July 2016 Report

Mid-semester Break. Final exams in FEBU classes ended on Friday, June 24. During their break students either remain in Montevideo or scatter to other places outside the capital. At least two have traveled to Argentina; another will visit Peru to evaluate future ministry opportunities there. Lifting our eyes (sometimes a bit glazed from correcting writing assignments) to remember the places these young men and women will be serving—not only during vacation but also after graduation—reminds us of why we are glad to have a small part in this good work.

Taking a break from class for Deborah’s birthday

with the FEBU students

Earlier this month in Guazuvirá, at Campamento Emanuel, JM counseled for a three-day winter retreat. He also shared the preaching with his friend Ovidio Acevedo, a pastor in a Montevideo neighborhood. Please pray that this group of 35 to 40 teenagers would continue to receive the Word with humility and that God would spare them from the many temptations and dangers that surround them. The themes for the week were “A Complete (Integral) Life” (from the book of James) and “Being and Making Disciples.”

FEBU is preparing for the next pastors’ block course the last week of July. Mark Batory, a mentor and friend from our home church in SC, will cover the theme of missions. A camp outside Paysandú, on the west side of the country, will again host the class. These courses attempt to supplement the training and experience of pastors and other church leaders. Please pray both for a productive week and for continued development of this program that has the potential to be of great help to churches in Uruguay and Argentina.

Primer Instituto F.V. Dabold. The EMU Bible institute (and FEBU) will resume classes in August. JM will be teaching Soteriology in the Bible institute, a course that will require some care and much grace (so please pray). For the last several semesters the Montevideo Bible institute program has also offered one of its classes in some of the local churches. This semester’s class in the churches will be the General Epistles.

Iglesia Bíblica Marantha. Two teen girls from our little group in Pando attended the retreat mentioned earlier. Camp is always an encouragement to the teens, several of whom are now young adults making significant decisions about their future. Some have expressed interest in taking the Bible institute General Epistles course at the church in Pando. This appears to be a real possibility, which would mean that the weekly teaching for everyone would focus on these books, with several of the young men and women being required to do additional work. This could be the next step that some of them need to take.

Celebrating Dad Garwood’s birthday long distance

with the church in Pando

One year ago Don and Pat Garwood returned to the U.S. after years of faithful labor with this and other churches. (Don is Déborah’s father.) In June JM was able to spend two nights with them in FL and two nights with his parents in SC, where he took the next class in the D.Min. program. (It was a brief but encouraging week of study and of profitable conversation with friends, teachers, and family. Upcoming work in the program promises to mesh well with the Bible-college project.) Pray for the Lord’s continued strength, health, and encouragement for our parents as they continue to serve in their churches in Jacksonville and Greenville.

In September we plan to travel to Treinta y Tres, where Déborah has been asked to speak at a ladies’ retreat.

Thank you for your continued prayers for health and safety. Much of Montevideo—compared with many places in the world—is relatively secure. We do not take this for granted and are in need of the Lord’s daily (and nightly) protection. The kids continue to be healthy and are doing well in school.

Thank you for all your kindness to us!