February Update

These first two months of the new year has been full of good things to share with you. Here are some pictures of the highlights.

A new Gospel outreach has started in a neighboring village about 15 minutes walk from here. Our three teachers are teaching every night Monday – Friday. The interested group is small but that’s okay. Planted seeds are always small. Pray for stamina for the teachers and that the hearers won’t get tired of coming.

 

 

 

 

Bible studies in our home are still well attended.

 

 

 

Interest in the Dom New Testament is slowly growing. Many of the believers already have their copies but the requests are trickling in especially from young people such as these four. An eternal investment in the next generation.

 

 

 

 

 

No use having Scriptures when people cannot read. Literacy is a vital part of our ministry. The young people learn to read their own language quickly but many of the older generation struggle. We have seen much progress made through Judy’s tutoring.

 

 

In 2010 a massive land slip toppled our house (we’ve since rebuilt just a few yards down the road). The church building also took a hit and although it didn’t fall over it had been slowly listing to one side to the point where no one felt safe meeting inside it. Late last year the believers took the church building down in order to rebuild elsewhere. Lots of work went into preparing the new site for rebuilding. It will be a big blessing to have a meeting house again complete with desks and chalk board for Dom literacy and Sunday services and weeknight Bible studies. It is close enough to our house that we can run a wire underground to the church.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We first tried meeting in our house but soon outgrew that. Then we have been meeting in the conference housing  which is ok, but we were outgrowing that too! (This is where Bapka has been living since his house burnt down January last year, so sometimes awkward).

Our coworker Gerolf is hard at work learning Dom language and culture. His goal is to obtain fluency by the end of the year. Please pray for his progress.

We praise the Lord and rejoice for all that is happening here in the Dom. We thank you all in advance for your continued prayers and support through 2018.

On a more personal note Jim’s father, soon to be 93 years of age, is beginning to fail as Alzheimer disease progresses. Please pray for him and Jim’s oldest sister who is his caretaker. Pray for Jim as it is hard being so far away.

We are both now in our 60’s (how did that happen?) and feeling it more and more. Please pray for continued health and energy to keep up with the demands of our ministry here.

Pray for our many believers and church leaders that they may grow in grace and truth.