers regarding questions and decisions they needed to make.
July 5 through 9 was the week for youth and children’s camp. Churches from around the island brought over 100 campers. At least 6 salvation decisions resulted and a number of other decisions were also recorded. Praise the Lord for continuing to touch young hearts.
Our outreach program has moved into a new neighborhood, Santa Teresita. We are trying to make sure that every home in this area is contacted, so the effort will span several weeks. Some excellent contacts have resulted. Erick attended on a Thursday evening just after we spoke with him in his home. He claims to know the Lord, but he needs to grow in many areas. Sharon listened attentively as the Gospel message was explained to her. She is very open but has not yet trusted Christ.
This past Sunday morning (Aug. 15) I changed the format of the morning service to be more interactive. We had a “conversation” regarding the excuses we often present for not being involved in fulfilling the Great Commission. It was encouraging to hear people honestly express their concerns and then answer each of these from the Word of God. Our desire is to energize the church to be faithful in giving out the Word so that others may find Christ through us.
Our support has been steady until recently. Our school has been helping us financially, but the enrollment will not allow this any longer. The church continues to do what it can for our family. Also two churches that played a significant role in our support have had to discontinue their support due to financial pressures of their own. As a result our support level has declined to below 90%. Pray with us for the wisdom to adjust to these changes. We have no personal debt other than our home mortgage. Our car, though 10 years old, continues to provide faithful service. It needed several repairs over the summer, but that is much better than a car payment. These are trying days, but the Lord often works most amazingly when the needs are most pressing. May each of us be faithful to our Lord and not complain about the difficulties.
Thank you for standing by us in love, prayer, and support.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Spring Stirrings
About 6 weeks ago the Lord took an 85 year old saint to Himself. María came to know her Savior in the final years of her life, but she gave a great testimony to a life redeemed from sin. Most of her family has followed Catholicism just as she did for many years. However, the death of María started something special. One of her believing daughters came back to the island to speak with each member of her family regarding salvation. She and her son saw two family members trust the Lord in the week of their visit. Those who believed brought the rest of the family to our church, and in recent weeks two more have trusted Christ.
We will soon start a discipleship class to instruct each of these new converts. Pray with us for Iris, Ana, Elba, and Virgen as well as other family members who still need to trust Christ for salvation. Jorge is one who needs the Lord. He is 86 years old and is still trusting in his own good works. Pray that the Word which he heard will enlighten him to his true need of a Savior.
Pray also for our school. Our numbers are very low so we need to see the Lord provide students for the upcoming school year. Also pray for Teresa’s recovery from a burn she recently received. It is a first degree burn, but it is on her right foot. The location makes healing problematic.
Nathan is finishing his second semester at Bob Jones and is doing very well. He plans to work at the school this summer, so we probably will not see him until Christmas. Everyone else is doing well, and we thank you for praying for us.
We will soon start a discipleship class to instruct each of these new converts. Pray with us for Iris, Ana, Elba, and Virgen as well as other family members who still need to trust Christ for salvation. Jorge is one who needs the Lord. He is 86 years old and is still trusting in his own good works. Pray that the Word which he heard will enlighten him to his true need of a Savior.
Pray also for our school. Our numbers are very low so we need to see the Lord provide students for the upcoming school year. Also pray for Teresa’s recovery from a burn she recently received. It is a first degree burn, but it is on her right foot. The location makes healing problematic.
Nathan is finishing his second semester at Bob Jones and is doing very well. He plans to work at the school this summer, so we probably will not see him until Christmas. Everyone else is doing well, and we thank you for praying for us.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Prayer Letter Spring 2010
It may surprise you to learn that colds and the flu affect us in the tropics, but such is the case. Bill has been fighting a cold for the past 3 weeks with coughing spells interrupting the preaching. However, some of our best attendance numbers have occurred during this past month. Our goal for the year is to be over 70 on Sunday mornings. We started the year with about 45, but have climbed back into the 60s and hit 72 on one Sunday.
In recent weeks we have added 3 new members to the congregation. They have attended for a time, but now wish to take a more active role in the ministry. This is encouraging since other members seem to have tired. The faithfulness of other members is exemplary. One of our ladies participates regularly in door-to-door visitation inspite of a serious heart condition. Praise the Lord for each one who does their part to move the ministry forward.
Another exciting factor has been the number of folks who have responded to recent invitations to be a more consistent witness for Christ. Certainly this is the key to any significant growth. If everyone waits for the pastor to “bring them in,” little will be accomplished. It is refreshing to see God’s people become more aware of their need to serve the Lord in a tangible way. Many are taking tracts and returning with testimonies of God’s using them in others’ lives.
On March 13 we visited a public housing complex to share the Gospel. Several extended conversations concerning the Gospel resulted. Though no one made a profession of faith at that time, we trust that some will do so soon. Pray especially for Abraham, a young man of about 15 years of age who was very close to making a decision.
The church and school continue to be as frugal as possible since funds are down. Still, we have been able to help some missionaries in Haiti, a member with medical needs, and several other special projects. We have a few folks who are out of work and would appreciate your prayers for this important need.
Pray also about the upcoming school year. It’s always an adventure of faith as we wait to see how many students we will have. We really need to improve from the 53 current students. Our low enrollment has been a trial for us, but the Lord has allowed us to faithfully meet our obligations inspite of the delinquency of several accounts. Pray that these will be caught up soon so that improvements can be made to the students’ work area.
The Gospel is going out faithfully. Pray with us for the results that only the Lord can give. Our heart yearns to see the “fence-sitters” turn to the Lord in faith and receive forgiveness and new life. Prayer is the key, and we count heavily on your prayer support.
In recent weeks we have added 3 new members to the congregation. They have attended for a time, but now wish to take a more active role in the ministry. This is encouraging since other members seem to have tired. The faithfulness of other members is exemplary. One of our ladies participates regularly in door-to-door visitation inspite of a serious heart condition. Praise the Lord for each one who does their part to move the ministry forward.
Another exciting factor has been the number of folks who have responded to recent invitations to be a more consistent witness for Christ. Certainly this is the key to any significant growth. If everyone waits for the pastor to “bring them in,” little will be accomplished. It is refreshing to see God’s people become more aware of their need to serve the Lord in a tangible way. Many are taking tracts and returning with testimonies of God’s using them in others’ lives.
On March 13 we visited a public housing complex to share the Gospel. Several extended conversations concerning the Gospel resulted. Though no one made a profession of faith at that time, we trust that some will do so soon. Pray especially for Abraham, a young man of about 15 years of age who was very close to making a decision.
The church and school continue to be as frugal as possible since funds are down. Still, we have been able to help some missionaries in Haiti, a member with medical needs, and several other special projects. We have a few folks who are out of work and would appreciate your prayers for this important need.
Pray also about the upcoming school year. It’s always an adventure of faith as we wait to see how many students we will have. We really need to improve from the 53 current students. Our low enrollment has been a trial for us, but the Lord has allowed us to faithfully meet our obligations inspite of the delinquency of several accounts. Pray that these will be caught up soon so that improvements can be made to the students’ work area.
The Gospel is going out faithfully. Pray with us for the results that only the Lord can give. Our heart yearns to see the “fence-sitters” turn to the Lord in faith and receive forgiveness and new life. Prayer is the key, and we count heavily on your prayer support.
Monday, January 25, 2010
News to Pray About
The Lord continues to work in hearts. On Sunday (Jan 24) I preached on the "God of all Comfort" from 2 Corinthians 1:1-5. The text presents the truth that trouble comes our way in order to drive us to the source of true consolation (encouragement, help, strengthening). From there the comfort spreads from the comforted believer to others who are troubled. However, the process depends on the willingness of comforted believers to reach out to their hurting brethren. Too often the comfort is interrupted by our unwillingness to invest in others. A good number of folks responded to the appeal to seek comfort in God, instead of seeking it in man-made substitutes. Others vowed to make themselves available to God to comfort others with the same comfort they have already received. Praise the Lord for the power of the Word.
Anita is still awaiting heart surgery. The insurance company is stalling the paperwork, but we still believe God is in control and that the delay serves a purpose. Pray with us that the surgery will become available at the right moment. Her brother Jesús (or Chu) is still in therapy for his cancer. He is feeling well in spite of the fact that the cancer has spread throughout his body. He is still joyful and awaiting the Lord's continued goodness. Both of these dear saints are a blessing to our church.
Pray for the unity of our congregation. There are many issues that the enemy would like to use to divide us, but greater is He that is in [us] than he that is in the world.
Anita is still awaiting heart surgery. The insurance company is stalling the paperwork, but we still believe God is in control and that the delay serves a purpose. Pray with us that the surgery will become available at the right moment. Her brother Jesús (or Chu) is still in therapy for his cancer. He is feeling well in spite of the fact that the cancer has spread throughout his body. He is still joyful and awaiting the Lord's continued goodness. Both of these dear saints are a blessing to our church.
Pray for the unity of our congregation. There are many issues that the enemy would like to use to divide us, but greater is He that is in [us] than he that is in the world.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Updates for 2010
Today, we had a good service. The message was taken from 1 Thessalonians 1:3 and titled, "What God Knows About You." The three main points were Your Work of Faith, Your Labor of Love, and Your Perseverance in the Hope of our Lord Jesus Christ. The message was a challenge to serve the Lord with all our strength in 2010. At the close of the service about 20 people came forward to consecrate themselves to serve the Lord! It was a good assortment of teens, adults, and senior citizens. We need a good boost to start this year off fresh. Pray with us that we will indeed see a revival in this important area.
Please, pray for our oldest son, Steven. He has had a kidney stone, several bouts of flu this Fall and in recent days a seizure. The Lord continues to provide for he and Diane, but they would appreciate your prayers concerning these health needs. Like so many who face repeated tests, they need to be encouraged to continue in well-doing without becoming discouraged.
Chu is responding well to chemotherapy. He finishes treatment on January 18 and will then face renewed testing to determine what he needs next. He continues in good spirits and is feeling well. His sister Anita is awaiting a doctor's appointment later this month to see when she will be able to have the surgery to open her clogged arteries. Some of her blood vessels have up to an 85% blockage. The church has been taking up special offerings to help with expenses. The next doctor's visit should help confirm the amount needed to obtain the necessary help. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.
Please, pray for our oldest son, Steven. He has had a kidney stone, several bouts of flu this Fall and in recent days a seizure. The Lord continues to provide for he and Diane, but they would appreciate your prayers concerning these health needs. Like so many who face repeated tests, they need to be encouraged to continue in well-doing without becoming discouraged.
Chu is responding well to chemotherapy. He finishes treatment on January 18 and will then face renewed testing to determine what he needs next. He continues in good spirits and is feeling well. His sister Anita is awaiting a doctor's appointment later this month to see when she will be able to have the surgery to open her clogged arteries. Some of her blood vessels have up to an 85% blockage. The church has been taking up special offerings to help with expenses. The next doctor's visit should help confirm the amount needed to obtain the necessary help. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
