COVID RELIEF PACKAGE DIVIDENDS
Three years ago, some of you contributed towards our COVID relief packages. As a result, our church was able to share basic food items with over 100 families who were struggling financially. One of the families we were able to be a blessing to was Miss Brown and her two children.
We have visited them a few times since then. On one of the visits, we were able to share the Gospel with Miss Brown, who got saved and started coming to church with her two kids. After months of battling diabetic-related health issues, she went Home to be with the Lord a few weeks ago. We are rejoicing that God used a care package to create an open door for her to receive the Gospel. Thank you for your investments! Please pray for her two young children as they learn to navigate life without their mother.
OUR BIG DAY
The first Sunday of December was a big day in our ministry. That Sunday, we had a full house, with many friends visiting. Our people gave generously to make preparations for the service, including food for all of our attendees. It was such a blessing to watch everyone getting involved…especially the children and teens, who served with such good spirits!
The week before the event, our Junior Church kids rehearsed a song, “You Are God Alone,” to perform for the service. During one of the rehearsals, Tavari, a 10-year-old boy, fell to his knees into a praying posture at the altar and was crying. The song coordinator brought him to my attention, and I asked him if he was okay. With big tears in his eyes, he responded, “I want to get saved!” What a precious moment it was as he trusted Christ as His personal Saviour. He was so happy!
A few days later, Alicia and I went to visit his mother. The directions that we had to get to the house were wrong, and we ended up at someone else’s house. We met Shadale, a young woman in her early 30s. After some short talk, we presented the Gospel to her, and she trusted Christ as her Saviour! She basically told us that our visit was not an accident. She was going through a rough time, and it was just that morning she had been praying that God would show her a sign that He was real! God used the Word of God and us to be the sign she desired.
STRUGGLING KIDS
It is very unfortunate that most of the children in our community are from single-parent homes, with the mothers being the main caregivers. These children have little-to-no paternal involvement, causing real struggles in their lives. Recently, two of our teens had a close encounter with suicide. One overdosed and ended up in the hospital. Please pray that God would give us the wisdom to help them.
This lack of paternal involvement also results in a major breakdown in our community. Over this past decade, there has been an obvious increase in gang-related activities in our community. The majority of the young men involved are lacking in paternal involvement. Police presence has been on the increase as a result. Just this past week, there was a police chase within a few feet of our church building!
PROPERTY ISSUES
We have been leasing our church property for quite some time. Our landlord gave us the latitude to make improvements, since the building was quite dilapidated and unusable when we got it. We have invested much into it and have been offered the opportunity to purchase it, once it comes ready for sale.
Recently, a man approached me and claimed ownership of the property and is seeking to prohibit our work there. I do not think this is true, but land disputes are quite common and complicated here, and he might be able to cause trouble for us. Please pray for us as we navigate this issue. Please pray specifically:
1. For the ownership issue to be sorted out quickly, so that it does not prevent our ministry.
2. For the salvation of the man who is disputing the property.
3. That if the Lord wills, we might be able to purchase it after it gets sorted out.
4. That if not, the Lord will open another door for us.
As paraphrasing the Apostle Paul’s words in I Corinthians 3:6–One plants and one waters, but God gives the increase. Thank you for your part in impacting our lives and ministry!
The Oral Anderson Family
II Timothy 2:2
