Praise and Prayer for December 19, 2009

In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. I John 4:9

Snow falling, traffic jams, busy shoppers preparing for family gatherings, Christmas village shops filling pedestrian areas, even Christmas carols playing from speakers perched out of sight. Amidst the busyness, few seem to pause and listen to the Good News proclaimed by the carols. Unfortunately, many are in English and not easily understood by the passersby. Meanwhile billboards and stores are full of images of Santa Claus and toys for young and old, promising happiness, making hearts yearn for much more than budgets can afford. During this holiday season, despite the distractions, we as believers can take extra opportunities to share with those around us the true Reason for the Season.

Our Church Christmas program was held Sunday afternoon. Although many who’d been invited did not attend, the church was nonetheless full. The message of a Savior born in Bethlehem, sent to save people from the penalty of sin was clear through the songs, the verses, the skits and the devotional. Our home has become a bustle of activity preparing Christmas goodies to share with teachers, friends and neighbors this Christmas season. We have already given out several plates of goodies along with the Christmas message and each has been well received. Some of our friends will also receive the “Bonne Semence” calendar with daily Bible readings and meditations.

Thank you so much for your prayers for us throughout 2009! Lord willing, our next update will be posted on January 8. May the Lord bless your Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Praise for:
- Jesus, God’s Gift to all at Christmas and throughout the year.
- the excellent Christmas program and for a good turnout of Church family and guests.
- opportunities to share the Good News this Christmas with neighbors and friends.
- Josiah’s good growth in the two months since his birth.
- another year of life for Jonathan celebrated on Wednesday.
- the church counsel meeting Thursday evening and safety on the slippery, snowy roads.

Pray for:
- those who receive the gifts we are sharing, that they will read the tracts and have open hearts.
- our opportunity to share with the family of one of Adrianna’s friends on Monday evening as we have them over for a special Christmas dinner.
- a Christmas cookie party (bake and decorate) with two of Adrianna’s girlfriends Tuesday afternoon.
- health and rest for each of us, especially for Josiah as he has quite a cold; for Elva Farrell as she anticipates hip surgery on January 13.
- direction for the church, as they vote for a pastor and select deacons on January 24.
- God’s direction to be clear to us for our next term of ministry (after home ministry in 2011).

Praise and Prayer for December 11, 2009

We held a Christmas party for our Sango group at our house last evening. We were 21 in all, including 9 children. Although one of our regular attendees was ill, there was a family with two children who we met for the first time. Our goal this Christmas season had been to provide the group with an opportunity to celebrate the birth of Jesus together while enjoying fellowship and deepening relationships. While some were still arriving after 8 p.m. (we started at 6), it seemed to us that before everyone had left after 10:30 p.m., the Lord had richly blessed and helped us to reach our goal. We would love to see the visiting family return and more regularity in the attendance of some of the others. Pray that the Lord will work in hearts and give a hunger for spiritual things.

This Sunday afternoon our church will be having its annual Christmas program. Each of the groups in the church will be participating through music, skits, Scripture memory or readings, a Bible study, and refreshments. We have been working with the SS children, the choir and the Sango group to prepare their contributions to the program. This special service provides an opportunity for members to invite friends and acquaintances to see and hear (many for the first time) the Good News of the Savior born in Bethlehem. We have invited several of the teachers in the children’s schools as well as some of the other parents. Please pray for this special outreach this Sunday at 3:30 p.m. (our time).

Praise for:
- the good turnout for the Sango Christmas party last evening and the profitable time together.
- the invitations to Sunday’s Christmas program that have been given out.
- Caleb’s healing and return to school this week, though his asthma continues to bother him.
- the life of Aunt Alice Lathrop (Jonathan’s Dad’s guardian) who entered heaven on Wednesday morning at 99 years of age.

Pray for:
- last minute preparations for the Christmas program and that the Lord will bless each contribution to the program.
- the Lord to prepare hearts of those who will be in our church for the first time this Sunday and that our lack of space will not pose a problem!
- good health for each of us, especially for Josiah.
- Elva Farrell as she anticipates hip surgery on January 13.
- direction for the church, as they vote for a pastor and select deacons on January 24.
- God’s direction to be clear to us for our next term of ministry (after home ministry in 2011).

Praise and Prayer for December 5, 2009

We are encouraged to see the way the Lord continues to bless the Eglise Evangelique Baptiste de Reims. On Sunday evening, members and guests gathered for a precious time of fellowship at the Q and A with our pastoral candidate and his wife. The Lord’s blessings were evident as good questions were asked and the Fischers’ responses were clear. It was good for the church to be able to hear Emmanuel express his vision for the future of the church. As the January 24 vote draws closer, the church body needs God’s direction calling a pastor. If the church calls the Fischers, this will be one of the largest steps the church takes in nationalizing, and in becoming independent. The Farrells would then be free to take a long anticipated time of home ministry. We have committed to staying throughout the remainder of our term of service (until summer 2011) so would be able to help the church through the transition to having a new pastor. Our goals include continuing to build and nationalize both the Sango outreach and the Sunday school program. This January 24 vote will have great impact on the church, which we believe is ready to take this significant step. Thank you for praying for this.


On the home front, the Lord brought Caleb through a serious bout with a flu this week. On Monday evening, he came down with a fever and over the next couple days the fever topped 104 F a few times. He saw our doctor Tuesday evening, took lots of baths and received lots of fever reducing medicines. We were so thankful that the fever disappeared Thursday and only a cough remains. Thus far it seems like he didn’t share it with the rest of us. Our concern was especially for Josiah. We were able to make the trip to Paris on Thursday with Josiah, while the Farrells kept Caleb and had Adrianna during her lunch break from school. As we crawled through Paris traffic for 40 minutes, we wondered if we would be on time. Praise the Lord, we were and we came away with an official looking Declaration of Birth, and applications accepted for the Social Security number and passport.

Praise for:
- good attendance and participation in Sunday School and church.
- a good Q & A last Sunday evening with the Fischers.
- a safe and profitable trip to Paris Thursday where we applied for Josiah’s official documents.
- healing for Caleb who battled a flu with a high fever this week.

Pray for:
- preparations for the Church Christmas program on December 13.
- good health for each of us, especially for Josiah.
- Elva Farrell as she anticipates hip surgery on January 13.
- direction for the church, as they vote for a pastor and select deacons on January 24.
- God’s direction to be clear to us for our next term of ministry (after home ministry in 2011).

Praise and Prayer for November 28, 2009

We were reminded of our dependence on the Lord for good health this week as many around us have been sick. Numerous children and teachers in the Preschool and Elementary schools where Caleb and Adrianna are enrolled have been out of school for much of the week. The H1N1 flu is changing habits for cleanliness and people are doing what they can to avoid catching or spreading it. How thankful we are for the peace and freedom from fear that is ours through our faith in Jesus Christ.


The Lord gave good services Sunday, with good attendance in the morning French service and in the evening Sango service. There were 19 at the Sango service, which is the highest attendance yet this season. And this was despite a strong windstorm that began Sunday afternoon. On Monday, our teammates, the Farrells, joined us for a good time of fellowship over dinner. We made the trip on Wednesday to and from Algrange to celebrate Thanksgiving at the Bible Institute. While we greatly missed our families, we were blessed to be together with these dear friends to reflect on God’s goodness. In the afternoon, the Lord gave us some special time with Roger and Jean Reisacher in their home before we had to load up and head back home. The Lord has given some special opportunities this Thanksgiving to share with those around us a bit of the history and reason for this holiday. On Thursday afternoon, our family visited one of the grandmothers from our church here who has been unable to get to church for some time with health problems.

Praise for:
- the good business meeting Thursday evening with church leaders.
- good attendance in Sunday school and church, and a good evening Sango service.
- special time spent with students and professors at the Bible Institute as we celebrated a American holiday, Thanksgiving, together.
- those who are part of a special Christmas chorale ensemble, as we prepare a part of the Christmas program for December 13.

Pray for:
- Elva Farrell as she anticipates hip surgery in the near future.
- Granny S. to feel well enough to come to church tomorrow.
- us as we gather documents needed and travel to Paris Thursday to apply for a record of birth, S.S. number, and passport for Josiah.
- our intern and pastoral candidate Emmanuel and his wife as they participate in a special Q & A time this coming Sunday as the January church vote approaches.
- continued protection and good health.
- God’s direction to be clear to us for our next term of ministry (after home ministry in 2011).

Praise and Prayer for November 22, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving Day! Sometimes when we live in a foreign land, we lose some of our own traditions and celebrations. While some traditions are perhaps best lost, there are others that we do not want to lose and we do our best to celebrate them whether in the USA, the CAR or in France! One of them is Thanksgiving Day, which is a reminder to give thanks to God for His many blessings and His grace bestowed throughout the year. It would be impossible in this short update to share all of those blessings, but we would like to take the opportunity this week to mention just a few of them. First of all, we join Paul in 2 Cor. 9:15 saying “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.” Praise God for Jesus Christ and the salvation that He provided for us at the Cross. Praise God for His Word through which He speaks to our hearts as we read it and study it. This year, at our Thanksgiving table, there is a fifth member of our family. Praise God for His gift of Josiah to our family, and for His protection and healing of Josiah when he experienced such great difficulty after his birth. Friday, Cherith’s Birthday, was a reminder to our family of the special blessing that God has given us in a wife and mother. Our family and friends, those who support and pray for our ministry, our health, the food we eat, our apartment, etc. The list goes on. May every day we live be a day of thanksgiving to God for His daily blessings.

Praise for:
- the innumerable blessings that God has given us throughout the year.
- good attendance in Sunday school and church, and a good evening Sango service.
- several of the Central Africans that Jonathan was able to have contact with this week who have not been in our Sango service.
- those who are part of a special Christmas chorale ensemble, as we prepare a part of the Christmas program for December 13.

Pray for:
- good attendance this weekend for our services, and for the Lord to work in hearts.
- the church leaders as they meet this coming Thursday (26).
- our intern and pastoral candidate Emmanuel and his wife as they participate in a special Q & A time this coming Sunday as the January church vote approaches.
- the rest we need at night!
- God’s direction to be clear to us for our next term of ministry (after home ministry in 2011).

Praise and Prayer for November 13, 2009

God blessed our church with the visit of all but one of the student body from the Bible Institute in Algrange on Sunday. Spouses and children also came along. It was a personal blessing for us to see our former students, their growing children and to introduce them to Josiah. The students led the singing and meditation, gave testimonies, sang special numbers, played an instrumental number and preached. Cherith and I both taught our Sunday school classes, partly while holding Josiah! After the service and a time of fellowship, our family hurried home so that we could be ready to return to church for the evening Sango service. However, when we returned for the service, nobody else showed up. We spent time singing and praying, and then had a special treat on our way home: supper at McDonalds.


We are thankful for the health and strength the Lord continues to provide for us, especially with all of the interruptions to good rest at night for our newest family member’s feeding. We are learning once again to work our schedule around the regular feeding schedule of a newborn. For Cherith, it can be frustrating to recognize that her responsibilities to Josiah take up a good part of each day. Still, the Lord has helped us to make some good progress in some of our projects this week, including correspondence and birth announcements. Yesterday, Josiah turned one month old and the Lord has provided him with very good health. His doctor was very pleased with his progress when he saw him today for his first month checkup. How thankful we are for God’s goodness to us.

Praise for:
- the ministry of the Bible Institute students last Sunday, and for the very good attendance we had (every seat full!).
- good health and particularly the good report for Josiah’s one month checkup today.
- good attendance in Sunday school.
- progress in projects this week including correspondence.

Pray for:
- the various groups in the church as we prepare our part of the Christmas program scheduled for December 13.
- the Sunday School ministries, for regular attendance and for each member of the teaching team.
- good attendance at the Sango service this Sunday night and for Jonathan as he preaches.
- wisdom and God’s help to reach our neighbors for Him.
- continued adjustments to scheduling around a newborn and his needs.

Praise and Prayer for November 6, 2009

On Sunday, one of the youth shared a testimony of the special trip to Saint Dizier for the Concours Biblique. One of the special blessings mentioned was the opportunity to get together with so many other youth in an evangelical setting. This has been especially important, since the youth groups are typically very small and although there were certainly some unsaved present, fellowship with so many other Christian young people is rare here in France. We were proud of our own youth group placing third in the quiz team competition.

This Sunday will be another big day at church. We will be welcoming the student body from the Bible Institute (Algrange) for the morning service. They will be leading the service, sharing musical numbers and one of the students will be preaching. We will miss part of the service since we will both be teaching Sunday school classes, but we look forward to having a few guests in our classes as some of the students will be bringing their children. This Sunday evening, our Sango service will be meeting again after two weeks off as folks were off on vacation. Last Sunday one of the Central African families was back in church after a long absence. We are praying for more regularity in attendance to the Sango service. Jonathan will be preaching on God’s help in living the Christian life.

Praise for:
- the good participation in the Concours Biblique by our youth group and several others.
- the good health God has given our family.
- a Central African family’s return to church last Sunday.
- each one who helps in the Sunday School ministry.
- projects completed this week including the next SS teacher schedule.

Pray for:
- the students from the Bible Institute as they come and minister in our church on Sunday.
- the Sunday School ministries, for regular attendance and for each member of the teaching team.
- good attendance at the Sango service Sunday night and for Jonathan as he preaches.
- our family’s adjustments, and the need for good rest, especially for Mama and Papa.
- the financial strain we are having due to the fall of the dollar ($1.48 to 1€).

Praise and Prayer for October 30, 2009

The Lord answered prayer for Josiah and made it possible for him to be released from the hospital on Thursday, October 22. The blessing is indescribable of having our family once again under one roof. We are also thankful to the Lord for sending Mom Broeckert to us for most of the past two weeks. We were sad to see her go yesterday when she continued on her travels, this time to the USA to visit her other children, grandchildren and her Mom. Her presence and help was a huge encouragement and blessing to us during a very difficult time.

The Lord has brought some new visitors to church, some who have found out about it through the Internet and the church’s website (eglisebaptistedereims.net). Pray for J. who began attending just a few weeks ago and continues to discover more about who God is. The church youth group and their leaders will be traveling tomorrow to Saint Dizier for the Concours Biblique where Bible quiz teams from around the area will be meeting to fellowship and compete for first place. Pray that the Scriptural truths that these youth have learned will be more than head knowledge, that they find their place in hearts and lives for the days and years ahead.

Praise for:
- opportunities to share with many around us of God’s grace in our lives through Josiah’s birth and the events since.
- Josiah being home with us and for continued healing for Cherith.
- the Lord sending Mom Broeckert to us for the past two weeks.
- for visitors in church each week.
- the work Emmanuel puts into the church’s website each month.

Pray for:
- Cherith’s continued recovery, for the Lord to strengthen each of us after bringing us through the last two weeks.
- J. and others that are discovering more about God each week at church.
- the youth group as they participate in the Concours Biblique and that the truths learned will bear fruit whether the competition is won or not.
- Mom Broeckert’s continued travels, and for Mom Teachout as she moves this week from her home in PA (Ely Lake) to a new apartment in Grand Rapids, MI.
- the financial strain we are having due to the fall of the dollar ($1.48 to 1€).

Praise and Prayer for October 21, 2009

Praise God for the safe arrival or our precious son, Josiah Dale Teachout, born Monday, October 12 at 12:06 p.m. We were unable to update our blog on Friday due to the unexpected turn of events last week after Josiah’s birth and our time and attention being occupied with the care of our son. For those of you who have us on Facebook, you have been following the progress that Josiah has made since his breathing difficulties began an hour after his birth. The Lord has truly been good to us, and through the difficult days that followed, we have seen His hand and His provision of grace each day. Josiah was diagnosed with pneumothorax on Tuesday noon, and after getting the special care that he needed and being hooked up to a respirator, he was transferred to the Children’s hospital five minutes away where he was admitted to the intensive care for babies and children. God made it possible for Cherith to be transferred to that hospital on Wednesday and even though we couldn’t hold him or have him in Cherith’s room, we were so thankful that we could visit him and spend time with him. Cherith’s healing from the c-section has progressed well, despite the extra fatigue from all the visits to see Josiah. Cherith was released from the hospital on Friday and on Saturday, Josiah was well enough to return to the Hospital where he was born for continued care until he is ready to come home. Throughout the difficult days last week, the Lord sent us special help and encouragement through our co-workers, the Farrells, through the timely arrival of Cherith’s Mom from Cambodia on Friday, through the assurance of prayer by so many of our family in Christ both here in Reims and overseas, and also through the encouraging words and interest shown by many in our neighborhood. We are thankful for the opportunities that our situation has given us to witness of our faith in God.


By Tuesday (yesterday), Josiah’s final feeding tube was removed and he was unhooked from the monitors. He is now nursing well and taking a bottle when Mama isn’t present. We are all very tired, especially Mama, and the instability at home is taking its toll even on the kids. The Lord surely knew how much we would need Mom Broeckert during these days when He led her to plan this trip. We are so thankful for the good care Josiah has received and most of all for the Lord’s healing hand upon him. Now we are trying to be patient for his release from the hospital so that our family can once again be complete.

Praise for:
- better attendance in the Sango service last Sunday evening (15 present).
- Josiah’s safe delivery and for Cherith’s progress healing.
- God’s special care for Josiah through the pneumothorax, for excellent medical care that He has provided, and for healing for Josiah.
- all of the help and encouragement the Lord has given us in the midst of this storm and for Mom Broeckert’s safe arrival.
- the opportunities that Josiah’s problems have given us to witness and for the opportunity for so many to see God’s grace at work.

Pray for:
- Josiah’s soon release from the hospital and for our family to once again be together.
- the Lord to use our situation and Josiah’s struggle to open more doors to witness and for people to see God work.
- continued healing and strength for Cherith; for grace and rest for each one of us.
- Dad Broeckert as he ministers alone in Cambodia in Mom’s absence.
- the financial strain we are having due to the fall of the dollar ($1.49 to 1€).

Praise and Prayer for October 9, 2009

There were quite a few in church Sunday morning including a few visitors. Jonathan taught Elva’s primary SS class, as she had just returned from the States Friday and Cherith had one baby in the nursery. The other two children’s’ classes had good groups and the teachers were well prepared. The visitors Sunday included two children that came to SS. There were only nine at the Sango service Sunday evening. Jonathan spoke on the Armor of God at prayer meeting Tuesday where there were 13 in attendance, including two visitors. One of them has just accepted the Lord very recently.

We are thankful to finally welcome our Baby this week. Cherith, who hasn’t had a good night of rest in a long time, is especially eager to have Baby in our arms. She enters the hospital Sunday afternoon and is scheduled for a cesarean delivery on Monday. This will be the first of our babies born outside the USA and without any of our family with us. We are thankful for the many offers to help that we have had from our coworkers, friends from church and even from parents at Adrianna’s school. Another very special blessing God is giving us will be Mom Broeckert’s arrival on Friday. She will be a tremendous help and encouragement to us while she is with us for two weeks. Our children especially need prayer this week as they will be experiencing great change. Caleb has never spent the night away from Mama and he is about to have nearly a week of nights away from her.


Praise for:
- the French I.D. cards that we were able to pick up Thursday for Adrianna and Caleb, which gives them legal documentation here in France.
- the Sango hymnals being on their way to the CAR.
- a fairly swift solution to the major septic problem our 11 story apartment had on Tuesday (we are on the ground floor!).
- good attendance in the Sunday morning service and at prayer meeting.
- the many offers from friends to help with the kids this next week while Cherith is in the hospital.

Pray for:
- attendance to pick up in the Sango service and that those who need to make decisions for the Lord will make them.
- young believers to be protected from attack by the evil one.
- a safe delivery on Monday and a swift recovery for Cherith; pray also for a healthy baby and for Adrianna and Caleb as they experience some upheaval this week.
- Mom Broeckert as she flies alone from Koh Kong, Cambodia to Paris this week.
- the financial strain we are having due to the fall of the dollar ($1.47 to 1€).

Praise and Prayer for October 2, 2009

Last Sunday afternoon, the Church met for the conclusion of its business meeting to go over the remaining the church document (the Confession of Faith) with the members. It took all afternoon, but the congregation accepted the documents, and there were more than 30 charter members that signed them. Monday morning the documents were submitted to the proper government office and the Eglise Evangelique Baptiste de Reims was officially born. Praise the Lord for allowing us to make this step in becoming recognized as an officially chartered church and for the members who have diligently worked alongside to complete the necessary documents. We are so privileged to have been able to take part in this exciting process.

We received an email this week from a Christian organization that is willing to help us ship the Sango hymnals to CAR this month. It is great to have this answer to prayer after more than six months of waiting and praying. After numerous emails between the one in charge of shipping and the printer, where the hymnals are being stored, we are encouraged that all of the details for shipping have been worked through and we were able to give the go ahead to the printer to ship the hymnbooks from Ann Arbor, MI to Hanover, PA. The hymnbooks are finally on their way to the CAR where they have been long awaited.

Praise for:
- the members’ review and acceptance of the Church Constitution, the Statutes and the Confession of Faith proposed at the Church business meeting this past Sunday afternoon, and for the official birth of the Eglise Evangelique Baptiste de Reims.
- provision of a way to ship the Sango hymnals to the CAR.
- the return of Elva Farrell after a month in the USA helping her Dad.
- God’s protection when Adrianna fell while ice-skating and hit her head, resulting in a trip to the ER and a few hours of concern.

Pray for:
- Jonathan as he preaches both Sunday and Tuesday nights this week.
- the deacons meeting on Thursday and the decisions to be made.
- final details and safety in shipment as the Sango hymnals are shipped to CAR.
- our final preparations as we anticipate ten more days until Baby is born.

Praise and Prayer for September 25, 2009

Last weekend sort of came and went in a flurry, making it difficult to update our blog. Thank you for checking back for updates! Our first Sango service on September 13 went well with 12 in attendance. The grape vintage had already begun for some who were unable to attend. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Charlie and Gai Jewell as they spent several days with us on their way from Bangui, CAR to the States for a six-month furlough. They shared with us of some of the victories and challenges in the ongoing work in the CAR. They gave greetings in our Sunday morning French service and had opportunities to visit with several of the folks. It was a treat for us to be able to introduce them to some of the Central Africans that are part of our ministry here in Reims. Charlie’s message Sunday night in our Sango service brought a good challenge and was well received. We were sorry that the attendance was so low, but we knew that it might be. The grape harvest was in full swing and many were absent from church as they were involved in the 10 day full-time vintage of the grapes. Praise God for the 3 adults and one child that were present. Pray that God will work to bring about decisions that need to be made.


We had more than the quorum for the Church business meeting last Sunday, though we missed some key people due to the vintage. We went over two of the church documents with the members Sunday afternoon. After three hours of review, discussion and a few changes in wording, it was decided to continue the meeting this coming Sunday (27). Once the congregation has accepted the documents, they will be signed and submitted and the church will be officially chartered.

The Lord is giving us opportunities to build friendships with parents from Adrianna’s school. Adrianna went to two of her friends Birthday parties this past week. She has also started ice skating on Wednesdays which gives us even more interaction with some of the parents.

Praise for:
- those present for our first two Sango services.
- the visit of our CAR friends and colleagues Charlie and Gai Jewell.
- the Church business meeting and the progress toward chartering the church.

Pray for:
- Charlie and Gai Jewell as they travel to the States. Pray for refreshment and blessing as they begin a time of home ministry.
- our outreach to Central Africans in Reims and for the Lord to bless our Sango service.
- the members review and acceptance of the remaining documents at the Church business meeting this Sunday afternoon, and for the church to move forward with the charter.
- preparations for an English outreach.

Praise and Prayer for September 11, 2009

Fall is on its way and the brisk, cool mornings remind us that summer is behind us. Students are in school and routines are falling into place. Living in the heart of Champagne County, people are preparing for the vintage that will begin on Monday and last for about two weeks. The vineyards covering the countryside around Reims are bursting with ripe grapes waiting to be harvested. Many people will be involved in the process of picking the grapes, a very hard, tedious, yet well-paid job. Please pray with us that we would be just as motivated to work in the spiritual harvest fields that God has placed around us.

This Sunday we will be resuming the Sango services at church. We will be meeting each week at 6 pm and are praying that the Lord will bring us into contact with those whom He would have us reach. Jonathan has spent a lot of time this week working on preparations for this ministry this fall. We met together with one of the fellow Central Africans who is helping us lead this group and were able to work through some logistics in planning as well as brainstorm of various strategies to reach Central Africans in the Reims area. Jonathan has been preparing messages again and we are working on finding material to use for the children during the time of the message. September 18th, Charlie and Gai Jewell will be coming through France on their way from CAR to Pennsylvania. Charlie will be sharing in our Sango service on the 20th. We look forward to their visit and know they will be an encouragement to the Central Africans here. Please pray with us that the Lord would continue to use us for His glory as we minister to Central Africans in France.

Praise for:
- returning health for our family.
- various work that we have been able to accomplish this week.
- the progress made at the Pastors and deacon meeting which met this week to finalize official church documents for the church charter.

Pray for:
- a good number of Central Africans to come to the Sango service this Sunday.
- Charlie and Gai Jewell as they wrap things up in Bangui and travel, arriving in Reims on the 18th.
- the annual business meetings on September 20 and 27 as the church votes on the official church documents for the church charter.
- those responsible at our CAR Ippy Hospital and for God’s intervention in dealing with some major conflicts that have arisen.

Praise and Prayer for September 4, 2009

Sunday was a special day as we watched two women follow the Lord in believer’s baptism. Their salvation testimonies were clear and the joy of the Lord was evident to all, including several visitors, some who are searching for God. Pray for these women as they continue deepening their relationship with God and become more involved in the church. Sunday afternoon was the all-church picnic at a local park. The weather was beautiful and there was good fellowship among the forty plus who were able to be there.

This week we have been preparing for our next quarter in Sunday School: scheduling teachers, preparing lessons, making up new attendance charts and decorating the rooms. Jonathan has also been able to lay more groundwork on preparing for the English outreach we anticipate beginning this fall.

Good health has been something that has been a bit rare around our house this week. Jonathan fell sick with some bug earlier this week and Caleb in turn developed complications with his asthma due to the same virus. Though the doctor was concerned it may have turned into pneumonia in Caleb’s case, we are thankful that medication seems to be working and Caleb is doing much better. What a disappointment for him to have to miss his second day of school already because of being sick! Cherith is now taking her turn with the bug and we are praying Adrianna stays healthy and manages to avoid this all together.

Praise for:
- the two women who were baptized this past Sunday and the well attended church picnic.
- work that we have been able to accomplish this week despite our illnesses.
- the positive start Adrianna and Caleb had on Thursday: their first day of school for the year.

Pray for:
- continued health and strength for our family.
- time and strength to get some office work (correspondence, receipts entered, expense reports) done this week.
- our coworker, Elva Farrell, who has returned to Michigan for a month to help her Father as he recovers from surgery.
- the Pastors and deacon meeting that will be held this Monday evening.

Praise and Prayer for August 28, 2009

If you had stopped by our apartment this week, you would have found it in disarray! We have been involved in a long overdo changing of the wallpaper in the children’s room. After putting off changing it these past two years, and watching it deteriorate further, we finally determined that before our new baby comes and fall schedules start up, now was the time to change it. This would give us nearly two years to enjoy the new before we leave the apartment in summer ’11. It’s a good thing we didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into before we started or we probably would have put it off even longer. With our trusty home improvement manual at our side, we are nearly finished wading through the sometimes tedious steps to finish the project.


Cherith is feeling some better with the low blood pressure medication. She tires quickly and is trying to adjust to her limitations. We’re thankful for better health this week for Adrianna, though some of the symptoms are still present and she is tired. Jonathan’s Mom had her heart catheterization and is still waiting for adjustment to her medications. The doctors need wisdom to treat her pulmonary hypertension in a way that doesn’t cause harmful interference with her congestive heart failure treatment.

Praise for:
- better health for Cherith and Adrianna.
- contact we’ve had with neighbors this week.
- Central Africans around France desiring to meet to worship the Lord using the Sango language.

Pray for:
- the two women who will be baptized this Sunday.
- the all-church picnic this Sunday.
- health for Cherith and Baby, Adrianna and for Jonathan’s Mom.
- guidance as we make plans for an English outreach.

Praise and Prayer for August 21, 2009

We are so thankful for your prayers and for the Lord’s answers to prayer this week. An incident that occurred on our trip to the States in July almost left us stranded in Dusseldorf, Germany. The Lord intervened and we were thankfully allowed to board our flight to Newark, NJ just in time. This incident, however, caused us to ask relevant questions regarding our kids’ documentation for their French residency when we were in the office last week to pick up our own renewed papers. We were given new information this time, and a list of documents needed for the kids to receive their own papers. So Monday, we deposited the documents and fees applying for these papers for the kids and are now waiting for another summons. We’re thankful for the Lord’s intervention on our trip, and that now we are on the way to getting proper papers for the kids.

We took our turn teaching Sunday school this past Sunday, with eight in our combined class and five primaries in Elva’s class. One project this week was going through and inventorying Sunday school material for the next order. We’re thankful for each one that is helping with teaching and are looking to add a couple more volunteers to the teams this fall. We need wisdom and guidance as we seek to slowly turn over responsibilities for the Sunday school program. We’re also preparing to begin Sango services again, this time with weekly meetings. We received an email telling us of other Central Africans in others large cities in France that have heard of our Sango service and are interested in starting up a Sango service themselves. They were asking how they can get Bibles and hymnals in Sango. We would like to get extras of these on hand to meet those needs as well as our own!

Cherith had her 3rd trimester ultrasound Wednesday and we were so thankful for a good report for the Baby and to be able to schedule the birth (by C-section) for October 12. Cherith was given a medication for hypotension (low blood pressure) which we pray will cure some of the dizziness she is experiencing. We had 8 of Adrianna’s friends from school over yesterday to celebrate Adrianna’s Birthday and had good contact with the parents that stopped to visit. Adrianna came down with something, and passed the night with a fever, diarrhea and vomiting. Jonathan’s Mom had her last laser surgery on her leg on Wednesday and did well. She is now scheduled for a heart catheterization next Tuesday as the doctors seek to balance her treatment for pulmonary hypertension with the medication she is taking for her congestive heart failure. We are thankful for the good care she is getting, and for the opportunity to communicate with her by telephone and Skype.

Praise for:
- advancement in getting the kids their own official residency papers.
- a good group of children in Sunday School and for those helping in this ministry.
- Central Africans around France desiring to meet to worship the Lord using the Sango language.
- good contacts with kids and parents for Adrianna’s Birthday party.

Pray for:
- guidance in turning over responsibilities for the Sunday School program.
- us to be able to get more Sango Bibles and Sango hymnals on hand.
- health for Cherith and Baby, Adrianna and for Jonathan’s Mom.
- guidance as we make plans for an English outreach.

Praise and Prayer for August 12, 2009

We arrived home to Reims last week, exhausted, and have been recovering from the worst case of jet lag we have ever experienced. We are SO thankful for the care and blessings that the Lord provided over this past month. Along with safety in flying, He also provided safety in driving well over 2000 miles during our four weeks spent in the States. We are very grateful to all who helped us in many ways, shared their homes with us and provided us with so many delicious meals. The Lord blessed us with precious times with Jonathan’s Mother as she continues to undergo treatment related to her congestive heart failure. Since we spent some time in PA as well as in IN and MI, we were able to connect with more than 120 members of our extended families and our children were able to enjoy some special times with cousins and second cousins, some of whom they had never met. We were able to report in our two home churches and see a number of our support team. Adrianna and Caleb who had finished memorizing Psalm 1 and Psalm 23 willingly quoted them many times, including for the two churches we spoke in. We learned yesterday that Caleb’s example has been an inspiration for memorizing Scripture to the Cambodian children Cherith’s parents are ministering to! Adrianna and Caleb enjoyed attending English Sunday school and Junior Church and reconnecting with their friends. While we were home we were able to pick up materials for our Sango outreach ministry, Scrapbooking outreach as well as an English outreach.

Cherith is slowly regaining strength after the busy month and tiring trip. We were so thankful for a good progress report on our coming Baby last Friday. Yesterday we received the encouraging notice that our residency permits are in and ready to be picked up. We appreciate your prayers as we take care of administrative and correspondence responsibilities that have fallen behind, as well as prepare for ministries beginning in September (Sango service, English outreach, church choir). We rejoice to discover the Sunday school program that we set up before we left has been well executed and that there have been teachers and children each week.

Praise for:
- the good participation at the Sunday School picnic in July before we left.
- the safety and blessings that God gave us as we travelled to and from the US and had such an encouraging time together with family and friends.
- the renewal of our residency permits.

Pray for:
- Jonathan’s Mom as she undergoes Endovenous Laser Therapy on three veins in her legs this month to help her legs heal and alleviate heart stress.
- guidance and wisdom as we catch up and prepare for Fall ministries.
- the Lord to fill our hearts with His grace, joy and comfort and to make us fruitful in our service for Him.

Praise and Prayer for July 3, 2009

Caleb is registered for pre-school, a parent teacher meeting has been attended, Adrianna was taken to Birthday parties for friends from school, invitations were given out for a party for Adrianna’s Birthday in August (late, for her friends here in France), special breads were baked and jam made for Adrianna’s teachers – all of these activities have come and gone with the end of the school year. Yesterday, Adrianna completed Grande Section Maternelle (Kindergarten) and is now on vacation and moving up to C.P. (First Grade) in the Fall. We were so pleased to hear all of her teachers express their joy to have had her this year and then relate things about her that could only make us beam. We are thankful for her witness and for the opportunities that we have had to be a witness as well because of her.

The Lord blessed in the services and Sunday school program on Sunday. It was amazing to see the way that He answered prayer for our final Sango service for the season. Not only did the Lord bring out every regular attendee but one (who was home sick), He also brought several who had visited in the past as well as five new people! There were 30 of us pressed into the small meeting room where we’ve been meeting. Included in the number were 10 children, reinforcing the need that has arisen for a Sunday school program for the children at the Sango service. The temperature was very hot that day (and every day this week) but the Lord helped the heat not to cause folks to fall asleep or leave early. After a good service, we enjoyed a time of fellowship and refreshments.

Praise for:
- the finish of a good school year for Adrianna and for all of the opportunities for outreach that the Lord gave through her.
- excellent attendance at the Sango service and for the excitement to start up again in the Fall.
- good progress in preparing for our departure for the USA on July 8.

Pray for:
- good attendance at the Sunday School picnic Sunday and that it will be an encouragement to all.
- our appointment Tuesday with the Sousprefecture’s office to renew our residency permits.
- our travels this month by car and plane and for the time we’ll have with family and with prayer and financial supporters; for Jonathan as he preaches in Grand Rapids on July 19.

Please be aware that we will not be travelling with our computer and that we will not have regular access to email or the Internet. We will, Lord willing, post our next update once we return to France in early August.

Praise and Prayer for June 26, 2009

On Sunday, there were two testimonies of ladies joining the church. The first was from Felicity who told of God’s faithfulness and grace to her over the years. Miriam, 17, gave her salvation testimony and shared how God has helped her to realize that with Him, she is truly “Never alone”. It was a joy to witness Miriam’s baptism. There were fifteen children present in our three SS classes. B., a Central African, was in church with his son on Father’s Day. After a tiring day, on Sunday night Cherith was hit pretty hard with a 24 hour stomach flu. By Tuesday morning, the nausea was gone and each day she has felt stronger.

We are in the process of gathering documents for our residency permit renewal. Adrianna finishes preschool next week and Caleb is now registered to begin it in September. On Wednesday, the Lord made it possible for us to spend several hours with one of Adrianna’s friends from school and her family. We took the kids (our two and their three, all 6 and under) to the U-pick gardens and picked strawberries, raspberries, zucchini, lettuce, etc., then stopped for ice cream at the new KFC on the way home. We thank the Lord for the bridges that He is building to this family and to others around us. We need wisdom to share the Good News with people in a culture that has thrown God out.

Praise for:
- the two ladies who joined the church Sunday and for the presentation of the Gospel through their testimonies.
- Cherith’s restored health after her bout with the flu.
- the time that Jonathan had with J. on Thursday for a piano lesson and encouragement, for deepening relationships with some of those around us.

Pray for:
- good attendance at the Sango service this Sunday and for decisions that need to be made.
- opportunities and wisdom in our witness to those around us.
- preparations for a SS picnic on July 5, and planning the SS program for the summer.
- our appointment for renewing our residency papers on July 7.
- the Lord’s continued provision for financial needs as the dollar declines and gas prices rise.

Praise and Prayer for June 19, 2009

Despite some bugs going around, we are thankful to the Lord for the good health that He has given our family at this time. Although some of our faithful choir members have been sick before and since Sunday, we had a very good turnout for the choir’s final ministry of the school year. It has been encouraging to see the way God blessed this group of people as they have learned to be more committed to this ministry. There were quite a few Central Africans in church Sunday morning, some for the first time, including several we had never met before. Our Sunday school classes were full, and the children were excited as we introduced the two new songs that Jessica Lunde prepared on song cards. Teachers need the Lord’s wisdom in dealing with behavioral problems that can disrupt good listeners.

There were 19 at the Sango service Sunday afternoon, the largest group we’ve had in months. For some it was their first time, though there were at least 7 absent. Six of those present were kids, so as I spoke to the adults, Cherith worked with the children. We are realizing more and more the need to begin a children’s ministry for these children attending our Sango services. With the potential growth we are seeing, it is not hard to imagine needing to move our meeting to the auditorium downstairs when we start up the Sango services next Fall. We have our final Sango service with evangelistic emphasis on June 28 before summer schedules and traveling begins. The Lord continues to impress on us the spiritual needs of Central Africans in France. We are experiencing some of the great but rare benefits that belong to Central Africans with different ethnic backgrounds (in comparison with most other African countries). As they unite in worship and Bible study, they are able to use one African dialect, the Sango language, which functions as the mother tongue for the majority of the people in CAR.

Praise for:
- the good attendance in SS and in the French and Sango services, with several Central Africans that have started attending.
- the fellowship and encouragement for the ladies that attended the Scrapbooking Outreach last Saturday.
- good progress with paper work.

Pray for:
- the ongoing contact that we are having with people through Adrianna’s school.
- visitors to the French and Sango service to return and for God’s Word and His Spirit to convict hearts.
- further opportunities to witness and be a light in this spiritually dark country.
- Shipment for the Sango hymnal as the containers going to CAR are all full.

Praise and Prayer for June 12, 2009

This week has been an especially busy, yet an encouraging week for us as we have had some good opportunities to witness for Christ. On Saturday afternoon, Cherith took the kids to a third year birthday party for a S.S. classmate of Caleb’s. The family is Central African, and on her arrival, Cherith happily discovered that all of the other guests were also Central African, most of whom she had never met. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet quite a few other Central Africans living in Reims, and to be able to share our desire to see them join us for our Sango service. They were surprised but happy to find Cherith was fluent in their language and she and our children were welcomed as part of the “family”. During her time there, however, the great spiritual needs and struggles of many of them became clearer. Alcoholism is one of the largest barriers to an intimate relationship with the Lord. Pray the Lord will give us wisdom as we share the Gospel and build further relationships with these Central Africans whom He is bringing across our path.

Adrianna’s school is having a special carnival this afternoon to raise money for the school. All year, the children look forward to this event, and each class prepares for the special program that is held, highlighting each class at the end of the carnival. The interaction that we are able to have with the parents and teachers is invaluable, as it is one of the only times in the year that we have this much time to interact together. This coming week Adrianna has been invited to a birthday party of a girlfriend from school. Pray that this further contact with parents and children from school will strengthen current relationships and allow us to build new ones, and that the Lord will bring some of these people to Himself.

Praise for:
- continued healing for Jonathan’s wrist.
- the many who came for the Church Banquet last Saturday evening including two unsaved visitors, and for the Gospel that was clearly presented.
- our S.S. children who sang for Mother’s Day in France, on Sunday.
- opportunities Jonathan has had to witness to his physical therapist.

Pray for:
- the church choir as they sing one last time tomorrow before summer break.
- the Scrapbooking outreach scheduled for tomorrow, June 13th.
- further opportunities to witness and be a light in this spiritually dark country.
- Shipment for the Sango hymnal as the containers going to CAR are all full.

Praise and Prayer for June 5, 2009

It has been great to have Jessica Lunde here in Reims for these two weeks as she has helped out in a variety of ministries. Along with creating several song flashcards for our work with the children at church, she has also filed Institute choir music, helped Cherith and one of our church ladies prepare a typical English meal (Jessica was raised in England), attended gatherings for several of the groups in our church, helped the Farrells with several projects, and even spent an afternoon with one of the families in our church. Pray for her this Sunday as she teaches the Bible story in Adrianna’s Sunday school class (4 to 6 year olds). These ministries and many people have been touched by Jessica’s presence and willing spirit to serve the Lord in France this summer. She even willingly watched our children one evening so that we could go out on a special date for our 8th wedding anniversary. Our prayer is that the Lord will continue to use the time and effort that Jessica has given here for His eternal glory and that He will continue to prepare her for her future ministry. Pray that the Lord will lead others do the same, to come and help here and around the world through summer ministry programs, short or long term missions.

The Lord blessed last Sunday’s ministries, and gave the extra strength needed for the trip to Algrange in the afternoon for the Bible Institute graduation program. It was a blessing that Jonathan left arm was cast-free as he lead the worship service at our church here in the morning and the Institute choir and ensemble as they sang for the graduation. Cherith did all of the driving, then played piano for the graduation ceremony and special numbers, including the prelude and offertory. This Saturday night the men of the church are putting on a special banquet in honor of the ladies. Sunday is Mother’s day in France. We look forward to the special ministry of Roger and Jean Reisacher at the banquet and on Sunday morning.

Praise for:
- continued healing for Jonathan’s wrist.
- the graduation ceremony Sunday, and the testimonies of the four graduates.
- Jessica Lunde’s visit and all of her help.
- the progress on the church official documents made at the Church Council meeting on Thursday.

Pray for:
- the Church Banquet Saturday night.
- the Scrapbooking outreach scheduled for June 13th.
- Shipment for the Sango hymnal as the containers going to CAR are all full.
- Jonathan’s Mom’s health, as she is experiencing complications with her congestive heart failure and tires very quickly.

Praise and Prayer for May 29, 2009

This Wednesday we drove the 260-mile round trip to Algrange for our final day of classes and lessons for the year. This Sunday afternoon we will go back one last time for the graduation ceremony. The Institute choir will be singing three songs, and Cherith will be accompanying the congregational singing. Four students will be graduating after completing the requirements of the three-year Bible program. Pray for these graduates as they begin a new chapter in their lives, and use what they have learned in either full-time service, or in their local churches. Although it is a small school, the Bible Institute in Algrange has students from many places, including countries in Africa and the French West Indies. Praise God for the ministries we have here in France which will impact and influence ministries around the world.

Jessica Lunde, a senior from Faith Baptist Bible College participating in the FOF (Focus on France) program, arrived on Monday to help our co-workers, the Farrells, and us for two weeks. We have been thrilled to have the extra help and encouragement she brings. Today she is working on creating S.S. song flashcards for us to use. She is attending the small group studies that are held in homes or at the church throughout the week, and she is also helping with many other projects. If you or someone you know would be interested in spending a few weeks in France helping out, we would love to hear from you!

Praise for:
- healing for Jonathan’s wrist. The cast was removed this Thursday!
- good classes and interaction with students on Wednesday at the Institute.
- the four graduates who have completed their studies at the Institute.
- interaction from volunteers willing to help with S.S. ministries.

Pray for:
- the graduation ceremony on Sunday at the Bible Institute.
- the graduates who will be moving on to the next chapter in their lives.
- new recruits for the coming school year at the Bible Institute.
- Jessica Lunde, as she visits and helps in the work here in Reims this next week.
- continued healing of Jonathan’s wrist. It is stiff and somewhat painful.

Praise and Prayer for May 22, 2009

The Lord blessed the Sunday services. There were a good number of children in Sunday school, though a few regulars were out. Church attendance was also pretty good, with a few visitors. We had choir practice with those that stayed for it. We’d made contact with every family in our Sango group last week regarding Sunday’s Sango service. There were 14 that came, including J.F. who we had met once before while we were visiting one of the families. This was his first time to attend, and it was obvious that he struggles with alcohol addiction. Another who has come quite often and also struggles with alcohol was also there, and very with it. How desperately many of them need God’s hand in their lives. We covet your prayers for grace and wisdom.

Pray especially for Jonathan’s Mom (Betty Teachout) back home in PA. She has had further health complications and continues to undergo testing. This week she had an ultrasound to check out a possible growth in her stomach. We have decided to make a trip to the States in July to spend some time with her. The Lord has provided us with tickets for an excellent price and funds to cover them through Jonathan’s Aunt Ellie’s legacy.

Praise for:
- healing for Jonathan’s wrist. The cast is due to come off this Thursday.
- good services on Sunday.
- the visit of Adrianna and Caleb’s cousin Lea this weekend.
- God’s provision for us to make a trip to the States this summer to visit family.

Pray for:
- our final classes at Algrange Wednesday and for graduation Sunday.
- the renewal of our French residency cards.
- Jessica Lundy, FOFer, as she visits and helps in the work here in Reims this next week.

Praise and Prayer for May 15, 2009

God continues to accomplish His purposes, due in part to the faithfulness and prayer support of His people. Thank YOU for having an important part in our lives and ministry! We have experienced God’s help this week as we faced each of our regular responsibilities with my (Jonathan’s) left arm still in a cast. While the pain is now mostly gone and I’ve learned to do many things one-handed (though more slowly, for sure!), there is much more for Cherith to do. She now does ALL of our driving, including our roundtrip to Algrange. To each added task, she gives attention with love and care and God is giving her strength for the extra load. God has truly blessed our children with a wonderful Mother, for whom we are very grateful. Also, this week we honor our own Mothers who have loved us, sacrificed for us and shown us what a life consecrated to God and their family looks like. Thank God for Mothers!

There were 15 kids present for Sunday school on Sunday, five in each class! We are encouraged by the kids’ good attention and some have asked some very good questions. We were missing some of our students at the Institute this week, though God gave us profitable classes. Only two more weeks before the choir sings for the Graduation ceremony. Last evening, I was picked up and taken to the Council meeting at church. This Sunday we will have our Sango Service and share a segment of “The Hope”.

Praise for:
- the healing to Jonathan’s wrist, the decrease in swelling, and for the strength He is giving to Cherith.
- good progress made with projects and reports.
- steps forward in finding shipment for the Sango Hymnal
- Mothers!

Pray for:
- a good end to the school year at the Institute, for the ensembles as they prepare for graduation.
- the renewal of our French residency cards.
- God’s working in hearts through the Sango service and the Sunday School.
- the Ladies’ Scrapbooking Outreach this Saturday, May 16th.

Praise and Prayer for May 8, 2009

This week has been very interesting, to say the least. On Friday afternoon, Jonathan fell on his wrist, resulting in a visit to the emergency room and a cast for at least four weeks. It never occurred to us how very much we use two hands to function throughout the day! God’s grace is evident in that it was the left wrist (Jonathan’s right handed) and it was after our busy two weeks of conference preparation, conference and hosting of our pastor and his wife. Jonathan did still manage to teach his Sunday School class and preach on Sunday, then direct choir and teach his theory and piano classes on Wednesday.

Please continue to pray for the Reims Baptist Church. There are some spiritual battles being fought but we know God can overrule. The need for a larger building is still crucial. Pray for wisdom as we encourage the church to call their first French pastor this coming January.

Praise for:
- the healing God is giving to Jonathan’s broken wrist.
- the profitable ministry God has given to Emmanuel and Sylvie Fischer during their Pastoral internship here in the Reims Baptist Church.
- the good attendance in S.S., despite the holiday weekend.
- the opportunities to point others to Christ as a result of Jonathan’s wrist.

Pray for:
- wisdom in prioritizing as we finish some projects and reports.
- complete healing in Jonathan’s wrist and for the swelling to diminish.
- strength and energy needed and learning to sleep well with a cast.
- the shipping of the Sango hymnal to CAR.
- the Ladies’ Scrapbooking Outreach on May 16th.

Praise and Prayer for May 1, 2009

We didn’t get an update posted last week with everything going on. Thank you for praying, nonetheless! God richly blessed the Youngs’ visit and ministry in our midst here in Reims and then at our Team France conference in St. Albain. There was good attendance at both the French and Sango services on April 19. Pastor Young’s messages were well-received and he and Rose had some good opportunities to visit with people before and after the services. We had a good number of children in SS as well.

The Lord strengthened Elva Farrell so that their family was able to make the trip to the conference. The theme of the conference was God’s faithfulness, and throughout the conference we heard testimonies of several of the missionaries, some retired, who served in France during some of the earlier years. We all enjoyed good messages and good music. Pastor and Rose also shared in music ministry at each of the services, and spent some special times with the teens at the conference. The Lord blessed them with health and strength, and even helped them to quickly get over jetlag. On Friday after the conference, we showed them some of the historical sites around Reims, some dating to the Roman era. They helped us and some friends celebrate Caleb’s third Birthday on Saturday, the 25th.

Praise for:
- good attendance in the Sunday services and in Sunday school
- God’s blessings of the Youngs’ ministry in Reims, at our conference, and for safety in all of the traveling.
- the spiritual refreshment and good fellowship that we had at conference.

Pray for:
- Jonathan as he broke his left wrist today and will be in a cast for at least four weeks.
- wisdom in prioritizing as we finish some projects and reports.
- the Institute students as we present some songs at a conference on May 8.
- comfort for D., a Central African whose sister died last week in Bangui.
- the shipping of the Sango hymnal to CAR – so far there is no shipping container space available!

Praise and Prayer for April 17, 2009

The Easter morning brunch at church was well attended. There were 112 people counted including a number of visitors. It was uncomfortably crowded in our small meeting room, reminding us of the urgency in finding a new building in which to meet. A number of groups presented either a song or a skit during the morning, and we had the children from S.S. sing a couple songs that they have been working on. A young Chinese man, who was recently saved, gave a clear salvation testimony and was baptized. It was encouraging to see many Central Africans among those visiting. Pray that those who were unsaved might reflect on what they saw and heard Sunday morning relating to Christ’s death and resurrection, and that those who do not normally attend church would want to come back, despite the lack of space.

Tomorrow, Jonathan will be meeting Pastor and Mrs. Ken Young at the airport in Paris. Sunday will be a full day, as Pastor will be preaching with the help of a translator in both the French and Sango services. Monday morning we will make the five-hour drive down to St. Albain where our team conference will be held and the Youngs will be ministering to both the adults and the teens. Thursday morning the conference finishes up and we will return to Reims. Thank you for your prayers concerning the conference as well as safe travel to the airport and to the conference.

Praise for:
- the Easter breakfast on Sunday and for the visitors who came.
- the salvation, baptism and testimony of the young Chinese man.
- Elva Farrell’s recovery as she is home and doing well.

Pray for:
- Sunday’s ministries and good attendance in each of the services.
- the Field Conference and for the Youngs’ ministry among us.
- safety as we will be travelling nearly 1,000 miles this week.
- good health for each of us, as we struggle with coughs and sinus infections.
- the shipping of the Sango hymnal to CAR – so far there is no shipping container space available!