Getting Back in the Rhythm
As you may have noticed, we have had our letterhead updated and are very pleased with the results. This is one of the reasons why we have sent quarterly emails the last six months. After this letter we will commence with bi-monthly emails. We also have a new prayer card that can be downloaded on the “About Us” page of our website. Also, there are many churches who are still mailing letters, etc. to our previous address in Ireland. Our current mailing address in Ireland is Keith & Kelly Hamilton, Fanningstown, Crecora, Co. Limerick Ireland. Thank you for your patience.
August
With Kelly and our oldest boy in the States for her grandmother’s funeral, I was alone in Ireland with our two youngest. While we saw tremendous victories in July, during the month of August, we went through a drastic, but temporary, drop in attendance. For a few weeks in August, the two boys were my church members and soul-winning partners. A missionary, Shawn Bowman, who works 30 minutes away, helped us out by filling in our Wednesday Kids’ Bible Club for Kelly. When Kelly finally flew back, she finished our summer Kids’ Club program, and I took an eye-opening Child Protection class. During the class I not only learned the extent the government wants to have in the lives of families, but I also learned that 27% of Irish children are sexually abused by the time they are 18–and these are the reported cases. This helps to understand why people can be so opposed to God. They blame Him and do not know Who He is, but think they do. There is such a need here for the Gospel. Despite the decline in attendance, we still had 3 new visitors. During August, while Kelly was in the USA, we also had a birthday. Our middle boy turned eight, and I brought the two boys to Dublin, where we took a tour bus and went to the zoo. They had a wonderful time and were really good while we were there.
September
This month began with two new university students. One is an American girl from Missouri, and the other is a young man from a town called Longford. They have attended faithfully, and fundamentalism has been very new to both of them. Much of the month was spent trying to get back in the rhythm of things, catching up from Kelly being gone for six weeks during the summer. We continued with three meetings and soul winning, and the Lord has been blessing in different ways. Kelly commenced with the regular Kids’ Club theme, the Book of Books, systematically reviewing each book of the Bible. At the end of the month, we celebrated our youngest boy’s fifth birthday. He was delighted that Kelly made him a treasure-chest cake filled with chocolate coins.
October
As the shops decorated for witches and the celebration of Samhain, we have continued to be a lighthouse in the Limerick community. There is a man named Graham who has met me faithfully on Thursdays at a local coffee shop for discipleship. He was saved as a child when a Gospel bus came into his neighbourhood to teach kids and has been in many different churches through the years, but he is eager to learn. His parents have slid back into some of their Catholic beliefs, but Graham has contended with them over Mary being sinless. During October we had 7 visitors, and at the end of the month, we headed down to County Cork to participate in a Halloween activity called Light the Night. At the event I also got to preach a 10-minute message on the light of Christ. We were planning to come back to the States in the spring for a three-month furlough, but unfortunately we were not able to find someone to fill in. Please pray we will be able to find someone for the fall.
Soul Winning
One Saturday I was out with all the boys, and we were putting tracts into doors. The next Wednesday a man named Richard showed up to our Bible study. When he got our invitation, he researched local Catholic churches and found that they didn’t have any kind of Bible study, so he came with us. I love seeing people open the Bible and read it for the first time. We have been studying in the book of James, and I was able to use the book to explain the Gospel to him. He had so many questions about the Bible, but unfortunately he didn’t really understand. I sent him off with the book Done and some other information. He has since come back. Please pray he would recognize his need for salvation.
Please continue praying for these needs:
1. Our support level is at 95%; please pray it might increase.
2. Co-laborers
3. Someone to fill in during furlough
4. Protection over the ministry
Last, I would like to thank all of you for your faithful prayers and financial support. May the Lord bless and bring fruit to your accounts.
In the campaign for Irish souls,
Keith Hamilton
