Missionary Minute

Our Missionaries Meet

2011-06-01T20:40:00.001-07:00

Our church sponsored missionaries; Jon and Emilie Rettig, were able to meet up with Don and Tabitha Clough, another missionary family that our church supports! They crossed paths in Ohio and enjoyed some time together! Don and Tabitha Clough are on deputation preparing for the mission field of Scotland while Jon and Emilie are home on a short furlough from the Czech Republic. We are praying for you all and NTBC loves each of you!

Missionary Kids Get Saved Too!

2011-05-02T14:00:00.000-07:00

Written By Missionary Jerry Wilhite

Upon the profession of their faith and in obedience to our Lord's command and under the authority of our home church, my sons, Drew Wilhite(14) and Joel Whilhite(12) were scripturally immersed following our afternoon service on Sunday. Though the waters and air were a bit chilly (we are in winter now in Africa) several were there to witness both their verbal and pictorial testimonies.

Praising the Lord for his blessings.

A Day in the Life of a Missionary Wife

2011-04-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

Shared by Mrs. Shaffer

Donna Kuzel

I just returned from a trip to Africa and once again I am reminded of why we must keep in touch with our missionary wives and don’t let ourselves forget them. Bro. Scott Kuzel is a busy missionary and gone much of the time. Yet, at home he leaves a faithful wife to keep the home, home school their daughter, cook and prepare meals ahead for “unexpected” visitors that her husband may bring home for dinner.

She must prepare to teach a women’s Bible study, prepare for Sunday School in the village and just be the keeper of the home.

Most of this is done while her husband is gone from the home.

Sometimes she gets lonely for adult conversation. When you have a talkative six year old, a woman longs for “intelligent” conversation that is more stimulating. Her days are filled with dealing with childish interests….such as cleaning the goldfish bowl…

And listening to piano practicing…

A woman’s work is never done….even in Africa. Our missionaries love to hear a word from home on a regular basis. In your day….take some time to pray for the wives of the men who are along side their husband. Pray that they will have a reprieve from loneliness. Pray that they will be strengthened by the Lord in their soul and spirit. Ask the Lord to use you …to be a blessing.

Greetings from Karimui!

2011-02-28T11:42:00.001-08:00

Shared by Carol Holland, Missionary wife to Papua, New Guinea.

It is hard to believe that we have finished the first two months of this year! Time is flying by! We just returned from 10 days in town. Dave met with Bryan Girard to standardize the word list for the translation of the Old Testament. I found myself nursing my foot while we were there. I had bumped it and felt like I had broken it. I guess that is the price for wearing flip-flops around here!

This interesting picture was recently taken at the cook house of our teacher. The mother of this brood had died and they did not want these little darlings to run away. There are four but one decided to put his head inside when I wanted to take the picture.

I want to thank all the ladies of NTBC for the pillow you sent me for Christmas. It goes so well in my living room and reminds me to pray for you all too. It even arrived early!

I'd like you to meet Stalin. Stalin likes to stay with us when we visit town. She has been a joy to have with us and we feel like we have had a daughter! It has given me another chance to disciple her. She doesn't have a mother close by. Her mother left them a few years ago. Stalin has a strong desire to follow Christ and is teachable.

The Bible school for the preachers went really well. It was well attended and even some who are not preachers were there as well, which is good. Dave taught two hours in the morning and one and a half hours in the afternoon on Christian leadership.

Pray for us as we start our yearly time working with the public school teachers. Most of the teachers are new this year. A week ago, one of the teachers and his wife (who just happen to be relatives of Pastor Kimin),
came to our house and asked Dave to show them how to be saved. Both made professions of faith. Then on Thursday, the headmistress came to our ladies Bible study! Her name is Salome and she is Catholic. She wanted to meet us and stayed for the Bible study. I taught that night on Mary and Martha but you can be sure I also included a clear presentation of the plan of salvation in the lesson!

Prayer Requests:

Continue to pray for our health. Pray that Dave will have stamina to keep going. The cataract in his right eye has advanced but we are praying that we can hold off longer before getting it taken care of.

My shoulder is about the same. I just keep exercising it as much as I can. I will see the therapist again in March.

I am also going to start holding music lessons for some of the people here on Saturday mornings. They want to know the basics of playing the keyboard and of music in general. They think it will be easy. They are in for a shock!

I will also be teaching another literacy class for those who have taken it before. Some need to learn more and just never caught on to reading. I will have ten students this time.

Do pray for our home pastor. He is fighting cancer with radiation an has been quite sick and weak. It is hard to be so far away from him at this time. Do bathe him and his wife in your prayers. They are all so special to us. Thank you for praying

We remember you all in our prayers as well.

Love and Prayers,
Carol

Blessings from Guatemala!

2011-02-01T14:00:00.000-08:00

We would like to say a special “Thank You” to each of the individuals and churches that sent Christmas cards, made phone calls and sent special Christmas offerings to our family.

We appreciate very much your thoughtfulness and generosity during the Christmas season. You are a blessing to this family!

During December, we held a special Christmas Concert and Tamale Dinner.

It was an hour of special music with traditional Christmas hymns as well as a couple of Christmas songs

I had composed, intermingled with the Christmas story and the reason for it all---our salvation. Several first-time visitors attended the concert and we had two professions of faith that night and one person rededicating his life to the Lord.

Our Plans for the Summer

I want to inform you about some plans for the summer. These plans will involve not only our family here in Guatemala, but also our son, Jonathan, who is currently studying at Pensacola Christian College. We will be traveling to Chiapas, Mexico to hold some detailed Sunday School workshops. They will be two-day workshops that will be held in four different centralized locations within the Mexican state of Chiapas. A few churches already have Sunday Schools implemented, while the majority of them will just be starting to teach Sunday School in their churches and missions. It will be quite the task as two or three of the workshops will have to be translated into the Tzeltal Indian language. We are currently working on materials and a three-year lesson plan for a thru-the-Bible type teaching. Pray that all materials will be completed on time.

Jonathan is currently in his third year of his Pastoral Ministry degree with a minor in Biblical Languages. His desire is to work on Bible translation in areas where no Word of God currently exists. He will also be helping on some New Testament translation projects there in Chiapas. Please pray for Jonathan as he raises support for this new mission in his life.

God bless you all!

Bro. David Lott and family

Serving in Guatemala, Central America

Update from Uganda!

2011-01-08T19:32:00.000-08:00

Greetings from the Pearl of Africa. Cheri and I want to send our prayers for each one of you and to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We have seen God working in many ways. The lower part of the Orphanage building is now finished. We have been able to use it for our weeklong institute both to house the pastors and trainees in the dorm and to feed them in the dining room. The ladies also held their Christmas party there too. Now we begin on the upper structure which will go much faster as the floor is already done. We are looking forward to seeing it filled with children. Pray hard!

In our weeklong institute we taught the men “How to study the Bible”. We had 41 in the class. Our men are really getting excited as they are learning how to draw out the truths from the Word of God.

I had the privilege of performing the wedding for one of our trainees on Saturday who will soon become the pastor in a village 8 miles from Mbarara. Because of the testimony of our people who minister in the village and the change in the life of this man, at the end of the reception, his aunt paid the entire amount of the remaining bride price. We have never seen this done here! God is great!

Sunday morning Alisha directed the children’s Christmas play which set the stage for the main service where we had 6 adults saved and another profession of faith. God was really speaking to hearts. Pray for these new converts.

Bryan & Cheri Stensaas

Missionaries to Uganda Africa

Our Prague Thanksgiving

2010-12-02T16:30:00.000-08:00

Every year for Thanksgiving we make a dinner for the some of the regular folk who come to our services. Even though Thanksgiving is not a holiday in the Czech Republic, we like to have a special time of celebration for the things we are thankful for. This year we held Thanksgiving dinner in our home and made our living room into a small restaurant for 14 people and 3 children.

It was especially nice this year to have some new faces celebrate with us.

Psalm 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Earthquake in New Zealand

2010-10-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Written By Belinda Gabbard

A deafening roar and violent shaking abruptly awakened my husband and I simultaneously at 4:35 a.m., Saturday, September 4. It is amazing how quickly we found ourselves on our knees in the middle of the bed holding tightly to one another and both audibly asking the Lord to help us. Although it seemed much longer, it was definitely the most frightening and terrifying minute of my life. Many different thoughts raced through my mind and I instantly felt an overwhelming love for all my loved ones.

Suddenly, every light in the house flickered on for approximately ten seconds, giving Coleman time to see the ceiling moving from side to side. I seemed to have missed that part; must have had my eyes closed. When the shaking finally subsided, Coleman handed me a flashlight and told me to get dressed and not to forget my shoes because there was broken glass on the floor. As comical as this may sound, I found myself having difficulty deciding what to wear! I knew whatever I chose had to be warm because I felt very cold. But before I could get dressed, the violent shaking began again. When it ceased, I dressed quickly, grabbed my wedding ring and purse and headed toward the door.

I saw my cabinet door standing open, dishes and glasses were smashed and lying on the carpet.
The pantry doors were also open and food was dumped onto the floor. What a mess! For the third time, the house began to shake and rattle. I quickly ran to the doorway, which is one of the places you are supposed to go during an earthquake. This time I was by myself because Coleman had gone outside to check the roof and the neighbors. When he returned, we were standing in the doorway when the house began its rock and roll number again. I remember thinking, "when will it stop?" The answer was, "not for quite some time." The aftershocks occurred every ten to fifteen minutes. This went on for a couple of hours and then the in between times gradually lengthened.

I found myself going from room to room with my little flashlight assessing the damage. Besides the broken dishes, I lost photo frames, wall hangings and trinkets that won't require anymore dusting. Before starting the cleanup, I sent several texts to let family and friends know we were okay. Our power, water and phone service returned by mid-afternoon. We were very fortunate because many others went several days without those services. We have minor damages to our walls; however, our carpet in the living room will have to be temporarily taken up in order to repair the now uneven floor. Our roof is okay, but we have a few loose bricks and some cracks in the foundation. We fared much better than our neighbor, Tom, just two houses up from us. They haven't inspected his house yet, but Coleman thinks they may condemn it.

On Wednesday, September 8 just before 8:00 a.m., it happened all over again. Because the shaking did not last as long as the 7.1 quake and for insurance purposes, the experts are only calling it a 5.2 aftershock. I was already awake, waiting for my turn to shower when this one hit. I did not sit up as quickly this time so I was hit on the head by an object that sits on a shelf directly above my head. It was a figurine, an angel to be precise. I will always remember this incident because I was "kissed" by an angel. My grandson, Reagan, was staying with us because my daughter, Rachel, had given birth to my first granddaughter on Tuesday and was in Christchurch Women's Hospital. I quickly grabbed him as Coleman came rushing out of the bathroom with towel in hand. We clung to one another until the shaking ceased. There were three violent shakings until it settled down to the usual aftershocks we had constantly been experiencing since Saturday.

I had already put things back into the cabinets and on the walls and shelves. Big mistake! More broken glassware and wall hangings. Some things that did not fall before, fell this time. No one can truly understand the lingering sense of fear until they have experienced an earthquake and the numerous aftershocks. Because of the nearly 700 aftershocks we have had and are still having, my house looks like we are preparing to move. The walls have been cleared and breakable items are on the floor. It is like walking through a maze.

Buildings that withstood the first quake, were not so lucky on Wednesday. The most famous building that Christchurch lost was The Deans Homestead, the house used in making the movie, The Chronicles of Narnia, the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It was as if the quake had tentacles like an octopus and it had spread randomly through the city, sparing some, claiming others. Buildings can be replaced or repaired, but at times like this, we realize it is our family, friends and lives that are most precious.

Although the earthquake was an extremely harrowing experience and not one I wish to repeat, I will add this event to my personal list of revelations of God's magnificent power. He revealed that He sits on the throne in control of my life, not as a tyrannical dictator, but as a loving and protective Father. He proved, once again, that His words of promise ring loud and true--"I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Thank you, Lord, for always being there and never leaving my side. I know that one day I will draw my last breath and with a glorified body join my Father in Heaven for eternity. . . but not today!

Editor’s Note: Here is yet another reason why we must pray for our missionaries’ around the world. Thank you Belinda for sharing this account with us.

Blessing My Teacher

2010-09-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

Written by Scott Kuzel, Missionary to South Africa

>Missionaries must home school their children and this missionary to South Africa found a way to honor his child's teacher…who just happened to be his wife, in a special way!

Daddy and his daughter Alayna put their heads together to figure out a way to honor "Mommy" for her teaching.

Daddy and Alayna gave a specially ordered gift to Alayna's teacher…."Mommy"!" In Swaziland, there is a glass factory where custom made glass works are crafted. It is fascinating to watch the glass artisans fashion so many different things out of molten glass.

During one of my trips to Swaziland, I stopped at the factory to ask if they would make an apple and engrave a message that said, "The World's Best Teacher-my Mommy, Love Alayna"

They did this for me! We presented Mommy with the gift at the Tea Parlor.

She was very surprised! Daddy and Mommy enjoyed some coffee and lemon meringue pie.

Precious Cargo!

2010-07-02T05:52:00.000-07:00

Jon and Emilie Rettig

Our missionaries, Jon and Emilie Rettig, made it home just in time to help unload the boxes of literature for the fall Prague Campaign coming up in September.

It was hard but rewarding work for our eager helpers...

We are trusting God to bless the sowing of the seed of His Word.

Psalm 126:6 "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."

Would you pray for this campaign of sowing this precious seed?

Grocery Shopping in South Africa

2010-06-11T05:54:00.000-07:00

By Donna Kuzel

Fruit/Vegetable Stands

A common site for us here are the many ‘stands’ on the sidewalks or along the highways, where individuals will be selling the fruit and vegetables in season. On one block in town there could be 10 or more ‘stands’. At night they will cover their things with a large piece of plastic, wrap a rope around it and go home for the night.

Sometimes driving along the roads to the village there will be one or two individuals holding up a bag of mango’s or avocados, wanting to sell them. It reminds me of lemonade stands in the USA, which you rarely see these days.

Avocados are in season at this time. Brother Kuzel noticed several weeks ago that there are several avocado trees at the school where he speaks. He found out they do not use them, so one day he took the ladder and picked 111 avocados. Anyone want an avocado? Free!

We Made It!

2010-06-02T08:17:00.000-07:00

Update from Our Missionaries to Russia

Hi from faraway Russia. Wanted to drop a line to say that we have made it and trying to adjust and get our bearings. We arrived early Friday morning and hit the ground running. Thankful as I think it kept us awake so we could adjust to their time zone. The Lord has been good as we start to set our lives here. The change has been hard some days but God’s grace is always there. We start language school tomorrow. It looks like both of us will start, at least for the first couple of months, full time. The boys are allowed to sit in room and do school or play games, read books quietly. Maybe they will pick it up also.

We are in a temporary residence right now. Please pray that we will be able to get into a decent more permanent place soon. Our bags are strewn all over and I am trying to make some sense of the whole mess!! A particular Bro. over here is being a great blessing to us. He has driven my husband around to get what is needed. We are also thankful for the provision of a vehicle. Although I am a little nervous about my husband driving in this country. It is not his driving I am worried about but about the others!! No lines divide the lanes so we just have to know the law of the road. Also hardly no road signs, so we will have to learn just where things are.

Please pray also that we will be able to catch on to the language quickly and as we get our apartment that the needs to furnish it will be met. We are amazed how God has provided so far. He is good!

Well hope all is well there. We do miss you all and we pray that we will be able to stay in contact with you.

God bless you,
Love Your Missionary's Wife To Russia

*For their safety, all names and personal pictures have been removed

Update From the Males

2010-05-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

We have been having such a great time up here with this church plant in Nova Scotia.

The Cheggogin Baptist Church has been really excited about taking part in the services and helping with the visitation. Bro.Burbidge rented a bigger hall because the other room was too small, what a blessing to have such a problem.

You will notice that in the one photo there are some deaf folks that made their way to the services. The fellow in the green, (Vance) has not been interested in the gospel before, but he was there....Praise The Lord!

Before I close, I wanted to tell you that on the 11th of this month, Michael Jackson died. He had been visited by the men two times and had rejected the gospel both times. He was discovered by a friend that would come with him to the services. We wondered where he was, but to our shock he had died that Sunday. You never know when a person you are talking to may not be alive tomorrow.

Proverbs 27:1 “Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”

The Males Family

Are you ready to meet the Lord?

Doing the Father’s Business in Uganda

2010-04-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

By Missionary George Wyatt

A new church has been organized in Kampala, Uganda. In this congregation were 13 adults that were baptized on this day and placed into the membership of Independent Bible Baptist Church Kampala.

Here, Bro. Kyeyune James is preaching and teaching in preparation for the baptism.

Here is Bro. Angello Mugezi who helped start this new church, as he is digging the baptistry for the baptism.

They line everything with banana leaves. Banana stalks were used to support the sides.

Bro. James baptizing Bro. Chris with the help of Bro. Angello.

Angello’s mother, Angellina, preparing food in the kitchen. Notice….no electricity anywhere!

It is exciting to see these precious souls that have been saved as a result of our training in Uganda. From these, we ask God for faithful men to train others.

Hello From Australia!

2010-03-02T12:44:00.000-08:00

We arrived back in Australia for our 2nd term on January 1st. We were greeted at the airport by our wonderful church family and friends. It was a great reunion! We returned with a new addition to our family. Our son J.J. (Johnathan Jr.) was born in May, in Oklahoma.

Our daughter just celebrated her 3rd birthday and our new son is now 9 months old!

We are enjoying getting back into the swing of things. We had two first time visitors at church recently, so we praise the Lord for that. My husband has been challenging us with memorizing more Scripture. We have a new Scripture verse each week. I think it has been really great for our little church. Everyone has said their verse each week, which has been exciting to see everyone's participation. We have started our youth groups again, which we have twice a month.

We have also moved into our new house, which we thank the Lord for! The Lord has taken care of each of our needs and some of our wants too. Praise the Lord.

I would like to do a little bragging on the Lord, when we arrived back here, there were a few needs we needed to have met. First, our fridge stopped working, but a family in our church had two fridges and they have allowed us to use one until ours is fixed. Our fridge is still under warranty.

Blessing # 2: We also needed to purchase a bed for our daughter Whitney, and in the house we moved into, someone had left a bunk bed in the shed. The Realtor said we could have it, if we wanted it. So my husband was able to put it together. The only thing he needed to buy for it, were some bolts!

The Lord met another need through our precious friends and the Thompsons, a family in our church, are letting us borrow an extra mattress that they have!

God is so good and we praise Him for it! He is always there for us, providing for us.

Thank you for letting me pop in for 'just a minute' to tell you our blessings!

Because He Lives,

Lindsay Edwards

Australia

A Closer Look at Our Missions Dollars at Work!

2010-02-01T16:59:00.000-08:00

Our missionaries to South Africa have been instrumental in helping to start a new church in the country of Uganda. They met Bro. James in South Africa and were able to lead him to Christ, disciple him and then go back with him to his own country to reach others. What a blessing this story is!

Here is the account of the ordination of Bro. Kyeyune James in Kampala, Uganda

Here we are praying over Bro. James as we ordain him to the gospel ministry.

Bro. George Wyatt presenting Bro. James with a new Bible for his ordination.

Bro. James…a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the peoples of Uganda!

Here is the congregation that was there to witness this scriptural event. When we finish, more than 20 adults should sign the charter for the new church.

The organization of this new congregation will be shared in our next posting on "Missionary Minute".

More News From South Africa

2010-01-22T21:10:00.000-08:00

Bro. and Mrs. Norberg and Bro. Scott Kuzel preparing for the funeral.

Jackie comforting Bro. Harry.

The arrival of the body on Friday evening at 6 pm. The actual funeral was at 6:30 am the next day.

Bro. Scott Kuzel preached the funeral along with Bro. Gary Norberg.

Bro. Zebulon and his daughter, Lerato singing at the funeral.

Boitimelo's grave in Majakanang

Bro. Scott comforting Bro. Harry as he leaves for home.

The funeral for this dear African pastor's wife went well. Twelve independent Baptist preachers attended. A couple of these men are not right with God and faithful to a Biblical Baptist walk, but it was exciting to see them all in one place. About 400 people attended Boitimelo's funeral and many of these people were unsaved.

This news update was sent by our Missionary, George Wyatt.

What a blessing to know that our NTBC missions giving made it possible for Bro. George and Bro. Gary Norberg to go to South Africa in order to reach Boitimelo and her family for Jesus Christ! We will all get to meet her in Heaven one day soon! It could be today….will you be there also?

News From South Africa!

2010-01-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

We send each and every one of you warm greetings at this very special time of year. We have dedicated this prayer letter to be a special family update, and trust that it will enable you to know us a little better, and pray more specifically for us in this upcoming year! This past year has been one of great blessings and challenges, and we have seen God again stretch our faith, and push us to our knees to look to Him for the grace to help in time of need.

January was a busy time of preparing all the necessary details to return to South Africa for another term of service. In the midst of uprooting again, packing for 3 years, enjoying time with our families and friends, waiting on our return visa's, and saying our goodbyes; we were also adjusting to the addition of our precious third child, and standing with our church leadership in the midst of a vicious onslaught of the devil. Those were trying days indeed, but we praise God that He is the One who indeed gave victory in all these things!

We made our arrival back to South Africa on Feb. 4, and we were thrilled that my sister was able to come with us for 6 weeks and help us with childcare, unpacking, house hunting, house settling, and 100 other sundry tasks that go with that whole process. Thanks, Rachel….not sure what we would have done without you.

We have all settled back into life here now, and are enjoying the place that we call home for the present time. However, we try to never set our roots down too deep, because we know that the Lord's plans are always moving forward, and we want to always be in the center of His will. I am so grateful for the sacrifice of my wife and family to be willing to follow wherever the Lord leads. Though there are challenges, we do love the people and the place that the Lord has sent us too, and we thoroughly enjoy serving Him here.

I won't bore you with many details about my wife and I. We are just getting older, and trying not to change too much. We will celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary this coming March. I am so blessed to have such a special wife, and am so thankful that she joyfully puts up with me. We are very grateful for our family, and count it a special treasure from the Lord, that seemingly few enjoy in these dark days.

Joel, our firstborn, turned 5 in April, and started Kindergarten in September with his favorite teacher, Mommy. He is a born leader, and is developing into a very helpful young man. We really look forward to what God will do with him in future days. Some of his favorite things to do right now include: Bible time, Scripture writing, catching frogs, squashing bugs, planting seeds, playing t-ball in the backyard, and doing anything with handcuffs, ropes, and guns. He is definitely 110% boy!

Sweet little Anna will be 4 in just a couple of weeks, and she cannot wait. She even prayed this morning that the Lord would help her hurry up and get to turn 4. She is a special little girl, and we pray often that God will continue to protect her little kidney. She will go back to the specialist in February for another checkup. The doctor will make sure that everything looks healthy with her good kidney, and that the other one is continuing to absorb into the body and not produce any malignant cells. Some of her favorite things to do right now include: doing pre-school with mommy, playing with her baby dolls and stuffed animals, building legos, taking care of little Luke, getting "pretty", helping mommy in the kitchen, and of course, playing with her big brother.

Little Luke, turned one on November 30, and is certainly the baby of the family. Everyone loves to dote on Luke. He is transitioning from crawling to walking, and each day he gets a little braver and walks a little farther. It won't be long and he will be running around the back yard with the others….my how time flies! It was special that he could spend his first birthday with Grandma and Grandpa Hammett in Botswana. Some of his favorite things to do right now include: Chasing his brother and sister, standing and preaching at the front gate to anyone who will listen, playing in the water, and of course eating just about anything, but especially ice cream and cookies….he is a Hammett!

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and we especially thank you for each time that you pause and bring our family before the Lord. Your missionary families are under constant attack from the Devil, and we need your prayers every day. Thank you for letting us be an extension of your ministry and helping us to carry the Gospel to this dry and thirsty land. May God bless each of you and make you fruitful for His service in 2010!

For Souls,
Bro George Hammett

Missionary to Africa

There Are Great And Mighty Things Happening in South Africa!

2009-11-02T14:49:00.000-08:00

In 2004, my prayer was Psalm 90:17 "And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it."

Recently, I read this verse in Isaiah 26: 12, "LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us." What can any of us do in respect to eternity, unless the LORD establishes it?

It was clear, during our first term here in South Africa, that the Lord was directing Brother Kuzel's steps, and that of our family. The Lord was working in and through our family to establish the work He had for us within a completely different country and culture.

Metropolitan College: Upon our recent return to South Africa, Brother Kuzel began to search out the same young men that he had met during our first term, one of which was Clive, who was still living in the small town of White River, but was going to a different private college (i.e. a boarding school for grades 1-12). The LORD opened the door for what has transpired over the last six weeks in this particular place, much of which has been written in recent prayer letters. Being here on the front lines, we are sensing the urgency to get the gospel to these young people who are so hungry for the truth! Since we live in the Southern Hemisphere, the summer holidays are approaching, which means it is the end of the school year. Many of these young people are graduating and will not be coming back.

The Village of Dwaleni: Many of you "met" Augustine, the Pastor "in training" of the church in the village of Dwaleni, when he was introduced on the DVD presentation of the work here. (He is also pictured on the back of our prayer card.) For the last six weeks, we have been going to church services in Dwaleni, before we drive to Nelspruit for the services there. It is a blessing to see the number of children and adults that fill the building every week. I had the privilege to meet with a dozen of the ladies a few weeks ago, at their request.

I believe each of you would have been overwhelmed at the response that these ladies showed over learning the truths of the Scriptures. It will be a great honor to share with these ladies twice a month from the Word of God.

The Village of Mganduzweni: It is sad to say that many of the young men that were meeting for Bible studies in this village have lost interest in hearing the Bible, but God's word says, "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" Isaiah 55:11. However, there is one young man, Muzi, in whose heart the Word of God has been working, and he is seeking to learn more. Senzo, a young man from the village of Cho-Cho-Cho, near Mganduzweni, invited Brother Kuzel to meet at his house on Saturday mornings. Senzo's brother, Bongani, upon hearing the gospel, received the word with much gladness and was saved this past Saturday!

Proverbs 20:11, "Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right." Children are a blessing and Alayna is no exception. Countless opportunities arise for us to share the Lord's truths because of our daughter Alayna. One recent morning, Brother Kuzel spoke at the assembly of Metropolitan College on the importance of even a child gaining wisdom from the Bible, as well as resting our faith exclusively upon the Word of God. As an example, he had Alayna quote several Bible verses. They were all surprised that a young child, almost five years old, could quote that many scriptures. In South Africa, there is no traditional home life. They expect nothing from their children. It is not unusual to see children walking the streets alone with no parent or guardian in sight. Alayna would definitely seem unusual in this culture.

House Hunting/People: Since arriving back in South Africa at the end of August, we have been living at a guest lodge, located 10 miles outside of White River. (White River is 15 miles north of Nelspruit). It was OUR plan to have us settled in our own house by now, BUT God had other plans! To be honest, ladies, this situation was a bit unsettling at first, since this keeper at home wanted to be just that! We've been homeless since December of last year, but as we looked at houses and spent time with various rental property agents, we could see-- over time, that God has had a greater purpose. There are two agents, in particular, who have asked many questions about the Bible. We have also had many opportunities to share our testimonies with the guest lodge owners, Mr. and Mrs. Jones, and even with their other guests.

God has shown us many great and mighty things in our walk with Him, and we look forward to seeing MORE great and mighty things, which we know not of, as we pray and seek to do His will. Jeremiah 33:3

Thank you for praying for us and standing with us in this labor for the Lord, to the peoples of South Africa.

Life In Thailand

2009-10-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

We are so thankful for each one of you. Your encouragement and prayers make the difference here in Thailand. We are so blessed to have you holding the ropes for us. Thank you!

The Phuket Ministry

Earlier this month, we handed the batton off to a fellow missionary to continue the Bible studies in Phuket. Due to the cost of travel to and from Phuket, coupled with the increasing ministry needs here in Bangkok, it has been very difficult for us to spend the time needed with the Burmese Bible Studies in Phuket. It is a blessing that our missionary friend will meet with these Burmese Christians for the Sunday afternoon Bible studies and continue to teach them the Word of God.

David

David continues to study the Bible. Through David, we’ve been able to make contacts with many other Nepalese that are living in Bangkok. Around thirty Nepalese have expressed interest in starting a Nepalese Baptist Church. A meeting place was found and church services will begin October 4th.

Faith Ann

Our third-born child, Faith Ann was born on Sunday, August 30th at 10:14 am. She weighed in a 6 pounds and 14 ounces and measured about 20 inches long. Jonathan and Grace were very excited to be one of the first to hold their new baby sister. They have really welcomed their little sister into our family. Throughout the day, they take turns holding her.

The Hmong Camp

The end of this month is the projected date for the Thai Military to shut down the camp and repatriate the remainder of the Hmong to Laos. Therefore, tomorrow we will be closing down the Hmong school at the Hmong refugee camp. Sunday may be the last church service at its current building. We pray that the church members will continue to meet for one on one or small group Bible studies in the camp, since they cannot meet in big groups in the camp.
Once they are repatriated, we pray that they will be faithful in reaching out to others. As for those who have already returned to Laos, doors have been opened for some of them and they have been able to minister to others.

Jonathan and Grace

Jonathan celebrated his 6th birthday with a trip to a zoo park. While there, he got to sit on the back of a baby elephant. Also, he and Grace fed the birds and giraffes. Helping Dad is something every boy enjoys and Jonathan is no different. After boxes of literature were moved, Gracie got to enjoy being hauled around on the two wheeled cart.
At home, Jonathan and Grace spend a lot of time together. Grace likes it that her big brother Jonathan, reads books to her. They spend most of their day playing together.

Pray for us. May God bless you!

The Jeff Lange Family

Meet a Faithful Woman in Mexico

2009-09-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Mexico!

I enjoy keeping up with your ladies blog and consider it a blessing to share a little of our work here in Mexico. I would like to share with you, about one of our most faithful members of the mission we work with on Sunday mornings. Oh, that we all would be like her…

Sister Aurora turned 80 on August 13th. We had a fellowship brunch for her on Sunday the 16th. Since we have to leave immediately after our morning services to get to a Sunday afternoon mission service about one and a half hours south, we decided to have the special meal before the services.

We had "pozole", which is a delicious soup made with hominy and either pork or chicken. It is garnished with either shredded lettuce or cabbage, chopped chili peppers, onions, and lemon juice, accompanied with tostadas. One of the biggest blessings was that the landlord of our rental house, along with his wife, came to the brunch and to church for the first time ever! It has been twenty years since we first became acquainted with them.

They are both 86 and we have tried many times over the years to share the gospel with them. Please pray that the devil will not snatch away the seed sown in their hearts.
Sister Aurora has an amazing testimony. She came to the Lord many years before we began working with this mission. She and her husband Gabriel are extremely poor. Although they have always lived from hand to mouth, the Lord has provided their needs. Aurora would harvest cactus, and peel, cut and cook it to sell in town to make ends meet. Gabriel used to drink heavily. He beat and abused Aurora. Gabriel forced Aurora to go gather firewood barefoot, in fear she would leave him for someone else.

Another missionary wife even counseled Aurora to leave Gabriel for her own personal safety, but Aurora chose to trust the Lord and stay with Gabriel. Aurora tearfully gave testimony last Sunday of how much the Lord has changed Gabriel! She said, "We are happy now!" He has stopped drinking and listens to Christian broadcasts on the radio. He will not leave the house for any reason, out of fear they will be robbed (as if they had anything of value to steal!). But he always encourages his wife to be faithful in church. She tithes and attends church faithfully. One of their sons was murdered for his faith about 25 years ago. There is no evidence of any bitterness on his mother's part, just a sweet, strong faith. We thank the Lord for the example of Aurora's faithfulness, and pray that we can be as faithful as she has been.

Thank you for your faithfulness in supporting our work in Mexico all these years. May we all continue to be “faithful Auroras” in the place God has put us.

Pat Christenson
Missionary wife to Mexico

Hello From South Africa

2009-08-01T01:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Ladies of New Testament,

I have to be about the world's worst at writing letters. I do want you to know that I think of you so much more then I communicate. It seems like every time I want to sit and write, my husband is on the computer, and I am afraid that the prospect of sitting and writing a letter by hand is getting to seem like a lot of work. But even though it is not an excuse please know how much we love and appreciate all of you. Your cards, letters and gifts are so appreciated. You make us feel so loved and appreciated.

It has been a very busy year. As you know from our prayer letters our ministry not only involves work here in South Africa but also outreach into Botswana and into Uganda. My husband and our pastor made a trip to Uganda in January. What a blessing to spend time with the believers there. They are so hungry for the Word and just love having someone to come and teach them. They are willing to sit for hours and just soak up the Word. How spoiled we all are when we know we can have teaching at least three services a week and sometimes do we think that we are spending too much time in church? Even I have to be reminded from time to time how blessed I am to have the opportunity to be around men of God who can teach and preach the Word and challenge me in my spiritual life. James and Diane are doing well. We just heard this week that she was in hospital. She is expecting their third child and she has a lot of difficulty with her pregnancies. She is very ill for the first four months or so and has trouble keeping any food down, so remember her and her famiy in your prayers.

The outreach into Botswana seems to be doing well. We enjoyed having Pastor Scheving and Jeremy here for a few days. Jeremy has been back to our house a few times. They are busy with many Bible studies with people in the Francistown area. There will be people from Fargo Baptist Church coming and going until the end of September. What a privilege for them to be able to come and experience the mission field first hand. They are finding the people very interested. So pray for the studies and that they will be able to see many come to a saving knowledge of the Lord and also to be able to disciple them in the Christian walk.

The works here are going well. Steven and Emily are seeing growth in Letlhakaneng. They have also been a real blessing to us. They both are working jobs and it is been a struggle for them. Emily especially is under stress at her work as well as trying to keep up with her duties as wife and mother. Those of you who work, know how hard it is to keep up with both, then add the struggle of not having all the labor saving devices that we have in America. Just keeping the dust at bay is a full time job in Africa in the winter.

Harry and Boitumelo and the boys are doing well. She will be going for a full scan the first part of July to check on the cancer. She has down very well and has had such a sweet spirit. It is a blessing to watch how the Lord has used this in their lives to draw them closer to the Lord. They have moved back to the house on the church property so that they can have electricity. The goverment house they had is much nicer as it is made from brick and actually has an indoor bathroom. But they found out they would not be getting electricity there for two more years. So they had to decide on whether or not to have electricity or to have indoor plumbing. So they chose electricity even though now they are in a house made of corrugated iron and it is much colder at night in the winter. I am so glad that I don't have to chose one over the other. The work there is going well, slower then any of us would like, but some are growing. There are several teen girls attending that need to be saved so pray for them.

In just a few days we will be leaving for a two month visit to the States. Most of you know that our son Jim will be getting married to Karen Due on the 20th of June. We are so excited to welcome another member into the family. Jim has waited mostly patiently for God to provide a wife and God has blessed him with a sweet girl and one we all love dearly already. Also while there we will be able to welcome another new member as Dan and Tiffany will be having a little girl somewhere around the 26th of June. We are excited to be able to be there for this great event. We are also dying to spend time with our grandson, Dominck. He is growing so fast. We have so enjoyed the technology that has allowed them to send us pictures and video over the internet so that we have watched him grow, but it is definitly not the same as being there. So our arms are eager to give lots of hugs.

My Dad has had a rough winter. He has had pneumonia three times and also has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure. It will be good to spend time with him while we are there. It is so hard to watch your parents grow old. The last time I talked to him he was very discouraged with his inability to have the energy and strength to do things. Hopefully with the warmth of summer and being able to go outside will cheer him up. My sister is supposed to be coming from Oklahoma for the wedding and will bring Dad over for the day. That is a real blessing as we weren't quite sure how to get him there and still be able to fulfill all the activities of being the parents of the groom. So God has worked it out for us.

We will be planning on spending time at your family camp so will look forward to seeing you all and getting to chat in person. We want you all to know how much we love you all. Your church is a constant encouragement to us. May God continue to bless you all and use you as you serve Him there in Larimore and around the world through your giving to missions.

Love in Christ,
Jackie Wyatt
Missionary wife to South Africa

Hello from New York!

2009-07-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

Time has gone by so very fast, as I cannot believe that we have been here for 4 1/2 years already! Where has the time gone? I have noticed that every year seems to go by faster than the last.

The LORD had truly blessed us, in giving us the opportunity to serve him in New York. We have seen the LORD work in the lives of people you would not even think are interested in what the LORD has to say. This just proves that you can not judge a book by its cover, as only the LORD knows what is going on in the hearts of people.

We have seen the LORD save two souls in the last year, and what a joy that is to our hearts. There are many others at various levels of pursuing the truth, and we have the joy to be a part of that. It truly is a blessing to see the fruits of your labors and service to the LORD. My husband and I have sat down with many different people, and have had the opportunity to show these people the gospel. Please be in prayer for these other souls to be saved.

Back in March, we signed a lease on a free standing, 1600 ft^2 building. Since then my husband has been a very busy man, working with the other men to remodel the building. I never would have dreamed of all the time needed to do that project.

They really did start from scratch on the inside to make it what we needed it to be for the church.

Our first service in the new building was on May 30th. We never thought that we could afford our own building, but the LORD knew exactly what we needed and when we needed it. We have seen new families coming this year, and the LORD provided all of the money through just us. On June 28th, we will have had our dedication service, with Pastor Custer coming out to spend the weekend with us. It will be a great time of praising the LORD for the things that He has done for us.

Our family is doing great! Caitlyn (5), our oldest, started school this past fall. I had the great opportunity to home school her, and it was challenging, but very rewarding. She graduated in May, along with a boy from our church. Lindsay (3) keeps us laughing with the funny things she says and does. She did great during school with her own little books to do, or stayed busy playing. Ashley was born Feb.1st of this year, weighing 9lbs. 14oz. and 21½ inches long. She had us convinced that she was a boy, because everything was completely different during the pregnancy. Ashley brightens up our day with the biggest smiles and dimples. The LORD truly has blessed us with 3 wonderful, little girls.

Thank you to all of the women who have taken the time to write to me and pray for us. We truly appreciate your prayers! What a blessing and encouragement it is to know that there are people who care about us and what the Lord is doing here. Thank you for all that you have invested in us!

Content In The Will of God For Our Lives

2009-06-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

For the past seventeen years, God has placed my husband, David, and I in the middle of the rain forest of Papua New Guinea. Karimui is accessible only by small aircraft. The other alternative is to walk in and out, which takes a national 2 days to walk to the nearest two track “road” that goes to town.

It involves going over a shaky bridge over a large river, so I pray it never becomes a necessity. Many people would have a hard time with the “isolation” of being the only non-New Guineans in an area like this, but the Lord has given us a love for this area. Do we get lonely? Not really, because we have become involved in the lives of the people there and have many friendships that have formed. Every once in a while, we do long for fellowship in the English language, but get that when we go to Goroka for supplies, every 6-8 weeks. (By the way, I have learned to make good lists so I don’t forget things!) It took some time to get used to walking everywhere, but we have a good time of talking with those we are with. It is a type of discipleship, as they open up when we aren’t in a church setting. We make it a point to be friendly with everyone, and as a result, most people in the area would look after us.

Teaching the Christians has been very rewarding. They are not enticed as much by worldly things, as they aren’t encumbered as much with all the “stuff” the world offers. Because they haven’t had Bible stories since they were children, at times, we have to tell the whole story just get one point across.

Generally, the people just absorb the lesson or message. The people aren’t time oriented, which can be good or bad, depending on circumstances. They don’t worry about getting out of church on “time”, but also can be late for services. They don’t put a time limit on prayer either, and just pour out their hearts to God. I also teach literacy in Melanesian Pidgin every year or so. It is very thrilling to have two or three men that are preaching, and one who is a pastor’s wife, who have learned to read. Moses and Joyce, a pastor and his wife that I taught to read, have also taught literacy in their village. Wow! I also love working with teaching children and also kids’ choir. They really love to sing.

Philippians 4:11 is a verse that can be true in each of our lives. “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”

It isn’t hard to live in Karimui. You can take a nice long shower with 2 ½ gallons of water, or use 12 volt lighting in the house, and a propane refrigerator and stove. It isn’t hard to have to make everything from “scratch”. In fact, it is much healthier. Sure, some things are harder to do, but I have never regretted God’s leading in Dave’s heart to live and serve Him in that place. God’s blessings have been greater than I could ever imagine.

Susan Kimin

2009-05-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

written by Carol Holland, wife of David Holland, missionary to PapuaNewGuinea

Susan Kimin is the wife of Pastor Kimin Mawe. He is the pastor of Karimui Baptist Church in Simbu Province, PapuaNew Guinea. In PNG the wife and children take the husband’s first name as their last. Susan doesn’t know her age, but we estimate it is near 40 now. She was saved in 1991 (on my birthday--a nice present). She was the first lady to get saved after we moved to Karimui. Pastor Kimin was the first man to be saved there. NEAT!

Susan’s personality is naturally quiet spoken and introverted. It took her some time to get used to taking the leadership role among the ladies in the church, but she has done well. She and Pastor Kimin have no natural children of their own, but have two adopted children, Rachel now 12 and Immanuel age 7. They usually have several others staying with them so their house is usually full.

Women in PNG do a lot of hard work in the gardens and Susan is no exception, typically working from early morning until late afternoon. Sometimes their gardens are quite a distance from their houses, which makes the work even harder. They carry big loads of food in their bilums (string bags which thy make). At night they fix the meals with the help of older girls, and then sit around the fires in their cook houses or houses.

When Susan was a child, it was common practice to mount the skull of a deceased male leader of the clan inside the houses. In her home (houses are long and have 3-4 families living inside) it was her grandfather’s skull. She said that it would scare her a lot and she had a fear of death. After salvation, she reported that her fear was gone. Her favorites Bible verses are Romans 8:38-39 and I Corinthians 10:13. She says that she relies on these verses a lot.

For relaxation Susan sews on a hand crank sewing machine, making the “meri” blouses, native PNG dress, for herself and her daughter. She also makes bilums, which involves not only weaving the design, but also separating yarn piles and making a cord of them. It’s a talent.

Susan is a precious lady and I thank God for the friendship He has given to the two of us.

Hello from Honduras Ladies!

2009-04-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much for your letters, gifts, and the caring that you show toward the missionary wives. I always wish there was a way I could write to each and every one of you and thank you for all the things you send and do. Unless someone is going to the states, it is very difficult for us to send out letters from here. E-mail is my best avenue of communication.

We have been very busy since we got back from our recent trip to the states, but praise the Lord, we are now able to be back to our full schedule since Al has recovered completely from the surgery. He feels wonderful! The mission work did well while we were gone, and we were happy to see that there were new faces in the group. I have one addition to my Sunday school class. Her name is Berni, and she said she had accepted the Lord as her Saviour when she was 14 years old. She is now twenty years old, and is a full time nanny to a family in the colonia.

I have begun a study of John, and am making a devotion series for the girls, and encouraging them to read their Bibles every day and answer the questions that I make up for the chapter. The goal is to not miss any days in this month. Berni has not missed since she started two Sundays ago. One of the other girls, Alba, has also been faithful with this. We are also memorizing Romans 3:23-27, and most of them have done that as well. Sintia, for whom we have been praying for salvation, accepted the Lord in her home. Her mother led her to the Lord. Another girl whose name is Suyen still hasn't come to repentance and salvation, so I'd appreciate your prayers for her.

Jackie and Carlos Ramirez have been helping us with Jackie teaching the children from one to ten years, and Carlos taking the boys eleven and up. Carlos also leads the singing, takes the offering, and leads the Bible reading. They have been a great blessing to us. Jackie usually has between 15 and 20 children in her class.

The Lord has given us other chances to witness as well. One day when I was in a store, I was talking to a worker there. She asked me what we were doing here in Honduras. I told her we were Baptist missionaries, and she said she had been to a Baptist church once and thought their teachings were really interesting. I asked her if she was Catholic, and she said yes. Then I asked if she had heard how to know Jesus as her personal Saviour when she was at the Baptist church. She said, "No", she had never heard of such a thing. I said that I needed to tell her about it, and she said, "Tell me now!" So, I got to witness right there at that moment. My plan is to take her a Bible and some tracts the next time I go back there. Her name is Miriam. Please pray for her.

Another person that we are praying for and want to win to the Lord, is a business man named Camilo whose wife was killed last year. He had said he wanted Al to come and talk to him, so Al has called several times. He was supposed to come to the house and be with us one evening, but didn't show up, and when Al finally was able to get him again, he said he wasn't interested right now. He has been diagnosed with cancer and doesn't know the Lord as his Saviour. He's still grieving for his wife, but feels like he doesn't have time for the things of the Lord. We still pray the Lord will work in his heart and allow us opportunity even yet to talk to him one more time.

As we mentioned in the prayer letter, we met a young man on visitation that is paralyzed from the waist down. He was shot in the back and left for dead. He has recovered except that he is confined to a wheel chair. He gives God the glory, and says that he feels God allowed that accident to bring him to salvation. He had been witnessed to many times by one of his friends and he always scoffed and rejected, thinking he had his whole life ahead of him. When we visited him, he was so excited that we would bring him to church. Pray that he will continue to be faithful, and will join the work.

There are many open doors that we would like to walk through, so again we ask you to pray with us that the Lord will use us as he sees fit. Our desire and aim is to serve the Lord to the best of our ability and win many people to Him before he comes again.

Thanks again for your prayers,
Lee Pflueger

Hello From Chile!

2009-03-02T08:07:00.000-08:00

I do hope that this update finds you all doing well and going forward with the Lord! We have been quite busy here, as is normal for the month of February. First, I want to take this time to thank you for all the little notes, cards, gifts and especially the prayers that have been sent our way. We know that with out your prayers, we could not be here in the first place. So, THANK YOU!

The first week of Feb. found our men building a make-shift kitchen and bathrooms. Yes, ladies, the old-fashioned kind! Outhouses. . . Then we all packed up our families and headed out for Family Camp. Our theme for the week was Victory in Christ.

There were many blessings from the preaching, many decisions made, and many lessons learned. During our family camp we were able to have a time of focusing on the Scriptures, then family games, meals of course, and also a great time of fellowship. One of the biggest blessings was the salvation of Romina, a young married lady. She and her husband have been attending since their marriage in Jan. of this year. What an extra blessing that was! She had grown up in a Southern Baptist church, but was trusting in her baptism for salvation. One of our ladies, now her sister-in-law, had also been doing our five week salvation study with her up to that point as well. We are very thankful for the tender heart that Romina and Sergio both have towards the things of God. Keep them in your prayers!

The week following, we had a visit from our Pastor and his wife. We appreciate Pastor Hammett and Beverly so much and had a good time of fellowship and "brain storming" so to speak. I'm thankful for the perspective, advice and opinions of other godly men and women that are willing to give of their time and themselves into others in their ministry. Both we and the Castners found their visit a blessing, valuable and just a little too short.

The following week, we geared up for Vacation Bible School! Our teens were "in charge" of the program, and proved to do a good job. They also learned a lot about all that goes in to a program geared for kids, and are willing to do it again next year, Lord willing. It was a blessing to see some of them involve themselves in ways that they had not done before and it was evident that the Lord was truly helping each one to do a good job. Our highest attendance was thirty. There was singing, puppets, class time, and an appearance of 'Nachito'. He is one of our men who dresses the part of a child and speaks like one, too. He helps the kids to "apply" what they learned in their class each evening. They all loved him and looked forward to seeing him each night. We hope to see more folks from the neighborhood come out to services because of the contacts made from this week.

The last week of Feb. found us taking a needed vacation back to our family camp site and camping there as a family and did we enjoy it! Just being together, talking, hiking, watching the shooting stars ( we saw three that night!), and watching the satelites move across the sky was well worth it. Ah! family time . . . there's nothing like it! How I praise the Lord for my family, and what He's doing in each one.

Now there's today. The last day of Feb., and we spent the day at the church for a "teen charge" hoping to encourage our teens just before they enter into a new year of school and studies. It's kind of a day full of preaching and devotionals, given by some of the teens themselves, encourage and remember to pray for one another for the year ahead. There are battles that will be fought in the hearts of many of our teens in their individual schools and homes and they need our support and our prayers. They also need to know that they have friends in their church and sister churches that are praying for them as well.

Well, I guess it's more like a Feb. update, but as you can see, February is one of our busiest months of the summer here in Chile, so I thought I'd let you in on our schedule during this busy time of our year. My hope and prayer is that we can each in one area of our lives, have more Victory in Christ than last year, Amen?

Thank you ladies for each and every note, card, gift and prayer that you have sent our way. We do appreciate them and we appreciate you all as well.

Love and prayers,

Amy Heinz

News From South Africa

2009-01-01T09:31:00.000-08:00

An interview with Sue Norberg, missionary wife of Gary Norberg with whom she serves God in South Africa.

Sue, tell us some things about your early life.

I was born in Aurora (a suburb of Denver), Colorado, while my dad was stationed there with the Air Force. I have one older brother, a younger brother, and two younger sisters.

Gary and I were married July 23, 1976. We had met while on a church canoe trip. I was at Shell City, the landing site where we began the canoe trip, when the church bus arrived. When Gary stepped off the bus, I was smitten at first sight! When I got to know him, I was attracted by his honesty and his desire for spiritual growth.

We have four children, two boys and two girls, ages 30 to 24. Three of them live in Grand Forks, ND and one lives in East Grand Forks, Minnesota. The two girls are married.

The most important thing we strove to instill in our children was faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His profound love for us, despite our unworthiness. We want them to live always with the conscious knowledge that all things truly do work together for good for God's children. No matter what happens in this life, "it will be worth it all when we see Jesus."

I learned so much from my grandparents, particularly my mother's parents. My happiest memories are the times we spent on the farm with them. My Grandpa Emslie died when I was 13 , but I remember that he liked a good joke, and that he always had time for his friends and neighbors. He was firm, but I recall a tender side in that he didn't use a certain tractor each spring until fledglings left the nest that was in it. My grandmother was a born teacher who passed on many things to me, including the knowledge of gardening, canning, cooking, baking, sewing, crocheting, and piano playing. She taught me punctuality and organization. Most important of all,she taught all of her grandchildren about God, the importance of His Word, and the importance of attending church.

From my mother I learned joyfulness and thriftiness, and from my father I learned to do the best that I could.

How has your life changed since going to the mission field?

We came to South Africa in July of 1991, and my life has changed dramatically since then. To begin with, we had to adjust to a metric system, a different currency, a warmer climate, opposite seasons from the USA, different products available, and driving on the left side of the road. Many of the customs and names for things are different here. We had to learn to communicate with others who spoke very little English, and we have tried to learn two other languages. Even the way we shake hands is different. We also had to get used to fences, security bars, and the lack of cleanliness in various places. We had bed bugs brought into our house, and we became acquainted with a fly that lays eggs in the skin, then hatch into worms. We have seen poverty that is heart wrenching and diseases that are rare in the US. We have spent scores of hours in public hospitals and clinics with sick people.

As white people, we are in the minority, and there is sometimes a leanness of fellowship with people who truly believe and live like we do. Of course, we miss family, sometimes painfully. But God has given us 'family' here that we love.

We have met for church in houses and buildings where there is no electricity, so candles or lanterns were used. There is no plumbing in any of the buildings we have met in. There are no musical instruments in church services, and many of the songs that we sing were new to us when we came. On occasion, we have been amused to have dogs, goats, bats, bees, and chickens visit the church services.

We have had to get used to a large variety of insects, poisonous snakes, and thorn trees. We have been blessed to see African animals in the wild and an abundance of beautiful bird life you could only imagine. In Lesotho, basically untouched by electricity, the night sky is breathtaking and you can see stars all the way to the ground!

When you need to 'get away,' what do you like to do?

For relaxation, I like to read, especially biographies or stories about missionaries. I also like to cross-stitch, and once in awhile I do some sewing for others. I am known here for my baking because I make cakes for church functions and birthdays. Most of the people we work with, have no way to bake. I like to care for animals, and people here are amused that I treat them as pets.

I love the Lord, family, friends, flowers, babies, dogs, happy endings, cleaning and organizing, and knowing that God is working in people's lives.

Is there anyone you particularly admire or who has had a Godly influence in your life?

In general, I admire missionaries in times past who had little or no communication with family or home country for years on end. Many endured wars, famine, persecution, illness, and a number of other trials without feeling sorry for themselves--counting it all joy to be able to share God and His Word with the people God had called them to.

What special things has God done for you?

I was saved at the age of 14 while attending Bible Baptist Church youth camp at Bachelor's Grove, ND. Since then, I can think of many times when I was assured of God's care, even over the 'little things' in my life--things such as a food need being met, bills being provided for, pumpkin pie brought for Thanksgiving when we had moved and didn't yet have an oven, and finding the lost diamond from my wedding ring. When our family was going through a particularly difficult trial, I expressed the desire for a pink scarf, and the next day a church family brought a meal to us--and a pink scarf that she had made! It met a need in my heart,assuring me that God had not abandoned us. Being God's child truly does give joy and peace that I never had before I knew Him, and it is my greatest desire that others come to know Him too.

Another Picture of Luke Douglas Hammett

2008-12-09T07:12:00.000-08:00

Luke Douglas Hammett

2008-12-01T17:02:00.001-08:00

Luke Douglas Hammett made his arrival at 9:57 PM Sunday, Nov. 30th, 2008. He weighed 7lbs 6oz. and was 21" long. Mom and baby are doing fine and baby Luke was welcomed into a very happy family! Congratulations Bro. George and Kristen, on the birth of a new son.

News From South Africa

2008-12-01T06:47:00.000-08:00

Dear Ladies,

Happy Thanksgiving! Things have been busy here in the Hammett Family since our last update. We are all well, though, and praise the Lord for His goodness and His wonderful works to the children of men. He indeed loads us with benefits, daily. It’s just up to us to notice them most of the time!

Of course, we are eagerly anticipating the birth of Baby Hammett any day now. He or she is due on November 29, but we are all praying for an early arrival! Joel and Anna are beyond excited. We trust that will remain. :o) We will be sure to send out an announcement when our blessing arrives. Come the new year and our return to Africa, I do plan to update on the web again. The kids are doing well. They both speak of Africa and we all look forward to our return on February 3. They can’t wait to see their doggie, Cocoa. Honestly, it can be an overwhelming thought to think of ‘return tickets’ when I haven’t even had the baby yet. God has daily been very real to me. Times of impatience and uncertainty have pressed me closer to Him. I know that He is able to do far above anything I can ask or think. I rest in that and find such hope and joy knowing that.

We are enjoying the Fall weather that we don’t have in Africa. There is something about all the colors, smells, and cool, crisp air that makes it my favorite time of year. I think if it wasn’t loaded with sugar, I’d have apple cider all the time! Someone suggested making an apple cider float – just like you would a root beer float. And yes, I tried it. It was good. It looked scary for sure, but looks are deceiving!

Another Fall favorite of ours is cornbread. Now, we are fortunate in South Africa to have an abundance of corn meal (or mealie meal) available very cheaply. It differs from American corn meal in that it is white. The Africans use it to make mealie pap. It is a staple of their diet. They usually eat it 2-3 times a day. You prepare it similarly to grits (or cream of wheat for you fellow Yankees out there who had to ‘google’ grits), except that it is thicker than mashed potatoes. To be African, it must be thick enough to break off chunks and eat with your fingers. Mealie pap may be cooked over an open fire or on the stove top. After the water comes to a boil, the mealie meal is stirred in by hand. When the consistency is right (never any measurements, all by sight and feel) the lid is replaced and it is left to steam for a long time. It is ready in 30 minutes, but they will often let it steam for far longer. Africans love the pap when it is burnt around the inside of the pot. Some don’t think it even tastes right if it doesn’t have the ‘smoky’ essence to it. I try to avoid burning it at home. :o)

Now if you make cornbread with white cornmeal, what do you have? White cornbread. Now I’ll admit that my anemic –looking cornbread threw me for a loop the first several times in Africa. I’ll also admit that I’ve been known to add yellow food coloring to my cornbread batter a few times. It can be quite hilarious if you are too heavy handed as the result is a nearly neon-yellow, highlighter-type color! Hey – it adds excitement – and chemicals – to dinner. After becoming accustomed to Africa, I did omit the food coloring and we got used to our pale looking cornbread. I’m sure all you other missionary wives are laughing at me (or with me) right now. Last week my kids and I were stirring up a batch of my favorite cornbread. When we stirred the wet into the dry, the familiar yellow unadulterated batter appeared! The golden bread was good. Very good.

So I share my favorite cornbread recipe with you all. Whether you make it with white or yellow cornmeal, it comes out thick, moist, and slightly sweet. Yellow food coloring is purely optional. :o) And whenever you partake of cornbread this season, do pray for us!

~~~~~~~~~~~
Kristin’s Cornbread
1 C. flour
1 C. cornmeal
¼ C. sugar
4 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
2 eggs (beaten)
1 C. milk
¼ C. oil
Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Add eggs, milk, and oil. Beat or stir till moistened.
Pour into 9x9 pan. Bake 425 for 20-25 min.
~~~~~~~~~~~

With Love in Christ,
Kristin Hammett

Psalm 16:11 "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

News From The Pas, Canada

2008-11-03T14:48:00.000-08:00

Dave, Michelle, Deborah, Joseph, and Ruthie Brauer

Dear Ladies,

It's been such an interesting several months! After a busy summer of attending and counseling at Bible camps, we have settled back into living in the north country. This is a very interesting place to live.

Just the other day I was outside walking back from an errand and a large group of suspicious-looking adults approached me. I thought, “Sure looks like gang material...maybe I should go another way.” Then I noticed it was mixed genders so I wasn't too scared. Looking confident, I came closer, as I had to pass them on the sidewalk in order to get home. I looked at them and gave them a smile. As they passed two women from the back of the group stopped near me and asked excitedly, “Where do you work?” I told them I worked at home; I was a pastor's wife. I pointed to the church building, about two doors away by now. They hurriedly and desperately began telling me of their problems and their struggles with addictions. I told them that they may need to change friends to stay away from the temptation. One lady said, “My friends? It's not my friends...it's my FAMILY!!”

I know that, oftentimes this is the case with these folks. They try to break out of addictions only to be lured back by their own family members. So I encouraged the ladies to come to our addictions program Friday night. They had asked me if I would pray for them. So right their on the sidewalk we bowed our heads and I asked God to show them Himself, bring them to repentance and show them their need for Him and His forgiveness. They really appreciated it...at least they acted like they did. Sometimes I don't know whether to believe people up here or not...lying is so epidemic. But they didn't show up Friday. That's the way it goes sometimes. This is a place of little commitment. However, God called us here and it's important that we stay and be faithful to the Lord.

Although there are many people who have been ministered to here and several that have been saved, so many people do not stay here. And yet, I wonder, where would they be spiritually if there had been no lighthouse here in The Pas for them to turn to for help when they had finally come to the end of themselves? I praise the Lord that we have a real Saviour who has the power to save souls and change lives!

I also thank the Lord for ladies like you, who are such a source of encouragement to us ladies on the mission field. You are heroes! Just think what a wonderful part you play in the salvation of souls and the spread of the gospel because you prayed, you thoughtfully gave encouragement in many ways, and because you sensitively knew what kinds of things cheer up a lady...and that cheers up her man and children...and that makes us all much more effective for the Lord! I think of how the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 uplifts her husband and he is “known in the gate.” You are virtuous women, not asking for renown, but because of your dedication and care, missionaries who are “known in the churches” are uplifted. God bless you!

Just think, if only a cup of cold water brings a reward to the giver, what do you think the Lord has in store for you, who constantly give of yourselves because of your love for the Lord and for people? I am so thankful to be bound together with you as co-laborers with each other and with the Lord himself. May we all be a blessing to our great and wonderful God, who is worthy of all of our praise, all our love, and all our lives.

With Love and Thanks,

Michelle Brauer

PS. Thank you for continuing to encourage me and correspond with me though I haven't corresponded lately with you very much. I was going through some difficult physical trials and was unable to write like I wanted to. I am doing so much better now, for which I also thank the Lord. Your faithfulness in corresponding with me even when I couldn't really write reminds me of the Lord's faithfulness to us even when our strength is small and our faithfulness to Him is shaky. Underneath us are the “everlasting arms”; He never puts us down. He holds us in His mighty hand. What security! What a blessing it is to be truly saved and belong to the King of kings! What a privilege to be adopted into His family. How can people pass this up? I'll never understand a person esteeming anything to be of higher value than salvation in Christ. They must not really understand. How could they know the glories of walking with God Himself...the comfort that His Holy Spirit brings...the joy of knowing that your sins are gone forever?

That's why we are here. We want to show them, to tell them that they can be saved too. Please continue in your faithful prayers as we witness to folks. We pray for boldness and effectiveness.

God bless you ladies! (And God bless the other faithful folks in your church too!) May God continue to do a great work among you! That is my prayer for you! We'll rejoice together in what God does !

Update From Bolivia

2008-10-09T07:41:00.000-07:00

Dear praying friends,

I decided to write today because several people have written to ask about the situation here in Bolivia. At this point, things are still calm. Strikes and such are supposed to begin again on the 13th of October, though one can never be sure of this. In the meantime, we are enjoying the reprieve. I was able to send 3 large bags of clothes to the orphanage in Santa Cruz. A missionary family donated them to the girls and we were finally able to ship them. There were many nice things and I am anxious to hear their reaction when they opened the bags. (We hadn't shipped them before because there hadn't been any buses running.)

I taught this past Sunday morning. I was a little nervous, but it went well. It has been quite a long time since I have had the privilege to teach. Cynthia enjoyed just sitting and learning. At first, it was decided that she give up teaching altogether, but after talking it over with her, we are going to take turns every other week. This will take some pressure off of her, but at the same time she will have opportunities to teach. As she is such a good teacher, I am thankful for this.

I had asked for you to pray that I would get much done on various projects. On Thursday, I was working on one of them and realized that I was nearly done. I then remembered asking prayer for this. I think I should have asked you to pray much sooner! :-) Anyway, God did indeed help me and it is a good feeling to be done with a few of them. Thank you for praying.

Well, I best get back to work. I just wanted everyone to know that I am just fine here in Sucre. Thank you to all those who wrote expressing concern for my safety. AND thank you for praying for the various projects...there is still much to do, but I don't feel quite so overwhelmed!

God bless,
Carolyn

Bolivia

2008-10-02T18:56:00.000-07:00

In a letter this week, Carol states, "I wish to thank everyone, for all the e-mails and your concern for the situation here in Bolivia. Because it has been so peaceful here in Sucre, all that has been happening almost feels like it is happening somewhere else. However, I do know that the American ambassador was made to leave. The Peace Corps has pulled out all of its personnel. I just heard yesterday that the government is planning on making all American institutions leave the country. While the first two are true, I do not know, or have confirmation about the third yet. I also do not know how it will affect missionaries, if it is indeed true. As a precaution, I have stocked up on food, have several barrels of water and have even bought extra toilet paper ( I'm thinking ahead). There are some pretty important meetings today, so I do pray that peace will prevail. Please pray with us that there will be no more violence.

This past Tuesday was my 53rd birthday! I received many messages from folks wishing me a happy birthday. I had a typical Bolivian dinner-- peanut soup and spicy chicken! Very, very good! I was surprised though, to have two cakes! As you will see in one of the pictures, I escaped having my face pushed into one of the cakes, a delightful Bolivian custom! I did not escape the second time. Anyway, it was a very nice day! I received several phone calls, was surrounded by friends all day, and was even serenaded on the phone, by all the girls in the orphanage, where my daughter works! Thanks to all who made my birthday very special!

On Sept. 28th, I will once again be teaching the Deaf Sunday school class. Now I know why the Lord did not give me any peace about teaching the hearing women in our church. Please pray for me that I will be able to teach and sign in a clear manner. That it will be an encouragement to everyone. Will you pray for me also, that I will budget my time wisely so that I might accomplish the things that need to get done? I need to be sensitive to God's will in regard to all the "interruptions" that come along. I have been serving long enough to realize, that what I might think are interruptions, are sometimes God's appointments.

Serving with you in Bolivia,
Carolyn Price

Life in South Africa

2008-09-04T20:08:00.000-07:00

Many have asked me if I/we get lonely on the mission field. I can say we get lonely for ‘mature’ fellowship that one can have with other believers on a regular basis. Since no person lives entirely to himself, but influences and is influenced by others it is important that we are around others that will influence us in a godly way. Kristin Hammett in a speech recently talked on the importance of communication being a vital key to helping a missionary feel a part of a church and the church feeling a part of the mission work. It's vital for me/us to communicate my/our needs/prayer requests/ victories just as much as it is a part of church/church members to communicate their needs/prayer requests/victories. I believe one can ‘feel’ lonely even in the midst of other believers if they are not taking an active role in communicating their blessings and concerns to others. As this statement from Helpmeets of the Old Testament, by Betty Jo Seay says: “Isn’t it better to be in a place where we can intercede for others rather than in a place where we need to be interceded?”

A statement that is common to hear among fellow believers is, “I want my mansion in heaven next to yours", or "we’ll have a great time in heaven catching up.” My thoughts have turned heavenward in the past month or so as I was reading several books that spoke on it or on those who have gone on before us. I have meditated on more specific individuals that are in that “great cloud of witnesses.” It is easy to think of those mentioned in the Bible, especially those in the Heros of Faith chapter, Hebrews 11. But who will we be standing next to in that heavenly praise to our Savior? Revelation 5:11-14 “… and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;… And every creature… heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” Will Grace Custer be standing next to Jochebed, Moses mother; will Katie Braun be near Esther and her servants that fasted and prayed for the nation of Israel? On the way to your place, Sally Johnson, will you come across Fanny Crosby and hear her telling of her first sight of her Savior? Hannah Noyes might be next to Mrs. Stearns, wife of Shubal Stearns, he was so instrumental in many souls being saved before and during the revolutionary war in America. Lydia, the seller of purple might be bowing next to Chris Landsdown. Or what of the many in history who died in martyrdom, will any of them be standing next to me? One might find, Zachaeus, though little of stature, taller than Don Weaver OR Karen Peach. When one thinks on the number that have been faithful through the ages of time, seeking the Lord and following Him, it will be a very fascinating celebration in heaven.

Revelation 5:9 “…For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;”
Revelation 7:9 “After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.”

What of the saints from other nations even today, some of which our own missionaries write of: China, Russia, Costa Rica, Canada, Chili, The Republic of South Africa, England, Finland, New Zealand, Thailand. I have enjoyed talking with other believers here in South Africa from Portugal and England. As Revelations 15:4 states: “… for all nations shall come and worship before thee;…” I look forward to the day when those of our sponsoring church and supporting churches can meet some of the individuals that have been led to the Lord through the ministry here. To name a few there is Eric, Collen, Sipho, Paul Tulani, Bongi, Rodney, Victor, Sfiso and Robson. There are still many more I would love to see added to the Lamb’s Book of Life. To think all “…his servants shall serve him.” Revelations 22:3, no matter what nationality.

I do know who will not be there: Revelation 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” If you have not made the choice to be there in that great multitude I pray you will make the decision even today to have your name written in the book of life. Revelation 21:27 “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”