We know that many of you are probably looking forward to spring coming soon. Summer is coming to an end here in Uruguay, with children here starting their next school year in March. Our family has been blessed to have an extended warm season because we left the U.S. in the early fall and arrived here in the spring (I can almost hear the sarcastic violin music!).
Christa and I had COVID in February
Our babysitter, who helps the kids with their schooling while we are in language school, caught COVID at the end of January. Christa and I began having some symptoms the following week, and our language school asked us to take a COVID test. The test we took on February 4 came back positive, so we had to quarantine. I only had a cough for a few days, but Christa had more prolonged symptoms. She felt exhausted for close to three weeks, along with having some congestion and a persistent cough, which finally went away at the end of February. We thank God that it wasn’t worse.
Preparing for Outreach
I was able to use the extra time I had during my quarantine to begin work on designing Gospel tracts and church invitations for the ministry here. I took a short class to learn how to use a design program called InDesign. I was able to complete a nice church invitation, which also has a link to a Gospel presentation on video. I have been doing research for a Gospel tract/brochure for religious people and another one for skeptics. Some of the people in the ministry are excited about getting out and giving the Gospel to people while also inviting them to church. Please pray for these to be completed, and pray that we will be able get them printed at a good price.
Walter Silva’s Planned Return
The missionary who started the ministry we are a part of and who has served in Uruguay for 46 years is Walter Silva. He needed to return to the U.S. last August to have several much-needed surgeries to help with some excruciating pain in his back and legs. He had the surgeries, and it looks like he has been recuperating well. He and his wife Peggy have tickets to return here on March 23! Thankfully, there are a few very capable men leading the ministry in his absence, but the people in the ministry are looking forward to having them back. Of course, our family is looking forward to seeing them again as well. Please pray for his continued recuperation and that they will be able to return as planned in March.
We love you all, and we pray for our supporting churches regularly. Thank you for praying and giving.
Praise
- We have fully recovered from COVID.
- We were able to complete some church invitations.
Prayer
- Our language classes, which we will resume in March—we did have some online classes in February.
- Wisdom in knowing how to design the Gospel tracts and brochures
- Silva family to be able to return in March
Your missionaries to Uruguay,
Tim, Christa, Ethan, Evan, and Emmalynn Simmons
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- The front of a church invitation
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- We enjoyed meeting the Huamani family. They move from Peru recently to take over a church in Uruguay.
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- We received our first package here!