Furlough was a great blessing, getting to meet all the people who have been praying for and supporting us. I was pleased to see the supporting churches we visited have not changed and are still trying to reach people with the Gospel. It was great to meet all the churches that have been praying for us, as well as the many new faces. It was great fun, but it is also nice to get back home to Ireland. At the point I am writing this letter, I have been in Ireland for 2½ months, and I feel like we just got here.
January
January commenced with our oldest son and me flying back to Virginia from Texas and then driving 651 miles the next day to New Hampshire. Praise the Lord! He gave us safety. We packed all our suitcases and headed back to Ireland on the 5th, arriving on the 6th. When we arrived, the Days met us at the airport. They stayed a few days until we got settled, and I got right back to work. After a week of living in the house, I found the main circuit breaker kept blowing. The oven, computer, washer, kettle, and almost everything else kept blowing it; but thankfully, I was able to get a hold of my electrician, and he came by and got everything cared for. We have not had a problem since. Also, one of our cars broke down completely, and I ended up having to scrap it.
When I arrived back to the church building, the whole courtyard was torn up. A windstorm ripped off the top of our canopy and tore the metal, which now needs to be replaced. This month we had 3 visitors, and 2 of them were ladies who told me they had found the Lord and were looking for a church that taught from the King James Bible. They have been faithful ever since to nearly every service. There were a few people who started coming last fall. The Days had a welcoming party for Keith and me, but a couple that had gotten to know the Days did not seem pleased they were leaving. They have only come one time since. One of the first things I did on arrival was settle on the year’s theme, “Setting the Course,” based on Acts 20:24, where Paul says “. . . that I might finish my course . . . .” So all the sermons this year will be based around this theme.
February
February was a great month. We began with a Lord’s Supper service. Unfortunately, we had no visitors, but the ladies who started coming in January continued to be faithful to the services. The man from our video whom I had been discipling started back where we left off, and he has been faithfully meeting me each week. He finished the second book of the discipleship program I have been using. Kelly and our two youngest boys arrived in Ireland on February 13, and we picked them up in Dublin. I had not seen them since New Year’s Day, and as soon as they arrived, the whole family got the flu. I missed one service, but Kelly didn’t get to be in church for nearly two weeks. At the end of the month, we had a great snowstorm. I had to cancel a Wednesday Bible study, and our pipes froze—but the kids had a great time! Our oldest boy was introduced to cutting wood, and he really enjoyed it. The bad weather lasted four days; but our pipes unfroze, and everything is back to normal.
Soul Winning
There is a Catholic man who has been coming to church since November 2016. I have been praying for him, and each week he comes, someone talks to him about the Gospel. The last time he was with us was on the 21st of February. I have found he is trying to change his life and look at evidence of salvation to prove to himself that he is saved. When he was alone, I told him that it is not enough to just believe; the Bible says you must receive Christ as your Saviour. He needs to pray directly to God, profess his faith in the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ as the full payment for his sins, and receive the gift of eternal life. A little while later, he suddenly came through the building telling everyone rapidly that he would see them in Heaven, and that was the last I have seen of him.
Please pray for these needs:
1. New car
2. Co-laborers in Limerick
3. Protection over the ministry
Last, I would like to thank all of you for your continued prayers, faithful support, and all the churches and individuals who sent Christmas and birthday gifts and cards.
In the campaign for Irish souls,
Keith Hamilton
