God is Working

As many of you know, Bill and I served for about 13 years as missionaries. One of the delights of serving a church full time now, is to be allowed to take several overseas volunteer mission trips. I, personally have not taken one recently, but Bill and Katie have taken several. They have been back to Venezuela, the country of our mission service several times. This past month, 20 of our students and adults from Bethlehem Baptist, went for a week to Venezuela, specifically, The Valley of Tuy, which is right outside the capitol city of Caracas, to work in an evangelistic week. They did door-to-door witnessing, street witnessing, outdoor puppet and drama programs etc. At night they had meetings in the churches. It was a very successful week all the way around. Two Hundred Sixty-Six adults gave their lives to Christ. The Venezuelans normally do not count the children until they have had an opportunity to talk to their parents and talk to the children one-on-one, so, there probably is a much larger number if the children were figured in. God really blessed their time. Even if one precious person had made a decision for Christ, it would have been worth it.

I am writing all this to say the following: God is not only working overseas but He is also working in the lives of those who went overseas. Recently, I asked Bill if he realized how many of our people were contemplating full-time mission service or full-time Christian service, such as pastors, Christian ministry workers etc. We began counting and we counted, and counted, and counted. We have at least 12-15 people who have expressed a desire to follow the Lord's leading toward the goals of Christian service. That just made me want to shout. God is so good. I especially have been blessed as I have watched God work in the lives of young people. He is still working, Folks. He is still in the business of calling out those whom He wills to special ministry.

One of our young men, a recent high school graduate, has astounded us with his ambitious approach to missions. Besides going on trips overseas all the time, he has established a ministry right here in our surrounding community with Hispanics. He began by getting involved in their soccer games. Then he started sharing Christ with them after the games. He got involved in their everyday lives. Last night, sadly, he was with one abused Hispanic Mom as DSS (Department of Social Services) came to take her child to a safe place so that the Mother could find shelter for herself and the baby from the abusive father. He is already doing missions work. Nothing deters him. In the middle of all this, he has learned to speak perfect Spanish. Wow, what a calling God has placed on his life and DOUBLY WOW, what a wonderful servant he is to the task God has called him to. This is just one of many testimonies like this. God is working. People are answering His call. Matthew 28:19,20 is being fulfilled. How exciting!!!

Will you pray as you read this for those with whom God is dealing? These short term mission trips are definitely making a difference in their lives. Pray that they would continue to be open. Pray for parents who might not fully understand the depth of a "call" from God. Some of these kids parents aren't nearly as dedicated to God's work as the kid is. We serve an amazing God. He can make them understand. Pray for the Holy Spirit to surround the students with His presence as many of them begin college for the first time. The key is to keep them faithful to the Lord as He continues to speak to them.