F 4
18 September 2009
Dear Friends,
Janice and I send you greetings from Chesapeake, Virginia. Over the past two months, we have had a variety of changes in our lives. Changes always bring new opportunities and challenges. Let me share the changes and challenges in our ministry in Jakarta.

The big change is from a hands on ministry to a prayer ministry for the works we have left behind. Right up to our departure from Jakarta we were involved with ministering in our churches. Each Wednesday night, I was preaching and teaching on prophecy at the Cipulir church. Each Sunday, I was preaching in one of our churches in Jakarta. Almost daily, I was in contact with some of the men that are ministering in Nias and Kalimantan. Right up to our departure, I was working with the Indonesian Bible Society to get a Nias song book printed. Busy, but enjoying every minute of it.

In August the Cipulir Baptist Church invited me to speak at their 34th anniversary. The church is doing well. Please continue to pray for Pastor Pri and the folks at Cipulir Baptist.

It is difficult to leave the little churches that we are helping on Nias island. While I was in Jakarta they called or sent text messages regularly concerning their ministries. Pastor Arohati and his folks in Hilifalago, Pastor Yawasa and his folks in Hilifalawu, and the little churches in Hilidohono and Botolakha – still look to me. The goal is that they will ultimately look only to the Lord, but they aren't there yet. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, ... Let's continue to pray and give.

The Bible school in Jakarta opened for a new semester on the the 1st of August. I attended the opening, but there won't be any classes for me to teach this semester. Poor Janice, she will have to listen to all those lectures over the next eight months!

The challenge over the next eight months is to visit all you folks who so faithfully pray and support us. We now have a nice car thanks to Brother Eric Hargus who provides cars through his Baptist Missionary Transportation Ministry. We now have a stateside hand phone that we can use to contact you folks (757- 618-2787). We have some nice prayer cards that we want to get into your hands. We have a nice power point presentation that gives a good overview of our ministry in Indonesia with a special emphasis on the Nias Bible Project. We have some appointments – October (Mid Atlantic), November (California, Midwest), December (Colorado, Northeast), January (Mid Atlantic), February (Texas, Arizona, California), March (California, Texas), April (Mid Atlantic). Lord willing, we hope to visit all our churches. That's a real challenge because we do not enjoy traveling, but we do enjoy meeting you folks.  If I have not yet contacted you, please consider contacting me by phone at 757-618-2787.  I will be trying to contact all of our supporting churches.

The personal news is mostly a travel log. Janice and I left Jakarta on the 17th of August. We traveled to Bulgaria to be with our oldest daughter, our son-in-law and our four grandchildren.  While we were there we traveled to Greece and took in Filipi. We then traveled to Boston to be with our third daughter, our son-in-law and our three grandchildren.

While in Boston, we were also able to visit with our son, daughter-in-law and their two children. From Boston, we went to Kansas City to pick up our car. While in Missouri, we were able to spend a night with Jack and Sharon Reed who minster with the BBF Builders. From Missouri we traveled to Woodbridge, Virginia to be with our second daughter, Jana. While we were with Jana, we visited Heritage Baptist Church. From Woodbridge, Virginia we traveled to Chesapeake, Virginia. Great Hope Baptist Church in Chesapeake (757-482-1177) will be our headquarters while we are here in the States. Lest you think I have missed my vitamins, I must report that Janice still challenges me with them each day. We are healthy.

For your faithful prayers and financial support we are thankful.

In Christ,

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