Praise and Prayer for April 4, 2011

We had the privilege Sunday afternoon (our time) to take part via Skype in the missions conference of a supporting church that has been a part of my family’s ministry since my Dad did an internship there after seminary. It was such an encouragement to see the church family waving and know that we are being prayed for.

The Lord blessed the week of having the Institute students and director with us. They returned to Algrange Friday evening after a full week. We had the director with us (“Tonton” Visser, as the kids call him) and enjoyed the fellowship and insights that he shared with us. The kids enjoyed the time they had with him too, including the walk to school each morning. We thank the Lord for the example of each member of the team, for their testimonies, and for the encouragement that they were to our church. Among the various projects that they got involved in, they made contact with a number of people downtown Reims on Thursday afternoon. A few people indicated that they were interested in receiving a Bible and knowing more about the Lord. We pray they will respond to the invitation to come to church to learn more.

The group had their supper meal with us two of the evenings, Monday and Thursday. We also had meal guests Friday and Saturday evenings, and an overnight guest Saturday night.

So after the blessing and bustle of a week with company every day, life is returning to a little bit slower pace this week. There were some visitors in church Sunday morning, including a foreign student, first-time visitor. He was interested in our English Encounter and a Bible study in English, a language he is more comfortable with then French. In our Sango service Sunday evening, we were 18, including one new person.

On Saturday, we learned that my Mom (Betty Teachout) is experiencing some trouble with her kidneys. Already being treated for congestive heart failure and pulmonary hypertension, her kidneys have been weakened and unless they start functioning well again, she may need to be hospitalized as they try to stabilize her and determine what treatment she would need. We pray that dialysis will not be necessary. We are thankful for the phone contact we are able to have with Mother, and for the knowledge that God is in control. However, being over 4000 miles away (as the crow flies) is not easy.

Praise for:

- the many blessings this week with the Institute students and the director here.

- good attendance this week for prayer meeting Tuesday evening, for Sunday morning and for the Sango service Sunday evening.

- the special ladies meeting held Thursday night with 15 present, led by two of the students from the Institute.

- the contacts that were made in the various outreaches , for those who heard the Good News of salvation through Christ for the first time.

- God’s enablement and blessing through the week with all of the entertaining.

- the encouraging visit with a supporting church over Skype Sunday.

Pray for:

- S and her family after the loss of their baby.

- responses to the outreaches last week, that God would work in hearts.

- the EE on Thursday evening, for good attendance, as well as for guidance and blessing for us as we lead.

- another Sango service this coming Sunday.

- preparations for the Easter service.

- Jonathan’s mother, that her kidneys would begin to function well again.

- plans for our team conference April 18 to 21, and for our conference speaker, Pastor and Mrs. Roger Rosenau (from our sending church), as they prepare for their trip and ministry.