January 2017 Report

October through December. Our entire family are legal, permanent residents of Uruguay! Thank you for praying over these past 3 ½ years. The Immigration Department recorded the final decision on October 28. We are thankful.

In November, FEBU and Bible institute students (including one graduating Bible institute student) finished their semester of study. A couple FEBU students returned home for the months of December through February. Two were married in December, thus forming two more Christian families. Please pray for these students who represent an important part of the future of the church in this region, the “Southern Cone” of Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile.

Between October 19 and December 9 we visited our parents in FL and SC; and JM finished the course “Expository Preaching in Ministry Context.” The class increased his appreciation for the need for prayer and for the Holy Spirit’s intervention during preaching; honed his understanding of such things as the proper use of cross-references in preaching and what it means to preach Christ from all of Scripture; provided ideas for a weekly sermon preparation plan; helped him develop a three-year preaching plan for Iglesia Bíblica Maranatha; and exposed him to Puritan practices of preaching and catechizing. Please pray for wisdom in choosing a research topic that would benefit Uruguayan churches and the FEBU and Bible institute programs.

During November and December, E and DJ attended school in English, thanks to the kindness of teachers and staff at Bob Jones Academy, who assimilated them for a month. Upon our return to Uruguay, DJ graduated from kindergarten in a program that included his speaking publicly—a big day for our family, given his struggles during these years of required K4 and K5. Elizabeth finished fifth grade and—to our surprise—was honored to be among those chosen to escort the Uruguayan flag for next year’s school programs. Our Shepherd—though He would not have had to do so—has demonstrated His trustworthiness in life changes that were in many ways out of our control.

January through March. Please pray for this year’s summer camps, represented in the brief calendar below. Especially pray for several teens and young adults that might attend from Iglesia Bíblica Maranatha, our church in Pando. Many of them have significant needs; the weeks of camp are often encouraging times for them.

Facultad de Estudios Bíblicos del Uruguay (FEBU) (College of Biblical Studies of Uruguay). By the time we report again in early April, FEBU will have started its fourth year. Please pray for ongoing teacher training, the right students to return, and adequate facilities to receive and train every single student God wants to train in FEBU.

January 11-14—Staff training, Camp Emmanuel (JM teaches several sessions)

January 16-21—Children’s camp, Camp Emmanuel

January 23-28—Older teen and young adult camp, Camp Emmanuel (JM counsels)

January 30-February 4—Younger teen camp, Camp Emmanuel (JM teaches morning sessions)

February 13—FEBU teacher training; election of new FEBU president (required periodically by Uruguayan law)

February 20-23—EMU workers’ camp, Camp Emmanuel (D and JM teach workers’ children)

March 2—E and DJ begin school

March 6—Beginning of FEBU school year (D and JM teach Research and Argumentation; JM teaches Church Music)

Thank you for praying!