November 2009

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