Ohio and Indiana

I don’t know how large the church in Antioch was, although I suspect it outgrew any home in which it may have met. I do know, though, that the church in North America is quite large and rather spread out—which makes more difficult our part in imitating the Acts 13 model! We are very thankful for the encouraging time spent with the Lord’s people in Ohio and Indiana during the past week or two. We were genuinely blessed and strengthened by our time with them. I trust that, as we attempt to serve among local churches, God will make clear to them His calling and leading in our lives—in a way that echoes His words in Antioch: “Set them apart for the work to which I have called them!”

My grandmother is now with Jesus. She no longer needs her wheelchair, and my dad crushed her pills to powder. In a mere breath we won’t need ours. Nor will we be able to return to seize the precious opportunities that now abound around us. A small plaque that used to hang in Grandpa’s and Grandma’s bedroom quotes David Livingstone and Paul:

“Only one life—
’Twill soon be past,
Only what’s done
For Christ will last.
‘To me to live is Christ.’”

And having been there ten days (“bright shining as the sun”!), Grandma would certainly add, with Paul, that “to die is gain.”

Assisting Uruguayan Churches in Evangelism and Ministry Training

Thank you for your interest in the work of the Kingdom in Uruguay! There is a wide door of opportunity open for us there, and we are excited about the privilege of serving Jesus Christ in this part of His harvest field.

Our goal is to assist and strengthen the Uruguayan churches in some of the following ways:

Ministry training: This will take place first within EMU’s F.V. DABOLD BIBLE INSTITUTE. We then expect to partner with Uruguayan pastors and leaders in the long-term development of a BIBLE COLLEGE PROGRAM, for those desiring training beyond the institute level. We view this as the major focal point of our ministry.

Gabriel Gómez, director of the Bible institute, has written the following to me: “My concern is that after a student finishes the Bible institute . . . he then has no other possibility of continuing to study and to deepen his knowledge. . . . This is my own personal burden; I myself desire to be able to continue studying, and I believe that all of us here would benefit greatly.”

Evangelism and discipleship: We desire to strengthen churches and church planting efforts, with the goal of equipping believers and promoting mature, trained national leadership. Two immediate needs include Iglesia Bautista Fundamental Siloé (Siloam Fundamental Baptist Church), an EMU church currently without a pastor, and Iglesia Bíblica Maranatha (Maranatha Bible Church) in Pando, a church being planted by Deborah's father, Don Garwood (of Maranatha Bible Missions). Opportunities include preaching, Sunday school teaching, neighborhood visitation, and youth ministry. Finally, we look forward to involvement in Camp Emmanuel during Uruguay's summer (January and February).

By serving in the local churches and camp ministry, we hope to strengthen these works by equipping and encouraging believers to take their place in the ministry. This will also provide opportunity to evangelize and will give us valuable experience in the ministry.

We are prepared to begin work immediately upon arrival in Uruguay: the Lord has given us knowledge of Uruguayan culture and experience with the Spanish language. Please pray that the Lord would use us to further His purposes both here in the United States and Canada, and in the future in South America!

East Tennessee

We have begun a more active travel schedule as we prepare for work in Uruguay. Sunday’s visit to Boones Creek Bible Church in Johnson City, Tennessee, was an encouragement to us. We were shown kind hospitality and were given opportunity in the evening service to say a few words about our plans. We anticipate a lengthier meeting with them in April of next year.

On the way down the mountain, a stop at a 24-hour restaurant for a cup of coffee and a bite to eat lasted almost two hours. The kid who cleaned the tables appeared to prefer doing it a little bit at a time. A middle-aged waitress apparently had been there for many, many hours. Another girl left work crying, her father dying in the hospital. A young waitress (Elizabeth in 15 to 20 years) worked while a she-could-have-done-better-than-that guy smoked a cigarette outside, waiting for her to finish. The customers in the seats and booths with their haircuts and body piercing filled in the poignant picture of humanity. I am hopeful that the Lord will give us opportunity both to challenge churches to reach their cities, and to have a part in doing so ourselves as we travel. In Asheville we had an hour left to drive, and the gas station attendant had another seven to work—time enough to read a gospel tract.

Pity the nations, O our God, constrain the earth to come;
Send thy victorious word abroad, and bring the strangers home.
(Isaac Watts)

Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd . . .
(Mark 6:34)