God is so good! This year is moving so quickly! I have been preaching quite a bit recently for Pastor Popovich and also in the church plant in Sale, Victoria. Laura and I were shocked that it is already the end of April/beginning of May.

The prison ministry, down in Sale, Victoria, has been going extremely well. I did have a strange incident happen there just recently though. I was trying to take in some chocolate Easter candy for the prisoners, and I thought I was obeying all the rules and regulations to take it in, but somehow, I forgot to tick a box or follow procedures properly, so the lollies were confiscated from me at the front gate. The prisoners were a little disappointed, but they probably didn’t believe I was actually going to bring them chocolate Easter eggs anyway. I was having fun with the guard who is in charge and asked if I was going to be flogged or hung for this offence. She leaned over and said, “That is so violent.” So I felt led to remind her that she worked in a prison and was surrounded by violence. She laughed, as if to say she’d forgotten. The very next week, I was able to get my chocolate contraband in for the fellows to enjoy—almost three weeks after Easter. Almost every week, we have different men come to the prayer meeting and Bible study. It breaks my heart that most of them are just a few years older than my oldest daughter Suzy. Please pray that we are able to win these men to Christ.

This year is off to a wonderful first half. We have seen seven baptized and several saved. Of the last group we saw baptized just last week, one of them was from Pastor Abrell’s church, a young lady who received Christ at Christmastime. Also, we had a senior saint from Sale get baptized, which was so wonderful, because she was formerly Catholic and is now so excited about serving the Lord. I praise the Lord that we have a building where we can baptize whenever the people want to follow the Lord.

I also had the privilege of breaking my right foot back in January. Praise the Lord, I did not need surgery to fix the bone, but I had to wear a “moon boot” (temporary cast) for almost eight weeks. The doctor originally said it should only take six weeks to heal; however, I’m 51 years old now, and my body is starting to go slower in the healing process (HA!HA!). I honestly believe we can’t praise the Lord enough. My foot is the first time in my life that I have broken a bone, and I am so grateful to the Lord for keeping me unbroken for so many years.

Please pray for Bro. Abrell’s journey on furlough, for more people to be saved and baptized, and for churches to continue in the Lord’s service.

Sincerely,

Ron Back
Missionary in Australia