It
is hard to believe that November is already here, until we look out the windows
or step outside and we are quickly reminded.
It is also hard to believe that 2014 will soon be here! Thank you for your prayers, as October was a busy
and blessed month.
Praise ~ David preached
for his first time.
David
was invited to preach during Vespers at Greenville College, and we were blessed
to be able to travel and attend. It was
a late evening as he began preaching at about 10pm., but it was well worth the
travel into the wee hours. We rejoice in
how we see David really seeking the Lord in all he does. Please pray for David as strives to finish
college well this December and graduate Cum Laude.
Praise ~ Follow-up
Cindy
is now highly engaged in completing the Men for Missions (MFM) Follow-up Prayer
Brochures that are sent out to each team that returns from a short-term mission
trip. It is exciting to look through returning team member’s photos from various teams and countries, and see how the Lord has been working in and through so many. Lord willing, this year MFM will have their largest number of ministry team participants. Through October 31, there have been 759 people on 91 teams to 17 countries.
Cindy
is also continuing her work to serve as consultant to our church’s Children’s
Ministries program. She recently had the opportunity to share the Gospel message
utilizing a pumpkin during our church’s Hallelujah Party, which is an
alternative to traditional Halloween.
She will also be sharing a message of Thanksgiving to the ladies in our
local nursing home.
Praise ~ A Vision of the
Harvest…
This
was the theme for the Conrad Mission Church’s mission conference, located in
northern Montana. Doug was invited to be
their keynote speaker and had the opportunity to share about missions, and the willingness
to surrender our will for the Lord’s will. He was greatly blessed to meet many
new folks that have a heart for missions and challenged others to pray about
stepping outside their comfort zones, and say “Here I am Lord, use me.” The conference also included powerful
testimonies through drama, provided by the drama department from Canada’s
Millar College of the Bible.
Doug
was also blessed as his hosts provided him with opportunities to see what life
is like on a Montana ranch and farm. The
views were breathtaking and hospitality was exceptional. Thank you Mark and Devra.
On
his way home from Montana, Doug stopped mid-way to spend a couple of days with
his sister Kathy and brother-in-law Rich in Colorado. It had been an embarrassing 18 years since
his last visit there, so it was great that he could meet some new family
members in person.
Praise ~ Colombia
In
Matthew 9:37-38, Jesus tells his disciples, “The
harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest,
therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” And in John 4:35,
Jesus goes on to say “…..I tell you, open
your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.”
Never
before have these verses been more evident to Doug as he traveled to Colombia
for his fourth time, to participate in door-to-door evangelism with another MFM
short-term mission team. As a team of 7,
partnered along with their Colombian brothers and sisters in Christ, they were blessed as 312 individuals prayed to receive Christ. Their team was also invited to present the gospel within a public school which resulted in 106 students, teachers and even the principal praying to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior. Please pray that this school will become a powerful testimony for Jesus Christ, and that these children can be effective in sharing the Gospel with their friends and family.
The
stories that the team members have, are incredible. Experiences that range from opportunities to
share the gospel in beauty shops, to ladies operating sewing machines in
sweat-shops, to police officers on the streets, and praying for high-ranking
military officers. The stories go on and
on, and it is so evident that Colombians living within the department of
Antioquia, Colombia are so very ready to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and
Savior. The fields are truly ripe for
harvest, and we need more folks that are willing to go and share the Good News
of Jesus Christ with them. Please pray
about joining an evangelism team in 2014. For additional photos from Colombia, click these links: Group 1, Group 2
Pray ~ Year-end travels
As
we prepare to finish out the year, we will be gathering on November, 17 with
extended family as we celebrate Doug’s Mom’s 80th birthday. We are also actively lining up a few visits
to churches, individuals, and an MFM Action group before the end of the
year. We will be heading to south
Illinois this weekend, and then west to visit with a new contact next week.
We
are so thankful for your prayers. We
have felt them and can’t imagine attempting to serve in ministry without your
support. You are a huge part of the
harvest as you pray, Do, Go and Give.Blessings to You!
Doug and Cindy
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