Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 136:1) How thankful we are for God’s goodness to us, for His blessings and answers to prayer. Thank you for your prayers for us over these busy summer months. We have been blessed by all of the special visitors He has sent us this summer while our teammates are away. They have been a help to us and a blessing to our church through ministry and fellowship. God has also seen us through some of the hottest days we have ever faced, including our years in the heart of Africa! As the ground and parched grass are refreshed by the long awaited rain showers, so our hearts are refreshed by God’s Word and the fellowship with His people.
Besides the visitors we have had from the USA, we recently enjoyed a two-week visit from the R family from Paris who chose to spend their vacation in Saint-Médard.
This family continues to grow in size as God blessed them with a new baby the end of June. But even more encouraging is the spiritual growth that we see, particularly in both parents’ lives evidenced by their love for the Lord and His Words and their desire to serve Him. Knowing how much the ministry weighed on me (Jonathan), he had offered several months ago to help out by leading the worship service for one of the Sundays that they were here. He had begun to share in this ministry in their church in Paris over the past year and was eager to serve. Seeing God use him in this way was a great blessing to us and to our people. Before the R family returned to Paris, they invited the church family to their home (the Christys’) for a fellowship dinner.
Praise for
- the R family’s recent visit and for what God has done in the parents’ lives. Praise for the new baby’s safe arrival and for spiritual growth and a desire to serve God.
- the work God is doing in the lives of S’s two children who attended VBS in June, and for their recent church attendance.
- the good Bible studies Cherith had with S, for her spiritual growth and desire to follow the Lord in biblical baptism.
- God’s helping Jonathan in preparing and preaching this summer, as well as in his preparation for the two modules he’ll be teaching in the CAR in October.
- all the help and blessing we have received from the visitors God has sent us this month, including the Gadbois family, Vienna Benedict and Cherith’s sister Hannah and her children.
- the great progress and near completion of the mailbox campaign of our neighbouring town of LeHaillan with all of the help from our visitors this summer.
- a couple that visited our services recently in direct response to a flyer in their mailbox this summer as well as for other visitors. Attendance has been above 20 for all but 2 Sundays!
Pray for
- God to continue to bless the R family as they seek to help their children understand His love and their need to yield to Him.
- God’s help as we study and teach and preach each week, and that we would be effective instruments in His hands.
- God’s direction for P, and that if it is His will, He would provide him with permanent work here in Saint-Médard after his internship is finished and that he will be able to continue to grow and serve the Lord here.
- Cherith and all three of our kids as they begin the new school year (homeschooling) on Monday, as this is Josiah’s first year and our first year to have three at home.
- preparations and provision for Jonathan and Caleb’s trip to CAR in October for a two week module at the FIBAT seminary in Bangui.
