Keith and Kelly Hamilton Prayer Letter: Running To and Fro

Each of our letters is a reflection of the events that occurred during the months listed at the top of the letter. In Daniel 12:4, God gives a prophecy to Daniel that “. . . many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Never has that been more relevant than in this age of internet and fast transportation. I often imagine what life must have been like for missionaries of the past who would only be able to write letters to loved ones and needed to take weeks or months by ship to reach their destinations ports, let alone the travel inland if they were not on the coast. Today, I can fly to Boston from Ireland in 6-8 hours. I can travel to Dublin in 2 hours, where just 30 years ago, it would have taken 4 hours. Since “smartphones” were invented in 2008, during our entire time in Ireland, we have been able to make video calls across the seas and speak directly to family and churches right from the phone in our pockets or from a computer. In the first 9 years of our ministry, we were not able to return to the USA to see family due to the rising exchange rates here, as well as our need to remain in the country to get dual citizenship and the difficulty to find someone to fill in at the church. We were thankful for the invention of the internet. In the last year, with the declining health of my parents and the need to help our oldest son transition back to the USA and to settle into this new page of his life, the Lord provided the finances and pulpit supply so we could fly back to the U.S. without needing to request for more money in our letters. God has been faithful to my family and me and provided above and beyond our needs.

January

I flew into Florida on Monday night, December 30, with Keith II and Keenan. Due to the last-minute scheduling notification from the Immigration Department that Keenan’s appointment (which was due in August 2024) was set for January 6, 2025, and was unchangeable, our plans had to be altered so Kelly and Keenan couldn’t return with us to see my parents. We were going to the USA to take Keith to college and get him settled in. Since I had the opportunity for three weeks of pulpit supply, which is rare, I decided to kill three birds with one stone by visiting my parents in Florida, driving up to Tennessee to help Keith II get settled and set up in college, and then visiting Kelly’s mom in Virginia. All of this would have been impossible to do in such a short time 100 years ago. Through all the mishaps of lost luggage, snowstorms, and broken glasses, we managed to get through the weeks in one piece. I was also able to schedule a couple of meetings during the trip, as well in the Tampa, Florida, and Newport News, Virginia, areas; and I’m very thankful to the pastors for allowing us the opportunities to present our ministries. Kendrick and I flew back on Keith II’s 21st birthday on January 21.

We returned home on the morning of Wednesday, January 22, and I preached that night in our Bible study. That next Thursday and Friday, we had an incredible windstorm that devastated the entire country and left us with ten-plus trees down on our property, no electricity for three days, and no internet for two weeks; but no one was hurt, and nothing was damaged. We ended up having to get a hotel room the next Saturday for showers and having church at a different hotel as well. On the last Thursday, Kelly, Keenan, and Kendrick drove up to Galway to help the Andrew Canavan family move into their new home. Our theme for 2025 is “True Fellowship,” based on I John 1:3, and this year I will be focusing on I John and emphasising on having real personal fellowship with God.

February

The month began having to use my phone for internet and no ability to livestream, and it made me thankful for these conveniences we have become accustomed to. I even did a Zoom interview with a supporting church in Groton, Connecticut, just before it was restored. Some Irish people were three to four weeks without electricity in the dead of winter. In the middle of the month, the Day family arrived back. His mother’s health conditions had stabilised enough for them to return, and all of their people were glad to see them back. With the internet back and the Day family back, I was able to get myself back on track, and I am able to put more time into searching for a new meeting place in Limerick city. I will also need to get the ten-plus trees cut into firewood and transported to our woodshed. On the 21st was my birthday, where we had a small celebration. At the end of the month, Lynn’s father passed away, and she and her family flew back to Romania to be with their family. Please be in prayer for them.

Soul Winning

Upon returning, we jumped back into our routine of getting the Gospel out on Saturdays, primarily concentrating on the countryside areas and saving the city areas for the warmer months when we will be meeting at a closer location.

Please pray for these needs:

1. Co-laborers in Limerick
2. Protection over the ministry
3. A new building in the city
4. Guidance and wisdom moving forward

Last, I thank everyone who sent encouraging emails, letters, Christmas and birthday gifts, and offerings and for your faithful prayers and support. The special Christmas offerings were a tremendous help and blessing to our ministry and our family.

For the souls in Ireland,

Keith Hamilton