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Dear praying family,
These last months have gone by and much has happened
in our lives. Again we want to thank you for your faithfulness in
prayer as it gives us courage and strength.
In JULY, We had a number of people that wanted to be
baptized. After announcing the date in church for the
baptisim a man approached me to be baptized. I arranged to
meet with him. It turn out that he was not saved and was assuming that
if he was baptized he would have his sins forgiven. This is a all to
common misconception that many have, along with many others who believe that good works,
and keeping the 10 commandments, etc; will bring them into favor with
God. I met with Papa TyTy (Tee tee), presented
him with the gospel, and on the second meeting with him he accepted
Christ as his Savior and
joined the candidates for baptism. The week before the baptism, we had a
baptistery built. We thank the Lord that it was completed two day
before we had the baptism service. Normally we would have to go
early in the morning (5:00am) to a river close by, and most times only
the ones getting baptized and maybe a few other attend, but with the baptistery on the property we were
able to have the baptism as part of the Sunday morning service. I would like to make
mention, that is was such a blessing to baptize "3" people that were lead to
Christ by one of our deacons Pango Mayaya and "2" by our evangelist Jean
Badinga.
The FM station application is
still in the preliminary stage please continue to pray.
AUGUST
Brought a lot of changes to our home.
The first was the arrival of our school teacher from South Africa,
Louise Morrison. She arrived safely
on the 26 August. Again she is a such a blessing to us, not only
in that of the capacity of teaching our children, but that she was
faithful in hearing God's calling on her life and completed that long
and hard process, as a single lady, of calling and arranging meetings in
order to share her desire to come join and help us. I know that
both she and her family have grown as they saw the Lord provide and work
out, what seemed an impossible thing. She is able to stay in the
small apartment behind our house that was originally built for when my
parents Mark and Wyla would come to spend time working here. Do
continue to pray for Mark and Wyla as they stand by the work in South
Africa.
Secondly, during this
month the Lord brought two other Congolese young ladies to live with us.
One is Winnie's sister, Pricilla. Many of you remember Winnie has
been with our family for over 4 years now. Pricilla is 21yrs and
in her final year of nursing school. The other is a 16 yr old
Congolese girl, Fallone, who actually has spent most of her childhood in the
States, but because of a situation was brought back here to Congo.
She was brought to our attention through the US embassy and we were led
to provide a home for her for the present. She is looking to return to
the states in the way of foster care. We would ask your prayer for
the right family for her. We would ask your prayers for all of our
family. It has taken some adjusting as our family grew from 9
people to 12 in just one month. It has been good to see the Lord
undertake for our needs even though we were not financially set up for
so large a number.
We will be taking a 5 week
break in Dec. to South Africa for several reason. As a family we
feel the need to take some time on our own. I also have some legal
things for the family, that need to be taken care of in South Africa,
and Esther also would like to spend some one on one time with her mom
especially. Esther and I are also hoping to attend the central African
leadership conference in Zambia for some spiritually encouragement
and time together. We were suppose to take our USA furlough this year
but we feel we need to postpone it till 2009, as we have a number of
ministries and new ministry we needs to attended to.
SEPTEMBER
The highlights of September:
First of all, there were 8
students that graduated on the 2 September 2007. We held the graduation
as part of the Sunday morning service, which I think went well.
Pray for many of these that graduated that they will do God's will in
their local churches, and some even sensitive to the calling of the Lord
to serving elsewhere where there is a great need.
The second was that I made a
1800 km round trip to
a village called Dibaya Lubwe, along with 5 other men. It took us two
days to get there. Our purpose was two fold, one to have a seminar to
encourage the believers, the other to survey for a Bible
Institute. In the seminar we all
took turns teaching from the book of Hebrews. We had a wonderful time
and each did a good job on their teaching. We had some pastors from other
churches in town come and listen, may of them teaching error. Many of
these pastors have their flock under their thumb, using fear, making people
give gifts (normally money) to be healed or
experience deliverances. I pray to God that they were able to hear Gods word.
There are so many that are still entangled in keeping the law, and good
works. And there are hirelings keeping them there for there own material
gain.
The second reason for making
this trip was to look into the possibility of starting a bible
Institute. Dibaya Lubwe is located on the Kasai River, making it possible
for students to come from many parts of the interior of the country. The
cost of living is also a lot lower than that of Kinshasa, which mean that there
can be the possibility of having families stay on campus. The Chief of the
village has offered us property, five hectares for $6000.00. We have
made it a matter of prayer.
October
has been a month of
Ordinations. We have had 4 men that have gone through our bible
school here in Kinshasa, that were ordained. I was able to attend the
ordination, of Samuel Munanga. He is the man pastoring the church of
Sanga Mamba where we spent the last three terms serving. It was a joy to
see the church behind this man and his family. I preached and
challenged him on the area of not only "Beginning well, but Ending Well.
The last two I have not be able to
attend, as I have been sick.
Two weeks ago, I came down with a flu
virus combined with an attack of malaria. For the first 4 days or
so, we just thought it was a flue, but when the violent shakes set in,
Esther along with Pricilla practiced their nursing skills, and because I
was so weak and nauseated they gave me few injections for nausea and
pain then I was finally able to swallow and keep down a malaria cure. I praise the Lord that
after another week I am on the mend. I'm still a little weak, but
am managing to get some things accomplished each day. I guess loosing 12
Lbs wasn't bad for me, but I wouldn't recommend the method it took!
Our children are doing well in school, and looking
forward to the December break. Winnie one of our Congolese daughters
is in her final year of High School, and needs much prayer to do well
and the Lord's direction in the next year. The twins will be two
on the 7th of Nov and continue to keep us laughing (and crying when they
accidentally break something) and on our toes!
With this I end, thank you for you support and prayer,
Robert, Esther, Joshua, Cherith, Jordan, Jeremy,
Chelsea & Chaylee Marsh along with Winnie, Pricilla, and Fallone
- We thank the Lord for his protection on a daily basis.
- Continued peace in the country (still some
trouble in the east of Congo).
- Opportunities to minister as the Lord wills
- For those that heard the gospel on our Sud-Kwango
trip
- Pastor Batshingi at Mbanza Lemba.(He is
looking at taking a wife)
- Pastor Christoffe at Kimbwala.
- Bible Institute - we have one and half months left.
- Early morning prayer meetings(6 am). Monday to Saturday.
- We thank the Lord for answering our prayer
for water, water has come in everyday now for the past two months!
- Praise the Lord, we have Joshua and
Jordan's passports now with the valid visas and we did NOT have to pay $3000.00!!!!!
- Praise the Lord for the 6 people baptized
on the 29th July 2007
- We praise the Lord for the safe arrival and of our new missionary school teacher
Louise Morrison who arrived on Aug 26.
- Printing of Lingala Song Book - Layout is done, and we are working on proof reading. We are wanting to print 3000 copies.
- Pray for the Lords will concerning the FM
station, still in the preliminary stage.
- Bible Institute and the obtaining of
property - $6000.00 for 5 hectares.
- Our Congolese daughters Winnie, Pricilla
and Fallone, the Lord's will in each of their lives.
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