A Shocking Response

I had a rather surprising reaction on Tuesday evening. A group of us were going from house to house sharing the Gospel. It was dark but there are plenty of street lights. I was approaching a home which has a wooden door with a decorative, oval-shaped window. As I walked up the sidewalk, I noticed a woman (probably in her early 60s) seated on the opposite side of the room. She saw me at the same time, jumped out of her seat and came running to the door. The door slammed shut, though I had not even noticed it was open until that moment. As the boom of the closing door echoed, a metallic or glass object hit the floor just inside the door. I called out that she needn't be alarmed since I was just offering her a Gospel tract. She was so upset I just left the tract at the door and walked away. Meanwhile two other women inside the home began laughing uncontrollably. As I visited the next two homes, I could still hear the laughter. I can honestly say I have never provoked such a response at any other visit.

The Hope of All People

On Sunday, December 9, I preached on Luke 1:5-25. The message highlighted the various groups or individuals mentioned in the text and how the expectation of the coming Messiah impacted them. God describes Zachariah and Elizabeth as just or saved. This declaration of righteous standing before God is characteristic of all who by faith receive God's offer of salvation. The demonstration of their righteousness is their faithful observance of God's law. In other words, this is the fruit not the root of their salvation. The sincere expectation of this couple for the Messiah is overshadowed by their personal frustration in not having a child. The angel, Gabriel, informs them of God's special blessing in giving them a child. Naturally speaking there is no way this can be. Zachariah expresses his lack of faith in this promise and is rebuked by Gabriel. It seems that Gabriel cannot believe that Zachariah cannot believe this word from Jehovah God. The angels of God had lived for all eternity with the expectation of the Messiah's arrival. Knowing that John was to announce the arrival of the Messiah, the angels are eager to see God's plan unfold. Gabriel's surprise at Zachariah's doubt is indicative of his complete confidence in the message God have given him. Certainly our confidence in the Word should be equally resolute. So many of God's promises have been fulfilled, we should never doubt His ability and determination to keep His Word. The Christmas story should remind us of the Messiah's Second Coming. Included in the promises for this and subsequent events are both enjoyable and terrifying promises. Considering this, Peter asks, "What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?" (2 Peter 3:11). May God's promises inspire holy living in each of us and a desire to reach the lost with the Good News of Salvation.

Good News!

Good News is what the Gospel is. The good news becomes still better when it brings conviction and salvation to a heart. We have seen 3 people trust the Lord in recent days. Pray for the spiritual growth of these three young ladies.

We have started a children's Bible club on Thursday evenings. Our attendances so far have been 25 and 22. We are excited to see our youth group take the lead in this ministry. Our desire is to see souls saved and whole families added to the church.

Chu is a member whose health is steadily failing. He has cancer and has been through the treatments, but to no avail. He is ready to meet the Lord and is waiting His timing.

The spirit of our church is good. We are anticipating the Lord's continued blessing and covet your prayers to that end.

Our daughter Bethany will be marrying Chester Ortiz on May 30. We will begin marriage counseling soon. They desire to serve the Lord together and are already being used of the Lord in several ministries here. Pray for them in these days of planning and preparation.

Tidbits from PR

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Many Are the Afflictions of the Righteous

Three of our faithful church members are facing serious health concerns. Chu has been diagnosed with cancer in various parts of his body. He has begun chemo and radiation. This is his second time through this battle. He had previously faced a colon bypass but has been fine for several years.

His sister Ana has been having problems with high blood pressure. She has undergone a battery of tests and is scheduled for a catherization. Her husband Efrain is also facing problems with blood pressure. They are handling things pretty well, but it's hard for them to understand why this is happening to the three of them at the same time.

Pray also for Milagros who is in the 7th month of a high-risk pregnancy. She has followed doctor's orders as best she can with two small children to care for. Her husband Jorge has been without work for a while as well.

Our final request is for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on our outreach efforts and our church family. We yearn to see God work in hard hearts to the praise of His glory.

Steven and Diane

On Friday, October 16, our son Steven married Diane Ashcraft. We were able to make the trip and be on hand from Monday (the 12th) until Saturday. Most of the preparations were done before our arrival, but we were able to help on some of the details. The ceremony featured Elwood Sr as the officiating minister. Teresa's aunt made a beautiful wedding cake and lots of sweets. Everything went well as we welcomed a second daughter into the family.

On Saturday morning, Steven awoke to severe abdominal pain. He soon realized that the pain was increasing, so he had Diane take him to the hospital. The diagnosis was a kidney stone! He has never had kidney stones before, but thankfully it passed and they were able to resume the honeymoon later in the day.

We enjoyed being with family once again and even got to see our 4-month-old nephew for the first time. Our return to Puerto Rico was a smooth trip with no unexpected difficulties. Praise the Lord for His goodness.

On to the Reward

A long-time member of our congregation has graduated to Glory. Julia was 86 years old and had dealt with uncontrolled diabetes for many years. Her conversion 20+ years ago produced a profound change in her life. She was a joyful believer with a ready smile. For many years she rarely missed a service. In the last two years of her life she was rarely able to get to church due to her many ailments, including the amputation of one leg. On Friday morning she fell and broke her hip on her good leg. Over the next 48 hours or so, she suffered multiple heart attacks as well as respiratory and kidney failure. The end came mercifully at 12:15 AM today. We will have a service to celebrate her life and undying faith on Tuesday evening.

Summer has disappeared in a swirl of projects and activities. We hosted a mission team from Ohio, held VBS, installed flooring and a new stairway, painted, patched, repaired, etc. We are very grateful for the Lord’s gracious provision for these projects but especially for the 6 or so children who trusted Christ during VBS. Praise the Lord!

In July our family slipped away for a week of much-needed vacation. To help us relax we took a 5 hour hike to the top of the El Yunque Rainforest. It rained throughout the day, but we really enjoyed the wonderful sights and the chance to be together in a no-pressure situation. The balance of our week allowed us to take in a variety of other natural sights around the island.

On Tuesday, August 11 our school year began. We have 54 students at present which is a drop of nearly a dozen from last year. We are trusting the Lord for wisdom to use our resources wisely and trying to make this our best year ever. Several secret activities are being planned to add enthusiasm, and we are praying and working diligently toward a better spiritual year. We will appreciate your prayer support.

Pray also for some recent decisions made by folks in our church. It is encouraging to see people take action against spiritual lethargy and sin. The Word of God is an all-powerful antidote to the many diseases of a sin-sick soul. We long to see that Word transform lives and rejoice with every fresh evidence of its miraculous power.

An Encouraging Word

Praise the Lord for good friends! Our hearts have been encouraged by a number of thoughtful people in recent days. Most of the time this has come in the form of an assurance of prayer or the wish of the Lord’s blessing. Two people from our church here in Ponce have ministered to us in this way at very appropriate moments. We have also received some correspondence and a phone call or two which have had the same effect.

The Word and prayer have also ministered to our souls. Psalm 61:1-2 says, “Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” This has been our heart’s cry on many occasions in the recent past. What a privilege to carry our burdens to the Lord in prayer!

Our close friends and missionary colleagues, the Schmidts, had to leave the island in recent days due to circumstances in the States. We shared with them the encouragement that had come to us in such timely ways and saw it minister to them as well. 2 Corinthians 1:4 declares that trials come our way to teach us about the comfort of the Lord so that we in turn may share that comfort with others who are passing through difficult times. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness.

At 2 AM on June 12 a mission team from Bethany Baptist Church in Ohio arrived. Their flight has been rescheduled and delayed by weather several times. They were in good spirits even after when we arrived in Ponce at 4 AM. Needless to say, we let them sleep in a bit. Both the team and our family fought sickness throughout their stay, but they still accomplished an amazing list of tasks and ministries. Above all their attitudes were great and their cooperation could not have been better! They were extremely thoughtful as they ministered in public and in secret to build up the church. Many thanks to all who gave, to those who planned, and to all who participated in this team.

Our VBS begins July 6. Pray for children to respond to the invitations and for the Lord’s gracious working in their hearts. Bible school is always an exciting time. We trust it will be so for our church as well as those who visit with us.

Thank you for your prayers on our behalf.

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.