All our adventures as missionaries, past and present.

MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 04-18-2005

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Greetings! Quiet day today, so I reckoned I’d better take advantage of it to send an update. We were home this weekend for the very simple reason that I couldn’t line up any meetings for April 17, try as I might. Not a problem, tho’, because it’s nice to get a break from meetings in order to be in your home church once in a while, and to get caught up on the stuff (translation: laundry and yard work) piling up in your absence at home.

Week before last, we were in Gethsemene Baptist Church in Walnut Ridge, AR. This is Kyle Guimon’s hometown and boyhood church, and is where his parents attend. It was a very good church, and it was a great encouragement to us just being there. Derek Collins has a real heart for his community, and for soulwinning, as does his church. 97 have been saved through their ministry in the last year, which is a prodigious achievement. God is plainly at work there, and the people are joyful to be a part of it. Since they’re the only ones doing any kind of community outreach, with the exception of the Jehovah’s Witnesses (and they don’t count), they have been tagged with the derisive term of “Walkers”. Walkers, indeed! You know, the LORD needs some more Walkers out there, folks who will get out and do the daunting task of sowing the gospel seed. They’re doing it in Walnut Ridge, and it’s clearly bearing fruit. While there, we got to visit with the Guimons and be an encouragement to them. We’ll be heading back to Walnut Ridge in June for their missions conference, so we’ll get to spend more time with these wonderful people and their great pastor and wife then.

You’ve no doubt heard by now of the Guimon’s house fire over in Uganda, so be in prayer for them. It wasn’t a total loss or anything, but it did do about $6000 worth of damage, and the cleanup and repair will take some time. Our church, Kyle’s and our sending church, is sending a team over to teach some classes in Bible Study Methods and the Pastoral Epistles to their class of would-be preachers at the end of May, so the timing is not good. They’re wore out (yes, I know, the correct spelling is worn, but chalk it up to southern color). God is using ’em, and the Devil is evidently resisting their efforts, but flesh is flesh and they’re just tired. Pray for them in the month ahead as they, and our Pastor, Ken Spilger, get all the remaining details worked out in lieu of the trip over. What they will be doing is of critical importance, and is a key component of the sort of training that you have to have in order to have reliable men trained to take over church plants in the area.

Pray for us. The summer months are very full and very busy, which is good, but the logistics are real, and the doing of it can be tiring at times. We have a birth looming in September, which, praise the LORD appears to be paid for. We still need a passenger van large enough to carry the new passengers that are currently in production. If God would provide that soon, or the remaining funds we need to go with the $1000 someone graciously gave to us to help buy a van, it would be a big help, as the long driving is coming up starting on May 1 with a meeting in Minnesota, and carrying through the remainder of the year. Plus, our current vehicle has no air conditioning, and the heat’s a little rough on the little guys. Pray for the remainder of the pregnancy. We’re about halfway through right now. We had our first doctor’s visit last Tuesday, but it was more an interview, paperwork kind of thing, so I’m afraid no news until April 27. Anna will be having an ultrasound then, which will yield the two bits of information of greatest interest at the moment: 1) How many? and 2) What genders (s)? I am greatly encouraged by our deputation. I can see things coming together. The meetings are lining up great, as you’ll see once I get the online version of our itinerary done (check General Info from time to time). We seem to be making clear progress, and God has let us be a part of ministering to folks and churches all over as we travel hither and yon on deputation.

Well, I reckon that’s all I can think of for now. Thanks for praying for us, and for the kind words of encouragement that different ones have emailed our way.

MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 04-04-2005

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Howdy, folks! We're back in town again. We just finished a missions conference in Ash Street Baptist Church (Pastor Jerry Pyle) in Nevada, MO. They've got a problem, the best of problems – they're outgrowing their building. Be in prayer for them as they seek other property elsewhere in town where then can build a larger building. Bro. Hathcock from Tulsa Baptist Temple preached, and did superbly. He preached a message from 2 Corinthians 5 on the Great Commission, how we are ambassadors for Christ. The phrase that stood out the most to me was in verse 20 "as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." Ours is a ministry of reconciliation. We beseech the world in Christ's stead: be ye reconciled. There is no greater calling, and no greater privilege, than that God should include us in His great ministry of reconciliation. The church loves the LORD, as does their pastor, and it is evident to witness. It was very refreshing to be there. We had some good fellowship with Jason and Sarah Knabb, missionaries on their way to Vera Cruz, Mexico. They were just regular folks like us, trying to do God's will and get to the field, and it was a pleasure getting to know them. Pray for Larry, a thirteen year old young man who got saved while Jason and I were out soulwinning on Saturday. Also be in prayer for Curtis and Pat Hollingsworth, and older couple who were under great conviction as we witnessed to them, but were unwilling to be saved.

Be praying. Pastor Aaron Rodgerson from one of our supporting churches (Southside Baptist in Kirksville, MO) may have located a potential van for us. It's a '99 Ford E350, with a V10 engine, and 78,000 miles. It appears to be in great shape. The owner is asking $10,500, but would probably come down in price to at least $9,000. Needless to say, we don't have even $9,000 dollars, and no way to get it, apart from maybe selling a kidney on EBay. 😉 We've been praying for God's provision, and have not seen an answer as yet. We are continuing to pray for His provision in this so we can get this van, which we desperately need to get our growing family around in on deputation. Pray with us on this if you would, as this would be a tremendous vehicle if we could scrounge the money to purchase it.

We'll be in Kyle Guimon's parents' church in Walnut Ridge, AR on Sunday. Looking forward to visiting with them, and their church. Hope the weather is as pretty for y'all as it is for us here in St. Louis. Spring at last!!

"Nuff said…

He is Risen!

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He is risen indeed!

Happy Easter everybody!

"Now upon the first [day] of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain [others] with them.
And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
And as they were afraid, and bowed down [their] faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
He is not here, but is risen…" Luke 24:1-6

MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 03-21-2005

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Greetings, once again! We're back in town again for Easter, and have a missions conference in Ash Street Baptist Church (Pastor Jerry Pyle) in Nevada, MO the week after that. Our meeting last night in Prairie Flower Baptist Church (Pastor Dave Ernst) in Webb City, MO went well. It was good to get back at it after being out for a bit with the Church Planting Conference, and the unexpected reschedule the week before. I preached and showed our slides, and God blessed us. They put us up in a hotel for the night, which was a real blessing. I hate travelling late at night if I can avoid it, especially when I'm tired. The kids were real excited about getting to stay in a "he-toh". They slept like logs, but for some reason, neither Anna nor I could sleep. Most of the night, as I drifted in and out of semi-consciousness, I found I had the B-I-B-L-E song from a Patch the Pirate Sunday School Singalong CD stuck in my head. Oi. We drove back this morning without incident, and fed our "starving" children, and got the lot of the weary young'uns off to bed. That's about it. Pray for us as we keep lining up meetings, driving to 'em, and continuing on our way to Uganda. Pray that the support will come in quickly so we can get to the field.

God bless, and Happy Easter (He is risen, indeed!)

More Great News!

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My son, John, just got saved! It's been a few days. He wasn't sure about Jesus dying for him. He understood he was a sinner, and he understood Jesus died for others, but it wasn't clicking that He died for him personally. We went over it again tonight during Bible reading, and he kept telling us he wanted to be saved. So, I used the wordless book to give him the gospel, and he got it! "Jesus died for me!", he said. But Jesus didn't stay dead. He is risen, and is in heaven. He understood, so we prayed, and he asked Jesus to save him, and to clean him all up (his words). My son is a believer. It is so much easier to train a regenerate child, than an unregenerate one. It's made all the difference with James. John has been struggling with his conscience the past few days. Now, he has a new nature, and a clean conscience. James was so excited. He's been very worried for John, but now his brother is born again! Of all the people in the world, the millions who are lost and on their way to Hell, I have always cared for my children the most. It is a great relief of mind to see them get saved, and in their youth. Pray for James and John, as they grow in Christ together.