Answers to Prayer and Ministry Blessings
Winters in Ireland are very dark, with rain and just a few hours of sunlight. When it reaches its darkest moment, you know things are going to begin to get brighter. From that point, each passing day brings more sunlight, and you can feel the difference from week to week. By this time, we have been in Ireland for eight years, and I have only been back for one short weekend. We have had a difficult time finding someone to fill in for us, but I want to thank you all for praying, because we had an answer to prayer in this area. We finally found someone who would fill in for us, allowing us to head back to the U.S. for a short furlough in the fall. We will be on the East Coast from September to December. Please contact us if you are interested in having us come, as I will be filling in my schedule in the next couple months.
January
January marks our two-year anniversary of having dual citizenship. This has taken an incredible stress off of us, knowing that we are free to stay and can plan long-term. This also gives local people more confidence in our family, since they have seen evangelical Americans come and go over the years. When the new year began, we lost 2 college students but gained several Brazilians. During the month of January, we had 7 visitors, and my wife was able to lead 2 Brazilian ladies to Christ. She has been discipling some of them on Tuesday nights. We have several people ready to be baptised, which will be happening as the weather gets warmer. We are currently in the process of preparing an area right now for baptisms. This month I also finished our Wednesday Bible study in the book of James, and we are moving into the Gospel of Luke. On the 21st of January, our oldest boy turned 13, and we brought him to a reptile museum with his brothers and one of his friends.
February
In February, the Lord brought us 3 first-time visitors. I mentioned a man named Richard in my previous letter. He is an Irish Catholic man who stopped coming to our Bible study in December. On a Sunday morning in February, he suddenly walked in and sat down. This was his first time coming to a regular service. He really enjoyed the hymns and has been coming faithfully ever since. Please pray for his salvation. At the end of the month, we got to head to Dublin because the two oldest boys needed their passports renewed. On the trip we decided to take an extra journey up to Belfast to see the Titanic museum. It was a great education and experience for the kids.
Soul Winning
During Kelly’s Tuesday discipleship course, a new Brazilian lady began coming. During the lesson they were covering the Ten Commandments and our sinful condition before God. Kelly noticed the lady getting uncomfortable. As they continued, a look of despair and fear came over her face. Kelly then began talking to her about salvation, and with another lady to interpret, she was able to lead her to the Lord, trusting Christ as her Saviour.
Please continue praying for these needs:
1. Our support level is at 95%; please pray it might increase.
2. Co-laborers in Limerick
3. Protection over the ministry
4. That we will have what we need for furlough (vehicle, video, display, etc.)
Last, I would like to thank all of you who sent birthday cards and gifts and Friendship Baptist Church in Hawaii for their special offering recently. I also thank many of you for your faithful prayers and financial support. May the Lord bless and bring abundant fruit to your accounts.
In the campaign for Irish souls,
Keith Hamilton
