Archive for September, 2009

September Prayer Letter

September 25, 2009 3:39 pm

Dear Praying Friends,
Thank you for your continued prayers. We really needed them over the last couple of months and we can see that God has provided because of you.

We had two wonderful camps in Mexico. The first camp was our northern deaf camp called Campamento Henson, named for Bro. Ron Henson who was a missionary to the Deaf in Mexico for several years. There were 95 who attended camp and we had 1 accept Christ as his Savior. I was pleased to see some new groups attend this year that I had not met before. I was also very excited to see the future leadership of the camp take over my responsibilities this summer.

Our second camp was in Merida where we lived and worked from 2004 to 2008. It was great to be back at the church after a year and see how much it has grown. There are Deaf who now attend the church regularly whom we never met while we were there. I loved seeing the maturity level increase in many of the church people and to know that they are inviting their friends to church. At that camp we had 26 in attendance. That is a few more than we had last year.

When we left Mexico last year we were not sure if we might be going back to work in another area of of the country. We kept many household items that we did not want to re-buy. On this trip were able to sell off the items that we no longer needed in preparation for the trip to Argentina.

After selling everything and enjoying time at camp with our friends it was time for the trip home to the US. We pulled a trailer with the items that we wanted to take back. The trailer was more than a little over loaded. In the process of the 6 day trip we ended up buying 3 new tires and having the trailer welded twice while sitting on the side of the road. God provided the money and the welders at the right time to get us going again. At one breakdown we pulled off the side of the road where a road construction crew was working and they were able to weld the trailer right there at the edge of nowhere.

Previously our plan for going to Argentina was October. Timing works out better for the pastor we are going to help if we go in January. It works out better for us as well. Please pray that I will be able to fill up our travel schedule with the meetings we need between now and then.

We praise the Lord that the man who robbed our house in April was caught last week. We were able to recover some of the stolen items.

With my new position in the mission board I am able to enjoy some of the blessings that supporting pastors, churches and individuals have long enjoyed. It thrills my soul to get reports from missionaries with whom I work telling me of the spiritual victories and salvation of souls on the field. I know that they are able to do their ministry because of the support I am able to provide. I am a partaker in their fruits. Because of you, our supporters, I get to reap benefits from their work. And you receive fruit to your account (Philippians 4:17) as well. What a blessing to be on God’s team in His harvest field!

September 2009 Peach Prayer Letter [PDF]

Missionary Spotlight: Bizuayehu Assefa

September 19, 2009 5:29 pm
A few of the attendees

A few of the attendees

Recently one of the missionaries with whom I work as Director of Deaf Ministries for Baptist International Outreach had a wonderful conference. While I did little more than help make a couple of minor decisions going into this conference and bathed the weekend in prayer, I am very excited that God used my small part to accomplish His task.

Pastor Bizuayehu and recent converts

Pastor Bizuayehu and recent converts

Bizuayehu Assefa is an Ethiopian deaf man who works with BIO in Addis Ababa. Each year one of the ministries he pastors hosts a conference for the Deaf in Addis Ababa and the surrounding region. This is an evangelistic time as well as a time of fellowship. Even though it is just 3 days, I imagine it is every bit as packed as a week of Deaf camp.

Bro. Bizuayehu (we call him Biz for short) organized the weekend in which they had about 250 Deaf attend from 11 different cities or villages. There were 15 saved over the weekend.

Bro. Biz has asked for continued prayer as they are now involved in discipleship of these new believers. Already they have baptized 6 of the recent converts.

This conference took place about three weeks ago and when Bro. Biz wrote me to tell me the results, I became very emotional with the thought that though I could not be there in person to work in the conference, I am able to be on a team that accomplished this great work for the Lord. It struck me at that time that pastors and individuals who support missionaries doing their work around the world get to have the same involvement as I did in a project such as this. You may not be able to directly help a conference like this by cooking a meal or preaching a sermon in Addis Ababa, but through your prayers and financial support of our family you are involved in a real way in the work that the Lord uses us to do.