Dear Friends,

Janice and I send you Christmas greetings from hot, humid Jakarta. We cannot thank you enough for the part you folks play in the ministry here in Indonesia. Your faithful prayers and financial support of the ministry have born fruit. We trust you will feel the same joy we have felt at what the Lord has done over the past couple months.

The ministry of the medical team in South Nias was a blessing. It looked like disaster at every step, but you folks prayed and everything finally fell into place. The team was made up of personnel from the United States, Panama, Japan and Indonesia. Ultimately, visas were obtained, medical supplies arrived and were cleared through customs, supplies shipped through bad weather conditions arrived in time to be used, constant rain and muddy conditions didn't keep the team from making arduous hikes to remote villages, conversing through four languages (English, Spanish, Indonesian and Nias) was overcome, and I really only lost my temper twice!

Brother Jan Milton of Operation Renewed Hope sponsored the medical clinics. His team included medical personnel from the US and Panama. The Panamanian doctors were accompanied by fellow missionary Jim Childress, who has had extensive experience with medical clinics like this in Panama. The Baptist Bible Fellowship helped the Panamanians with their travel expenses by providing funds from the tsunami relief fund. The South Nias Department of Health provided a team of three Indonesian doctors and several nurses to help in the clinics. Pastor Lukman, who pastors one of our Independent Baptist churches in Medan, provided extensive logistic support for the team and then gathered up several of the other pastors and church workers in Medan to accompany the team as interpreters. Brother Norio Hirose, a BBF missionary from Japan, and his wife, graciously went with the team and helped in many aspects. From Jakarta I enlisted the aid of Daniel and Iwan. These brothers minister at Pastor Markus' church, and both are fluent in English. Rounding out the team was Dr. Tom Ferrell who came to lead the evangelism efforts. All total there were 34 team members that went to Nias. Complimenting this group were the Nias medical personnel and our Nias pastors and workers.

The clinics were started by holding an evangelistic service the evening before the actual clinic. At the end of the evangelistic service, cards were distributed that allowed the folks to attend the clinic the following day. Over the four days the clinics were held, each day in a different village, the doctors saw over 1200 patients. Also, during that time there were over 200 professions of faith. We praise the Lord for the willingness of the medical team to make a difference for the folks in Nias, both physically and spiritually.

Continue to pray for the churches in Nias. Pray that these clinics will help each of the four churches that sponsored a clinic in South Nias. Also pray for the two new churches in North Nias. Both are going through some difficult times.

The churches in Jakarta continue to face problems, but they continue to go on for the Lord. Pastor Hadir has reached a new family at the church in Sunter Jaya. Praise the Lord. We were discouraged, you folks prayed and it made a difference. Continue to pray for Pastor Hadir, his family and the church in Sunter Jaya as they face many challenges. Pastor Yusuf at the Cibubur church and pastor Munjait at the Pelumpang church continue to need your prayers. Pray that over the next couple of months we will have good things to report about all these works. The other churches we work with here in Jakarta are doing good, but that doesn't say they don't need your prayers!

During the Christmas season, our churches are very active in their communities. There will be many Christmas services which reach out to the local communities where our churches are located. Several of our churches have been asked by the local police to not have their Christmas services in the evening due to terror threats. Whether these threats are real or just another excuse for the local community to pressure the churches is difficult to ascertain. Whatever, pray for the ministry of our churches here in Jakarta over the next few weeks.

Also we would ask you to especially pray for pastor Yohanes's health. Yohanes pastors the Cijantung church and has done a wonderful job. Right now he is losing his eye sight due to an advanced diabetic condition. He needs an operation, but his physical condition needs to improve before the doctors will be able to operate on him.

We have lots on our calender over the next few weeks: Bible school graduation, a trip to Batam island to be with Pastor Andar and his church, a host of Christmas meetings, the water filters in Nias need attention, the churches in North Nias need attention, several new graduates would like me to help them. We covet your prayers for the ministry here in Jakarta and all over Indonesia.

Personally, Janice and I are both fine. Janice made a trip to the States last month to donate stem cells for her sister, Arlene Sutton, who has suffered from leukemia for many years. Recently, the doctors determined that Arlene would need a stem cell replacement treatment. Janice was the best donor, so she spent several days in Denver to provide the necessary stem cells. While in Denver, Pastor Bob McClendon, his wife Tracy, and the folks at Village East Baptist Church provided moral and material support for Janice at a very trying time in her life. Thank you.

For the prayers and material support you folks so faithfully provide, we are truly thankful.

In Christ,