For the week of April 7, 2008
Vol. 12 No. 14

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." — Jeremiah 29:11


Africa

TOGO

Peter and Janice Maybury. Janice will restart the ladies' Sunday afternoon class this month. The Saturday kids’ club started again after a three-week Easter break. A trip is being planned for May to go to Mango. It relates to the land they want to buy for the new hospital. Please ask God to give wisdom and direction for all the details relating to this trip. Janice’s parents arrive April 24 for a visit.

John and Susan Briggs. John is back to full-time duties at the hospital with only some lingering swelling on his leg. He is learning to do several types of surgery and really enjoys the time in the OR. A man in critical condition followed John’s suggestion that he read John chapter 3. When John returned to the hospital late that night, the man had read the chapter, and after some discussion, received Christ as his personal Savior. The new believer entered heaven the following day. Two of the Briggs’ children are making decisions about college. Bethany will soon take an exam for entrance into medical school.


Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico

NICARAGUA

Andy and Diane Large are asking God to provide money to purchase a property for their church and then the funds to complete the first phase of the building project.


Eastern Europe

HUNGARY

Pat and Tina Curby have started a new session of English teaching in the nearby town of Törökbálint with ABWE teammates Mike and Joan Swanson, their Hungarian church planting colleague Zoltan Szolnoki, and a couple of single teachers from the Christian school. They are seeking to deepen their relationship with Lajos and Györgyi, a married couple, to create openings for sharing Christ. Pat’s medical tests at the National Oncology Institute in Budapest all came back normal.

ROMANIA

Mike and Mary Lou Rummey had a special outreach meeting for women with over 90 ladies in attendance. Several events are planned for April: April 2—begin a weekly English class in two villages as an outreach to unsaved children; April 5—Doug Martin will teach a CMI course on evangelism at their church; April 25–29—Special Easter services (Easter is celebrated at the end of April in Romania), children’s program, choir outreaches. Please pray for the Lord's provision for the remaining funds necessary to publish The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus.


Europe

PORTUGAL

Gil and Denise Thomas. Six churches provided singers and dramatic readers for a choir that presented the Easter message. They performed the hour-long presentation of video clips and music three times. The concerts went very well, and there were many unsaved in attendance. Pray that the images and Scriptures that the people heard and saw will stay with them and drive them to know more. Pray for opportunities for the missionaries and believers around the Lisbon area to spend time with people that heard the message and want to know more. The Thomas’s daughter, Andrea, is in the hospital (Tampa, Florida) for the third time in a month with arrhythmia problems. Her doctor is out of town until mid-April. Denise is going to fly back to the States to help, but she is waiting until they schedule Andrea’s surgery. Please be praying for successful scheduling of surgery, guidance for her doctors, safety for Denise, and help for Denise in finishing this semester of school.


Far East

Larry and Nancy Allen will return to the Far East next month. They have plans to assist a national church planter in his home district. The Allens need additional monthly support.

Restricted Access Nation

Missionaries have been invited to train 60 national Christian workers in evangelism. A national worker they trained in August has led five people to Christ. All five have received training and are actively sharing their faith in different provinces. A young Buddhist man is studying the Bible weekly with a missionary. The Scriptures are slowly changing his understanding of the gospel. He has a friend who has begun to come to the studies also.

A tribal group that has been disappointed by a false messiah that was presented to them by a cult has been very hard to reach with the gospel. God has recently been working through a village leader who wanted his people to hear the gospel after a visit to the mission hospital. Thirteen families came to a pastor of another tribe to ask if they could become followers of Jesus. Forty-two villages in one area have asked for Christian teaching.

HONG KONG

Sue Farley is preparing a new Bible study called Loving God with All Your Mind for her ladies group. She has made the move to a new apartment. Pray that her former landlord will quickly release her deposit money. Sue is serving alongside the Hartwicks at Harmony Baptist Church. They will celebrate its first anniversary on April 13. In order to reach families, they need to move the church meetings from the Hartwick’s rooftop to a district of the city where more minority people live. Pray for Chris and Maylin as they search for a suitable place and the funds to pay for it.

JAPAN

Wendy Stiles has five girls involved in a discipleship study. They are applying the word to their daily life and developing a witness to friends and family. Since Naoko’s death, her sister, mother, and cousin have attended church several times. The singles’ group and the English outreach have enjoyed some good evenings together. Kiyok has given evidence of the Lord’s work in her heart.

Courtney Lancaster. There have been a few customers at the coffee house ministry in the past few weeks. Pray for this outreach ministry. Wendy Stiles and Courtney will host a sleepover for the girls’ group. Please pray that this would be a good time of fellowship and getting to know the girls better.

PHILIPPINES

Mary Beth Banning had a safe trip back to the Philippines in January. The Philippine schools had their graduations at the end of March. There will be a biennial conference of fellowshipping churches throughout the Philippines April 30–May 4. Over 1,500 Christians are expected. Pray for good fellowship and unity among the conference staff. Mary Beth is helping with the planning.


North America

OHIO

Earl and Marilyn Shaffer’s church received a financial gift on Easter that will bring them close to finishing their parking lot. Several people have made some significant spiritual advances. Sheila has rejected her wrong pursuits and returned to church on Easter. Rick and Myya started attending the Shaffers’ church and were married. Rick will be baptized on April 20. Diane attended on Easter and then later professed faith in Christ. Ron and Betty are both expressing a desire to be saved.

FLORIDA

Bob and Diana Ericsson’s church is planning an outreach for Mother’s Day, May 11. They will canvass their neighborhood to distribute flyers inviting families to church. Pray for the salvation of Carlos. Pray that some of the visitors who have been attending a long time would commit to membership.


South America

CHILE

Doug and Heather Amundson (language school, Costa Rica). Pray for patience and success in their language studies. They are in their first semester of language school. The biopsy on Doug’s nose was cancerous, but all of the cancer cells were removed. The other biopsy on his leg was not cancer. Doug writes, “Please continue to pray that as we grow in our understanding of the Spanish language, we will be able to share of God’s full and complete gift on the cross. This need was so evident yesterday (Good Friday) as we went down to see the local city's procession of Jesus with the cross, followed by another parade with Mary and another unknown statue. Many of these Catholics believe that helping to carry the statues, especially Mary, will bring them good
luck, as well as earn points toward going to heaven.”

PARAGUAY

Rich and Beth Donaldson’s daughter will finish high school in June. They will take a furlough in July to help her get started in college and to visit supporters. They continue to make slow progress on their construction project, and they are still not moved in. Pray that they will be able to finish the essentials so it will soon be usable. Presidential elections will be held in Paraguay on April 20. This is the first time in over 50 years that there has been a serious challenge to the reigning political party.


Home Office

Jim and Jan Ruff (ABWE Training Division) had a profitable trip to Thailand. Jim led a seminar on Evaluating Asian Theologies and Attitudes Toward Missions for regional ABWE missionaries. Pray for God to work in the hearts of 17 Japanese people Jim recently spoke to through the ESL program at their home church. Pray for the health of Jim’s mom and Jan’s sister-in-law. The Ruffs have a busy season of training and ministry approaching.

Update

John and Ruth Patton. Ruth Patton, missionary to Spain since 1998, went to be with her Lord and Savior Wednesday March 26, 2008. She was 45 years old. At the end of her life, she was strong in suffering. Ruth fought cancer for a long time, but she was not a complainer, nor did she wallow in self-pity. Her classic reply to “How are you doing?” was “I’m doing well,” even when she was tired, weak, or sick. John writes, “Ruth passed away at 10:50 on Wednesday morning on March 26, as her family sang aloud her favorite hymn, "How Great Thou Art." She is now in heaven and no longer struggles against cancer. All who love her are thankful Ruth no longer suffers from pain. Her life is a legacy of complete dedication and honor to her Lord Jesus Christ. The seeds she planted in people's lives around the world will continue beyond her short 45 years here on earth.” The following is a passage Ruth wrote in her personal journal: "But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and He will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see Him for myself. Yes, I will see Him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!" Job 19:25-27. You may read Ruth’s life’s message at www.abwe.org.