Greetings from Aruba!
Mary, Christian and I still await confirmation from immigration...we feel like we've spent the past year in and out of immigration somewhere!
(update: still no news from Trinidad, but the government of Aruba has granted an extension for our stay! 12/09)
However, the work still continues in our corner of the Caribbean! We have received updates that the Trinidad World Evangelism Workshop was successful in raising money for the support of local Trinidadian preachers (and even some of their own missionaries in nearby islands). Trinidad has been sending out missionaries for years now to countries like India, Dominica, Bonaire, Grenada and Tobago. This is a testament to the maturing of the great commission that was planted many years ago. Praise God for His providence! On a special note, dad was one of the speakers at this year's workshop.
The prison work in Aruba is also of particular interest this month. This ministry is fairly new compared to the prison ministries we have in America...it's so interesting to see the patterns and developments of prison ministry in Aruba, and just how similar they are to those of other more seasoned works. Right now we only have a few in attendance, but of the few there are two that appear very interested in accepting truth and Christ's salvation in the very near future...our prayers are that these men make their decisions soon, and that the authorities allow us to baptize them without too many obstacles. It will also be interesting to witness how God will unfold His will for new Christians to worship in this facility...but we remain his workmanship and know that He will work everything out.
We ask your prayers for the prison work here in Aruba, for our Bro Panch and Sis Vivian who so faithfully have been going in week after week to help these men, and for the hearts and decisions of the men that we teach. We also ask prayers for the other precious souls that we have come into contact with, and that our words and lives continue to help them get closer and closer to God's will.
update: our prison class has doubled! Three weeks ago, because of miscommunication, over a dozen men who were signed up for study with a major denomination were 'accidently' placed (and welcomed!) into our session. I'm thrilled to report that since then, many of these men have continued studying with us instead of returning to their previous class.
We thank God for you all!...for your prayers, words of encouragement and your sacrifice.
God bless and keep you!
...sorry about the lack of pictures!...I've been trying to upload for hours!...I'll try again later
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
October 2009
Greetings To You Our Brethren and Loved Ones!Just a little update on the work in Aruba.
The ladies at the San Nicolas congregation recently hosted the island's fourth Ladies Retreat. The theme was "Soldiers of Christ Arise" with well over a hundred in attendance. Sister Beth Cook (pictured left, Patricia middle, Mary right) from the United States was the guest speaker. From all reports...i didn't actually attend...the quality and spiritual level of the event was very impressive to all in attendance; there were many visitors present so we have much hope that the efforts of our faithful ladies will prove super-victorious for the days and years to come in the lives of many precious and searching souls. Randy, her husband, spoke for us on their Sunday here. Truly it was a wonderful time of fellowship and learning.
Rejoice with us for the summer addition of our sister Karen. Please keep this single mother and her children in your thoughts and prayers. She was widowed after a tragic accident.
We also invite you to rejoice with us in the new birth of our brother Anton Frederiks. A survivor of a German POW camp during WW II, and many harsh ongoing physical ailments, his prayer (translated by his wife) had been that the Lord grant him enough time to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. Two days ago, after translating, study...and more translating, Anton was baptized by his son John and added to the church. Truly we have an awesome God who is not slow in His promises, but is longsuffering to us!
Please continue to pray for the work here. We love you and appreciate all that you do for us in the greatest cause on earth.
The Lord bless and especially keep you all.
In faith and service,
The Lord bless and especially keep you all.
In faith and service,
Tim, Mary, and Christian
Tim, Mary, and Christian
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Greetings to You Our Dear Christian Family,
We pray that all is going well in your various corners of the world. Mary, Christian, and I are doing well as we continue the mission in the Caribbean.
1) Trinidad&Tobago:
Carapachaima:
The work in Carapachaima marches forward with new additions to the Lord's family as well as the continuance of two of our own in the Trinidad School of Preaching. Ravi Rattan and Jenny Lio are the first students to be sent and sponsored by the brethren in Carapachaima. This is an exciting time for the congregation because it is the beginning of a growing base for leaders among our youth. In the past, the congregation was always supportive of foreign students who would come to help the local church...but these students would always have to move on. Now we have our own students who plan to continue working and growing with us! Ravi and Jenny plan to graduate from the school in May 2010. I would ask your prayers for their encouragement and success.
Arouca:
The congregation in the maximum security unit in Arouca continues to grow with the latest addition of more converts. We have begun to experience similar problems with denominational leaders here as is too often common in prison missions. The latest issue is the attempt to force the church to join an inter-faith governing body in order to control our efforts. We ask your prayers concerning these developments, and that we are able to demonstrate honor and Christian integrity, setting the proper example for the brethren inside.
TSOP:
This year I was blessed to be able to be one of the teachers at the school of preaching. The school graduated seven students this year sending fresh workers into Dominica, Jamaica, and Trinidad.
Another development in the school this year was the "changing of the guard" at the director level. Parker and Donna Henderson, after 52 years of foreign mission work, have decided to work in The States for a while. In their place the brethren at San Fernando have chosen Rodney and Janet Tedford. We pray that the school remains strong and continues to place world evangelism at the forefront. We ask your continued prayers to the Tedfords as well as the local brethren who have been chosen to continue this great work.
3) Aruba:
Presently we are in San Nicolas, Aruba.
In June 2009 I applied for residence reinstatement in Trinidad. We were put on hold (so to speak) and have since had to exit...
We were fortunate to be used in the Aruban work back in July. The work here is similar to the work in Trinidad, we even get to enter the prison here once a week (on Mondays instead of Fridays). Our plan is to continue here through January and then revisit the issue in Trinidad.
Dearest Brethren, words simply cannot express our gratitude to you our family. It is truly because of your sacrifices that the work has been able to continue through us. We salute and love you dearly. Thank you so much for all your prayers, support, guest bedrooms, meals, fellowships, fastings, and all other blessings that you have bestowed upon these Hendersons! God be with, and bless you all.
Tim, Mary, and Christian
We pray that all is going well in your various corners of the world. Mary, Christian, and I are doing well as we continue the mission in the Caribbean.
1) Trinidad&Tobago:
Carapachaima:
The work in Carapachaima marches forward with new additions to the Lord's family as well as the continuance of two of our own in the Trinidad School of Preaching. Ravi Rattan and Jenny Lio are the first students to be sent and sponsored by the brethren in Carapachaima. This is an exciting time for the congregation because it is the beginning of a growing base for leaders among our youth. In the past, the congregation was always supportive of foreign students who would come to help the local church...but these students would always have to move on. Now we have our own students who plan to continue working and growing with us! Ravi and Jenny plan to graduate from the school in May 2010. I would ask your prayers for their encouragement and success.
Arouca:
The congregation in the maximum security unit in Arouca continues to grow with the latest addition of more converts. We have begun to experience similar problems with denominational leaders here as is too often common in prison missions. The latest issue is the attempt to force the church to join an inter-faith governing body in order to control our efforts. We ask your prayers concerning these developments, and that we are able to demonstrate honor and Christian integrity, setting the proper example for the brethren inside.
TSOP:
This year I was blessed to be able to be one of the teachers at the school of preaching. The school graduated seven students this year sending fresh workers into Dominica, Jamaica, and Trinidad.
Another development in the school this year was the "changing of the guard" at the director level. Parker and Donna Henderson, after 52 years of foreign mission work, have decided to work in The States for a while. In their place the brethren at San Fernando have chosen Rodney and Janet Tedford. We pray that the school remains strong and continues to place world evangelism at the forefront. We ask your continued prayers to the Tedfords as well as the local brethren who have been chosen to continue this great work.
3) Aruba:
Presently we are in San Nicolas, Aruba.
In June 2009 I applied for residence reinstatement in Trinidad. We were put on hold (so to speak) and have since had to exit...
We were fortunate to be used in the Aruban work back in July. The work here is similar to the work in Trinidad, we even get to enter the prison here once a week (on Mondays instead of Fridays). Our plan is to continue here through January and then revisit the issue in Trinidad.
--------------------------------------
Dearest Brethren, words simply cannot express our gratitude to you our family. It is truly because of your sacrifices that the work has been able to continue through us. We salute and love you dearly. Thank you so much for all your prayers, support, guest bedrooms, meals, fellowships, fastings, and all other blessings that you have bestowed upon these Hendersons! God be with, and bless you all.
Tim, Mary, and Christian
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