Hafa Adai from the beautiful island of Guam!
Guam’s Pandemic Condition of Readiness 1, PCOR1, was instituted in August and remained in effect during November and December. Only essential businesses were allowed to be open, non-essential driving was prohibited, store capacities were limited with long wait lines, and mandatory masks and temperature checks were required before entering. Even non-essential items were not for sale. On the bright side, essential businesses have never been cleaner and less crowded, and the customary, cultural greeting of kissing one another on the cheek has become nonexistent. (Praise the Lord!)
Church-attendance restrictions remained in place. Some assembled, and some switched to attending different service times to comply with mandates, alleviating their own Coronavirus concerns, while some only communicated via social media. Despite it all, service attendances were balanced, and our folks maintained great attitudes despite the constraints in their daily lives. Thank you for praying!
Soul winning continued to be a challenge, but the Lord blessed me with an increase (16) compared to previous months and with an unexpected and amazing soul-winning experience. Over the course of a year, I developed a rapport with a retired U.S. Marine from the Republic of Palau. Though desiring an opportunity to explain the Gospel to him, the circumstances surrounding the different times we met did not lend themselves to soul winning. Then I was told that he had left Guam and had returned to Palau, which deflated my hopes of leading him to Christ. A few months later, a repairman came to our home; and, to my surprise, it was he. While he worked, we conversed and reconnected, and when he finished the job, I was able to lead him to Lord. The Lord had blessed me with another opportunity!
Thanksgiving and Christmas came and went without Island Baptist Church’s customary celebrations. Our church members remained faithful and maintained a positive outlook. We were together, assembled in the name of the Lord, singing congregational hymns, and hearing the Word of God. That was celebration enough for us.
Thank you for praying for us and for continuing to support our ministry, especially during these difficult times. May the Lord bless you “abundantly above” all that you have done for us, and for your sacrificial support and giving! Please continue to pray for our health and safety, Island Baptist Church, Guam, and Micronesia.
In His harvest field,
Dan Rothwell and Family
