You all have sure been faithful in supporting us through prayer and monetary support. Please allow us to thank you for taking our monetary burden away and giving us the opportunity to focus solely on this vital ministry in England. Right now, the government is telling us that they will be lifting the lockdown in mid-July, even though the UK has high numbers of the Delta variant. Over the past year and a half, we have been wearing masks and keeping distance from other members in church. Also, we cannot congregationally sing except for a few leaders at the front. This is not easy for us, but we continue forward, following our God and trusting Him to see us through. Thank you again for your prayers during this difficult time.
We have seen 77 saved so far this year, and 33 first-time visitors have attended since the beginning of the year. We recently broke 1,400 souls coming to Christ since coming to the Northwest of England in 2008. It is exciting to see new people walking into the church nearly every week, with many returning. (Space is becoming a premium, as we are distanced.) A lady named Lucy, who has six children, has been visiting. She recently came to the Lord by listening to the Gospel online. We are finding that God is using online Bible preaching and teaching, and many in this country are being influenced for Christ every day! Pray for us as the lockdown restrictions continue to be reduced. We anticipate sharing reports of baptisms!
Update on Charlie’s Funeral
We mentioned in our last letter concerning the funeral of a friend who had passed away. Many of Charlie’s family and friends heard me preach the Gospel at his funeral. Just last week, we led 5 of Charlie’s family members to the Lord. This includes his dad Paddy, who has now been coming to church for two weeks. This is a thrill, as we had been witnessing to Charlie’s dad for over a decade! God can and does work on the hearts of the people in this great land. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Please keep praying that, as we witness in the homes and the streets, many will come to a saving knowledge of the truth. Something negative like a pandemic can turn into a huge positive in a nation. God is working in these difficult days. It is our duty to find out how He is working and follow Him!
Brighter Days Ahead
As government COVID restrictions ease, we have been able to host some young adults in our garden for a few Sunday lunches. It is important to Mary Beth and me to minister to young adults, as our own lads are being ministered to in Hammond. We are blessed to be here to encourage these future Christian leaders in their personal faith and walk. Another bright spot has been the opportunity to help host coffee mornings in the garden of some of our members. We haven’t been able to open our church for fellowship of any kind for this whole year and a half! Now that outdoor meetups are allowed, this chance for some of our isolated members to gather and visit has been tremendous.
Thank you for praying for the Solts in the UK. We are well and staying faithful to God and His calling. We had to say goodbye to some fellow missionary families lately, but we know that God has a very good “Replacement Plan” at work. And thank you for praying for the Solts in the USA. Josh and Jeremy took some summer classes at Hyles-Anderson and are now working long hours and serving God in various ways over the break. Please feel free to send any cards to them directly at the address below. Daniel and Rachel have had a special answer to prayer lately, and they are still trying toplan their first trip to the UK around all the quarantine/vaccine rules. May God richly bless you for your prayers and kindnesses.
Yours for souls,
The Solt Family
Daniel, Rachel, Joshua, & Jeremy