Thank you for those who have been faithfully praying for our family and ministry. As a result of your support, God has provided us many opportunities to share the Gospel with several people. It is amazing how God has allowed us to cross paths with so many people in recent weeks. There is much work ahead of us in order to be good stewards of these relationships, and we are looking forward to reporting the fruit of this labor.
We had some guests from America join us for a day. There was a plan to show them some historical sites with a young man as a guide. During the historical tour, I had the opportunity to share the Gospel. He was later invited to visit with us at church. He has come a couple of times and heard the Gospel again, with even more clarity and less distraction. We are praying that soon this young man will make the decision to trust Christ as his personal Saviour.
Another time I was out with one of my boys in an older part of town. There was a crippled beggar who is usually in the same place all the time. Often, we have good short conversations when we are in the area. This time I invited him to have a meal with my son and me. The crippled man walked with his hands and showed us a place to eat nearby. I wanted to order something special for him, but he had already eaten and ordered some coffee for himself instead. I spent over an hour sharing the Gospel with him, which seemed to bring a sense of conviction. Although he did not trust Christ that day, to my surprise, he paid for the entire order! I pray that soon God would open his eyes to the falsehood of Islam and his need for Jesus Christ.
One of my favorite restaurants is a pizza place not far from where we live. When we first started going there, God gave us favor right away with the owner. I have been praying for this man ever since we moved here. I invited him over for Thanksgiving, but he didn’t get the invitation in time. Afterward, he told me that he wanted to plan a day for us to spend with each other at his store. When that time came, he made a special pizza for the both of us to enjoy, and we had over a three-hour conversation about our faith. Although this man is a very devout Muslim, he told me that the day we met, there was something different about my family and me. He said he always wanted to ask me but never had the opportunity. After our conversation, he hugged me and told me that he now knows that the light that we have in our faces is because of our love for God’s Word.
I have a new English student whom I meet with three times a week. I have already been able to plant many Gospel seeds. He is very concerned about what will happen to him when he dies. Please pray for all of these contacts, including others that I have not been able to include in this prayer letter.
God has answered many prayers recently, one of them being the finished translation work of a Gospel tract that has been written for this culture. Please continue to pray for our protection and for the influence of God’s Word to increase. I published a book recently. My vision for this book is to provide a helpful resource and encouragement to get into the hands of those who respond to the call for missions. There is a special discount for missionaries and pastors who want these books in bulk. A missionary could use the profits for extra funds while on deputation. A pastor can make these available to help towards the cost of a Missions Conference or just give them away as gifts.
Please continue to pray for our language classes. There is an incredible door of opportunity as soon as we learn the language! My language teacher has said I’m one of her best students, but my reason for learning the language is much different than others. Thank you for those who gave extra this year! The year 2021 was incredible! Maybe this could be my last prayer letter before Christ comes for us, but if He tarries, let’s do a little more for Him this year!
Missionary #6506
