Keith and Kelly Hamilton Prayer Letter: Seven Years and Still Going

I am so thankful for what the Lord has done over the years and for all of the people we’ve been able to influence who have come through our ministry. Many of those have moved, and others were just attending college for a semester. Still some have stayed and been faithful, and others just keep returning. We have gotten the Gospel out using the shotgun method, by trying to take advantage of every means we can to reach out—through a website, tracts in doors, knocking on doors, Religion Survey, YouTube, Facebook, Gab, Telegram, newspaper adverts, Facebook adverts, posters for Sumer Bible Camp, revival meetings, giving away free Bibles, free Bible studies, handing out tracts on the streets, and many other methods to get the Gospel out to people in the community. I am so thankful the Lord placed us to work in such a needy area.

May

We began this month with our seven-year anniversary. Although we held services in a hotel, I count the day we moved into a building and put up a sign as the true beginning of the church. That is when the Lord blessed and people began coming faithfully to our services. On the 8th of May, we had a barbecue and cake to celebrate these years. One of the families who attend the church meetings brought a visitor with them for this event. I did not get a chance to witness to him, but as he was leaving, I was able to get the Done book into his hands. The next week, Kelly had a Ladies’ Luncheon at a lovely hotel; many ladies attended, including a Ukrainian lady whom the Day family has been ministering to in Co. Clare. Then Bro. Bosje, the FBMI director, visited our family for a few days with a group of men from First Baptist Church of Hammond. They brought over a load of gifts from the Women’s Missionary Society (WMS) and gave money toward our ministry. In addition, since several of the men were involved in construction, they were able to give me advice for repairing the building we are currently meeting in. Also, I noticed a couple months before May that my vision had gotten fuzzy. I finally took a trip to the eye doctor, where I discovered that I needed glasses. I was unhappy that after 46 years, I now have to wear glasses, but on the other hand, I was glad to be able to see details of objects in the distance instead of “living in a Monet painting.” Praise the Lord that someone discovered that bent glass can enable a person to see clearly again.

June

We began this month with the return of the Day family, as well as Kelly’s birthday on the same day. The Days had been filling in for another missionary who was in the U.S., and now they are planning to start a church in Ennis. We took Kelly out for lunch and to buy new plants for her garden. Then we had an appointment with an immigration lawyer to help Keith II get dual citizenship; we found out that it may take two years because of all of the COVID restrictions. In the middle of the month, Northstar Baptist Church from McMillan, Michigan, brought a wonderful group of teens over for a missions trip. Their visit fell on Father’s Day, so I asked Pastor Williams to preach in the morning when most of our people come, and then I preached in the afternoon. We got to take the group for a tour around our area, put out invitations for the Father’s Day meeting and barbecue, and just had a great time of fellowship. They support both the Day family and us, so they were able to kill two birds with one stone, and we were able to work together in hosting the group. On the last day of the month, Keith II and I travelled three hours to Sligo to be extras in a Gospel film about Saint Patrick. It is being produced by a director from an independent Baptist church in Pennsylvania. I got to be a pirate, and Keith II played a slave. You can see more about the film at https://patrickfilm.net/.

We are planning to head back to the U.S. in August for a short trip. We will be in the Newport News, Virginia, area (August 8-15), the Port Charlotte, Florida, area (August 15-22), and the Cincinnati, Ohio, area (August 22-29). If anyone within two hours of these areas would like for us to come by and talk or update your church about our ministry in Ireland, simply email or leave a voice message at the number below, and I will get back with you as soon as possible.

Soul Winning

I continue to come across the idea that simple belief in Jesus’ Resurrection means you are saved, without the need of a conscious decision to trust Christ for salvation. One such person was Lance, the Romanian man who has been coming to our church. I have been looking for opportunities to talk to him but have not had the opportunity. On the last Sunday of June, Lance’s daughter Lana raised her hand about salvation and approached my wife to show her from the Bible. After she prayed and trusted the Lord as her Saviour, she and her mom were telling Lance and asked him, “Have you ever asked the Lord to save you? Are you even saved, Lance?” At the time, I was driving someone to the bus stop, but when I returned, I saw Kelly talking to Lance with her Bible open. I walked over and immediately began telling him about his need to make a decision. I showed him John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God . . . .” and Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Immediately, he prayed on his own, confessed his sin, and asked the Lord to save him from Hell. Now he has the assurance that he has truly trusted the Lord to save him.

Please pray for these needs:

1. Co-laborers in Limerick
2. Protection over the ministry
3. More visitors in the countryside

Last, I thank everyone who sent encouraging emails, birthday gifts, and cards for Kelly, faithful prayers, and support. Also, thank you for the abundance of gifts from WMS and Bro. Bosje and his group from First Baptist Church, as well as Northstar Baptist Church for their generous love offering. May the Lord bless all of you for your giving as we reach out to our Jerusalem and Judea with the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ. See links.hamiltonsinireland.com/pics for more pictures.

In the battle for the souls of the Irish,

Keith Hamilton