6-Year Old Gives $3 Gift

The kids bury Elaina in corn at a local corn maze.

We are rejoicing in God’s goodness in how he moved our friend Elaina to freely give $3 of her own money to help us get to Suriname. It may seem like a small gift, but it is very large considering who gave it, and that she freely chose to give it.

This reminds me of the simple gift of a child many years ago. Jesus used the five barley loaves & two little fish of a boy (John 6) to do the impossible. He multiplied the modest meal so that it fed 5,000 men & their families--perhaps a total of 20,000 or more people--and still, they gathered up 12 baskets full of bread fragments. We see a small measure of God’s abundant grace in how everyone had his fill, and still there was so much left over. Likewise, God is able to multiply small gifts, such as Elaina’s, to accomplish his purposes. Our hope is in the all-gracious, all-rich God! And we are delighted to receive such small gifts.



Mucho Traveling...

We were blessed this past week to be with Erin's brother & his wife. Their adoption of baby Sammy was finalized, "and there was much rejoicing"! Sammy is our kids' first cousin. We prayed for a long time that God would provide a child for them, and he graciously gave them Sammy. ("Samuel" means "asked of God"; see the story of Samuel the prophet in the Bible: 1Samuel 1.) They signed up to adopt, and before they had everything ready, they found out that Sammy would be born in a few weeks, and his mother wanted them to have him. God is so kind to grant this little boy. I really appreciated the adoption hearing. It was not conducted as a cold, formal legal matter, but in a very warm & joyful manner, fitting the occasion.

This past weekend, we also had the privilege to meet with pastors from two different churches. They were very interested in the ministry, and promised to bring it before their respective churches. So there may be the opportunity to present the ministry in Suriname to the churches in the future. Please pray that the Lord would grant this.

This is a very busy month for traveling, and we are trying to fill our schedule for the upcoming months, so we can stay busy, and get to Suriname by September. Please pray that the Lord would provide more opportunities for us to present & tell people about Suriname. Watch this blog for immediate prayer needs.

Immediate Prayer Needs: This weekend we are traveling to Alabama, presenting at one church, and meeting the pastors of another church. I will be preaching part of the time, also. Please pray that God would make us a blessing to the people, and encouragement in missions. Pray that God would lay it on the hearts of his people to partner with us for the glory of God, and the good of the people of Suriname. Coming back from Alabama, we will stop in the Memphis area for a special gathering to pray for revival. Please pray for our safe travel, also.

More to come...

Vision Trip Day 6

These believers were very friendly & hospitable.

This morning we talked with G.S. about our experiences during the week, and whether we want to come to Suriname. We were happy to say that we loved our time there, and felt that we didn't want to leave.

We had some time to go on a date. Our friends watched baby Lyla, while we went out to eat, and explored a little. We had been so busy getting the word out, and preparing for this trip, that we didn't get to celebrate Erin's birthday. We even had to drive about 11 hours on her birthday. So we celebrated her birthday in Suriname.

While we were out, a stranger asked us to get him something to drink. I gave him a bottled water, and asked him if he knew about Jesus--he spoke very good English. I told him a little, and directed him to our friends who could tell him more. He spoke about having some knowledge & experience in the truth but had gone astray. We pray that God will lead him to himself, and establish him in the truth, and make him a light to others.

We had some time to do a little last minute shopping downtown to get some things to show as we tell others about the ministry here.

A beautiful old building downtown.

An old church building downtown.

 We got to visit for a short time with these believers. They just came out from ministering in the bush. They've been serving in Suriname for many years, the couple in the middle for 40 years.

We visited Sister C. in her humble home. I visited her last year, and she really wanted Erin to come, too. Her whole house is about the size of one small bedroom in the U.S. It floods whenever there is a heavy rain, so she has to keep her fridge up on stilts, and everything off the floor. She is not merely content with her home, but loves it, and doesn't want to leave, though her children want her to come & live with them.

Yet, her humble abode could not contain the enormity of her hospitality. She did not let her poverty stand in the way of loving & serving strangers. She insisted on feeding us, and she had a wonderful meal prepared, including the most delicious eggplant curry.

We finished the day having dinner with the S's, the family with whom we'll be working most closely. We said our goodbyes, since we'd be leaving very early in the morning.

A pastor & his family.

Vision Trip Day 5

Our multicultural team visiting homes in the village.

This morning, I preached to a church of English speakers, the same church which I mentioned yesterday who are building a meeting place. The church has clearly grown since I was there last year. I preached from Luke 10, about the teacher of the Law who comes to test Jesus with a question, and tries to justify himself by his keeping of the Law, but Jesus responds with the story of the "Good Samaritan." The message was well received; pray that the Holy Spirit will bless it with fruit after I'm gone.

Later, we had sweet fellowship with the other believers, and split up into groups to visit homes in the village. We met some very poor families, such that it makes poor Americans look like kings. I've seen this kind of poverty before, but it is still shocking. We met some new English-speakers, who'd come here for work. We also had the opportunity to encourage a believer, whose husband has quit seeking, and whose sons have no interest. We had prayed a couple days earlier for a brother who is suffering from the shingles, and had only aspirin to help with the pain; today, by God's grace, he is feeling much better.

The ladies worked hard, cooking & serving food for c. 115 people.

In the evening, we had a gathering in connection with a birthday. (Not like in America, where the birthday boy or girl gets a bunch of presents, but where the family gives to the community through hospitality, and the community celebrates with the family.) The believers organized this as a ministry to get the Gospel out to their neighbors. The people would not come to a church building, but they will come to a home, to birthday parties, weddings, fellowships, etc. Such fellowships are common in their communities.

It is common at such gatherings to have music & stories & food. So the believers sang the Gospel, and proclaimed the Gospel, and welcomed the neighbors, and fed them. One of the ladires from the Missouri group gave her "testimony," and one of the men gave a message about Christ as the only Savior for all men. These were translated so that the people could understand.

One of the most encouraging things I noticed was that many believers from other churches came to support this outreach. There is a real love & fellowship here between believers of different ethnic groups & churches.

Pray that God will bless the labor of these dear brothers & sisters with the fruit of new worshipers of Jesus.

Vision Trip Day 4

A group from Missouri visiting on a short-term trip.

Late last night a group flew in from Missouri. The organization sends people annually. We got to meet them this morning at their orientation meeting. We were surprised to find that we have mutual friends with a few of them. We may see some of them in the future when we are living in Suriname.

One of the churches that our missionary friend G.S. helped plant is working on a building for their meeting place. Currently they meet in the garage of the pastor, which they open & expand each week for their Sunday gatherings; otherwise they meet in their homes.

They purchased this property themselves. Last year, when I was here, it had been mess from the previous owners. They've cleaned it all up, and built a fence. Now they're buying sand as they're able to raise level--to prevent flooding. They are working hard with shovel & wheelbarrow to move the sand. As they are able, they will build a foundation & the building.

In the afternoon, we went to a village to visit people in their homes, and talk with them about Jesus. The people were very friendly, and many open to talk with us.

We split into groups to visit people. Several believers from other ethnic groups helped.

This is where many of the local people worship.

That night, the group from Missouri led a Bible study on men's & women's roles in marriage. Through this, we were enabled to see the difference in culture because arranged marriages are typical here. We have to be careful how we interpret the Bible, so we do not see it through the lens of our modern American culture, and read into it things which are not really there. Nevertheless, we had a good discussion of the Word, and good fellowship before & after.

So many have not heard the Good News about Jesus Christ. Will you come with us to proclaim Jesus?

Vision Trip Day 3

Our humble upstairs apartment.

This morning we went to the supermarket, grocery store, department store, and downtown. There are no Wal-mart's! We got to see the miriad of fruits & vegetables, many of which we have no idea what their English names are.

They also love smoked fish.

We also went to an appliance store to see what the prices are like. In general, we can get what we need. Prices are higher than in the U.S. because they do have to import so much. Gasoline is about $5.55/gallon. Food is more expensive also. We will eat mostly local food because it is cheaper than trying to eat an American diet of imported foods.

Later, we went to a small village to visit our friends, and get to know them better. Lyla did so well; she loved being passed from person to person, and then wouldn't let go of R.M., when it was time to leave.

Vision Trip Day 2

Happy Birthday, Lyla!

 

After getting some extra rest, G.S., the World Team missionary with whom we'll be working most closely, came and told us more about the field of Suriname, and the particular needs here.

Here are some of the specific needs here:
1. One or two families to work in the same ministry with us.
2. One family to train church leaders in another people group who are sending out their own missionaries.
3. People who will come short-term to help train & develop the church leaders.
4. We need a photographer/videographer to come & make a DVD for making the needs of Suriname known.
5. One or two people to do some accounting work, transferring data from paper to computer.
6. Two or three families to work among a people who have no churches, no Bible studies, and no evangelists among them.
7. One or two families to work among a people group who are responding well to the Gospel, but the need for evangelists is still great.
There is more, but this gives you an idea of the need for laborers. Pray that God will send them. Then come yourself.

Later we went to the missionary's home to have lunch with his family. His wife had made a wonderful meal of curry chicken, "dal roti," an Indian-origin favorite of people here, and pumpkin, which is also very common.

Erin enjoying some cake with the ladies.

Later, that night we had dinner with the same family, and the leaders of the two churches they helped plant. They also had a surprise birthday party, complete with hats, cake & a candle, for Lyla who turns 1 tomorrow. Birthdays are very special to the people here. They make an excellent means of evangelism, too. Many people will not come to a church building, but they will gladly come to a birthday party, and invite us to theirs.

Since English is their native tongue, I was able to encourage them in the Word. We read together the book of Titus, and I spoke about the importance of focusing on the Gospel (3.3-8). The Good News of God love & grace to us, especially through Christ, motivates us to every good, i.e., "beautiful work," not just doing the right thing, but doing what is good, loving, & attractive. Then, by the Good News we speak, and the "beautiful works" we do, we will glorify God, and draw men to Christ.

It is such a privilege to be here, and be able to serve God's people. But we could do this without the prayers & support of you at home who are helping us. Please continue praying. Thank you!