Keith and Kelly Hamilton Prayer Letter: Another Year in Limerick

The world and many of the events that have transpired since 2020 are mind-boggling in many ways. As the world changes, we can see the Lord’s return more evident in every passing day. As these things transpire, we are not to be fearful, but steadfast and unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord (I Corinthians 15:58). As we strive to do this, we pray that each Christian who reads this letter is doing the same as well, and always remember that your labour in the Lord is never in vain. May this letter be an encouragement.

May

Spring came in quickly, and things were as busy as ever. My grandmother, unfortunately, passed away in late winter, but because the ground is frozen in Maine, she could not be buried until spring. They set the funeral and burial date for Saturday, May 20, so I headed back with Kendrick, our youngest. We got to see family I had not seen since before I was saved. It was an opportunity to give out my business-card tracts and to talk to people about the Gospel. We also got to visit a new church in Westbrook, Maine. It was close to my relatives, and I discovered that the pastor had been a missionary in Mongolia. We had a great time of fellowship and were encouraged by the work in the centre of an area where I spent much of my childhood. I also got to preach in my home church in Manchester, New Hampshire, where it was a great encouragement to see the lady who led me to Christ still serving the Lord and to find out that she got to win a Gospel-hardened coworker to Christ during the COVID scare. A week before leaving for the USA, we also had our church’s 8-year anniversary; we celebrated with a delicious barbecue, a cake, and balloons and had a wonderful time of fellowship. One unfortunate event that transpired was that we needed to remove a church member from the roll due to his absence. Caleb stopped coming to church back in March when a man, calling himself an evangelist, arrived in the country. An issue came up regarding the church being local vs. universal, and he concluded that he didn’t need to join any church. It is difficult to reach people here, so this type of incident makes a great impact on a small congregation. Thankfully, he has been faithfully attending a sound church group over in Ennis, where he lives. Please pray that the Lord clears this issue up for him.

June

We started this month with a piano recital for Keenan and Kendrick. They have been taking lessons through FaceTime with the daughter of another missionary family who is serving in a town called Mullingar. The boys have really been learning by leaps and bounds and are jumping on to the piano as often as they can. It has been really encouraging, especially since we have not had a piano player in years past, and our current one, Frank, will be returning to Brazil in July. Then we had Kelly’s birthday. That day was busy, as I had a beekeeper meeting in the late morning and baptism pictures to take for the Day family; then we took Kelly to a plant nursery and out to dinner for her birthday in the evening. Near the end of the month, the Day family returned to the USA for a couple months, and Victory Youth Camp began on the last week. At the camp, I had an opportunity to preach, lead devotions, etc. I am so thankful for Pastor Ledbetter and the efforts he has put into this amazing annual camp. As we all get older, I wonder who will take over in planning and running the youth and men’s camps. At the Youth Camp, there were two children who trusted the Lord and many assurances of salvation, and we heard many amazing testimonies during the week. Our children had a great time, and we got to bring Lana with us as well. Please pray that there will be a lasting impact on the young people who attended the camp.

Soul Winning

We continued to go door to door, getting the Gospel out into the community, and we were able to get out almost 2,000 tracts. One of the highlights of the year for many churches, and one of our best evangelistic efforts, has always been when we hold a Holiday Bible Club. Since COVID and moving into the countryside, we have not been able to do this. I am considering the option of renting a community centre for a week in the city and trying to have one in that sort of location. Please pray that we would have wisdom with regards to this.

Please pray for these needs:

1. Co-laborers in Limerick
2. Protection over the ministry
3. More visitors in the countryside
4. Guidance and wisdom as we move forward

Last, I thank everyone who sent encouraging emails and letters and for your faithful prayers and support. You can see links.hamiltonsinireland.com/pics for more pictures.

For the souls in Ireland,

Keith Hamilton