Update November 29, 2023

October and November have scurried by with many opportunities to serve the Lord, and while much sickness has gone around, the Lord has protected our family from being hit too hard. I am grateful for God’s provision of strength while I continue to recover from a painful sinus infection. My state Sunday reminded us of how desperately we need to keep praying that God will send laborers to partner with us in this ministry.  The disparity in the number of workers involved in the English and French ministries was underscored as both of us pastors were not well.  There were English speaking Sunday school teachers, worship leaders and substitute preachers available for both English services, but not a single replacement available for the French Bible study and worship service. In His omniscience, the Lord had guided in our French program so that D., the retired professor in our group, was scheduled to preach in the afternoon French service.  He had been out with illness the past two Sundays, but had recovered by Sunday and was able to preach, leaving me with the Bible study and leading worship. We were thrilled to see a first time visitor, a Parisian woman who is agnostic that has lived in NB for many years. We were also encouraged to have 19 present, the largest attendance since we began services in September.

Praise for

• the faithful attendance of some in our 3 p.m. French service and 9:45 a.m. Bible study and for a few first-time visitors. 
• the opportunity to speak on missions three times at the youth retreat that our church hosted November 3-4 to a group of 70+ youth from around the Maritimes.

• the Lord’s provision of health and strength to minister despite all the sickness. 
• growth in the Ladies’ Bible study and for God’s work in hearts.
• great opportunities for Gospel outreach at the memorial service for Remembrance Day (November 11) and at the well-attended Christmas Parade Outreach with 1000+ tracts handed out.

• the safe travels and mutually encouraging fellowship with the R family visiting from France and for the opportunity they had to see and get involved in our ministry here. Mr. R shared their testimony of how God brought them to faith in Christ after years of searching and life with no meaning.

• The new Christian school with 68 students that is now functioning in our former home and place of ministry in Bambari, CAR.  Praise God for His provision of a special gift so we can help with the cost of building much-needed benches.

Pray for

• greater commitment and increased faithful attendance for certain individuals in our French Bible study and worship services.
• complete restoration for our health and strength, and for God’s enabling and help in the challenges we face daily. 
• God to send laborers to partner with us in this French ministry. 
• for guidance and blessing of all the special services, fellowship, and outreach opportunities during the Christmas season, including the Winter Music Recital and Christmas Cantata.  Pray for Cherith as she incorporates the hours of piano practice for the cantata into her busy schedule.
• the new Christian school in Bambari, CAR, and for the finances needed to complete doors and windows and add sufficient benches. 
• God to continue to move our paperwork along for Canadian residency without long delays and without much greater cost.

Update October 4, 2023

We are grateful for your prayers and for the Lord’s help through the month of September.  At the beginning of the month, we sensed resistance from the enemy as we were given tough news on various fronts, one after another early in the month.  But we have found God’s grace sufficient as He strengthens and helps us move forward in our weakness. 

The afternoon services in French began September 10 and at the same time we began a discipleship Bible study in the 9:45 hour when we had been having our service previously.  We have been encouraged by the response to both initiatives and by a slight numerical increase each week at both meetings. The work load and the need is great so please continue to pray the Lord of the Harvest to send forth laborers into this harvest field in French New Brunswick.  We are thankful for God’s clear direction for our family to serve Him here and for the full support of our sending church and mission board. 

Last evening, Cherith hosted the first French Bible study for the ladies in our group.  Five women, from four different countries, came out for it.  The need for it is significant and Cherith is glad for the opportunity to invest in the lives of these women hungry for both Christian fellowship and biblical instruction.  

Praise for

• God’s blessing of the new 3:00 p.m. French service as well as the 9:45 Bible study time.  Praise for the good participation, the positive response and the gradual growth each week. Praise for a new couple from Madagascar and a man recently arrived from Haiti that have been attending.
• God’s direction in M’s life regarding future ministry in Quebec.  Praise too for God’s clear leading in our lives to bring us to NB to pioneer in this ministry, and for the support of our sending church and mission board.
• Opportunities to share the Gospel through door to door outreach and Saturday market outreach.
• The students God has brought to EBBI this year, including Caleb who is taking several dual credit classes and our nephew Gage who is staying with us this semester. 

• A good start to the Home school co-op and for the growth in the younger group (more than double last year!).
• The starting up of the French Bible study for the ladies, and for God’s help for Cherith.

Pray for

• God to send laborers to help us to reach the French speaking people of New Brunswick.
• Opportunities to share the Gospel with our French speaking neighbors, and for God to use the various outreach efforts. 

• Our family as we navigate ministry through this challenging period, with God’s help.
• The Home school co-op French classes as we work to help the kids learn the language of many of their neighbors. Pray too for Cherith as she teaches 5 piano students this year and as she leads the French Bible study for the ladies in our group.
• our friends, the R family, as they visit us from France for two weeks at the end of this month.  Pray that we will be a blessing to their family and that God will bless their time with us as well as their contact with Espérance Vivante.
• God to move our paperwork along for Canadian residency without long delays and without much greater cost.

Update September 1, 2023

The Lord brought us safely back to Moncton, NB on August 8 nearly 11,000 miles after leaving on June 1.  We are thankful for the new two year visitor records we were given at the border as we continue to pursue longer term residency. 

God had helped M as he ministered to the French group in our absence, and in his involvement in the English ministries as well.  We are grateful for progress over the summer, including a new couple from Madagascar who began attending a few weeks ago.  M has returned to Québec continuing to seek God’s direction regarding future ministry.  Door to door outreach and Saturday outreach at the downtown market have given some great contacts for the Gospel throughout the summer.  We are continually reminded of the serious spiritual need in this area among French speakers who make up 40% of the population of Moncton.  Our hearts cry out “Where are the laborers?!”

As we diminish our involvement in English ministries and focus more of our time and energy on French ministry, we are gearing up to move our French service on Sunday mornings to Sunday afternoon at 3:00 starting September 10 while continuing a French Bible study during the Sunday school hour.  This coincides with entering our third year of regular French outreach and ministry at Emmanuel Baptist Church and we praise the Lord for what He has done so far.  The Lord has raised up others to take over some of our English ministries but there are some areas where workers are still needed.  

Praise for

• God’s protection and blessings throughout all our travels and visits this summer and for His opening the doors for us at the border. 
• God’s help for M as he ministered in our absence and for the addition of the new couple attending Espérance Vivante. Praise for God’s blessings over two years of regular French ministry.
• Opportunities to share the Gospel through door to door outreach and Saturday market outreach.
• Those who God has raised up to take on some of our English ministries.
• The arrival of our nephew Gage Sherd to spend a semester with us and attend classes at the Bible Institute (EBBI), and for the other new students and the returning students that began the new semester this week.

Pray for

• God’s direction for M regarding future ministry and for God to send laborers to work among the French speaking people of New Brunswick.
• Opportunities to share the Gospel with our French speaking neighbors, and for God to use the various outreach efforts. 
• The French ministry, Espérance Vivante, as we enter our third year.  Pray for the new Sunday afternoon services beginning September 10.
• EBBI as it kicks off a new school year, and for the new and returning students. 
• Our nephew Gage as he takes classes and serves in various ways this semester.  
• The Lord’s help for our children with their schoolwork this year.  Adrianna, in her third year at BJU, is responsible for several girls in her discipleship group and has a full load of classes along with helping lead several student organizations. Caleb is now a senior and is taking several dual credit classes at EBBI.  Josiah is now a freshman in high school.
• God to move our paperwork along for Canadian residency without long delays and without much greater cost.

Update August 5, 2023

This morning we began the 1650 mile trip to return to Moncton, NB after the completion of the Baptist Mid-Missions North America team conference in Carlinville, IL.  God has blessed us and protected our family over all of the miles traveled over the past nine weeks as we have attended seminars and conferences, visited with many of the individuals that partner with us and given ministry updates in several of our partnering churches. We are also grateful for some precious time with our daughter, Adrianna, as well as with family members on both the Teachout and Broeckert sides. 

Even though our schedule has been exhausting, we have been refreshed and blessed by each visit.  We praise the Lord for giving us partnering churches and individuals that have ministered to our family and who give sacrificially and faithfully to make it possible for us to serve the Lord where He sends us. And while we’ve been able to see so many this summer, we realize there are many others that we have not been able to see on this trip.

It was a particular blessing to have quality time to fellowship and connect with our two home churches, including the privilege of helping with special community evangelistic outreaches in both of them.

Our summer travels were planned around three conferences this summer, beginning with BMM’s School of Chuch Planting (SCP) in Grimes, IA June 5-7.  The SCP was extremely beneficial to us as we were given tools and instruction that we can use in Moncton as we seek to build the French ministry.  We came away with a clearer understanding of our need for help in reaching the French population of New Brunswick. Please pray that God will bring others alongside us  to help with this work.  

The second conference was BMM’s Family conference in Elyria, OH July 17-20 where we enjoyed fellowship with the worldwide BMM family from around the world, including former teammates of ours from CAR and France. 

Adrianna was able to have the week off from work in Greenville, SC and drove up to join us at the conference in Elyria.  

The final conference was with the BMM North America team this past week which was attended by several teams serving in North America, including the CP&D (Church Planting and Development) team which we are part of.  The time in the Word, times of sharing and prayer and the fellowship with others sharing similar burdens and ministries around the continent was a blessing to us. Our boys enjoyed connecting with the other missionary kids (mks) as they took part in the very special program planned for them.  We are thankful for each one of these servants and for God’s grace and help with the various challenges each one is facing. 

Now as the miles between us and Moncton diminish we look forward to getting back to our home and ministry. Lord willing, we will have two more visits on our way home before crossing the Canadian border on Tuesday, August 8.  

Praise for

• God’s blessing and protection for all of our travels, visits and meetings in the US this summer and for all the opportunities for service God has given us this summer.
• God’s help and blessing of M in the French ministry in Moncton in our place this summer, as well as in his internship with Emmanuel Baptist church. Praise for many opportunities that God has given for preaching and for sharing the Gospel, and for several visitors that have come to the French group Esperance Vivante. 
• God’s help for B in his internship in Saint John, NB in both a local church and summer camp ministries, and for all the decisions that were made during camp season.
• Adrianna’s completion of her summer internship in Greenville and for the opportunities she has had to serve with the youth ministries of her church this summer.  Praise for God’s provision of a job off-campus for this school year.

Pray for

• that God will burden more hearts for reaching lost souls in French New Brunswick, and that the Lord of the harvest will send more laborers into His harvest field in French Canada. Pray that God will help us to connect with others that could join our team.
• God’s direction to be clear to M regarding future ministry, and if God wants him in New Brunswick that He would make it clear to M.
• God’s help for us as we return to our ministry in Moncton, for guidance as we seek to focus more of our time and energy on our French ministry and pull back from some of our English ministry involvement.
• Adrianna as she helps with the welcoming and orientation of the new international students at Bob Jones University and begins her junior year.
• God to bring new students to EBBI to study His Word and to prepare for ministry. 
• God will open the door for us to get back into Canada without trouble and that He will move our paperwork along for Canadian residency without long delays and without much greater cost.

Update May 30, 2023

We praise the Lord for blessing the music recital Friday evening, May 29. The Lord helped the participants to do well and we were encouraged to have several of the church family join us for the evening.

One of the senior couples in our church were moving on Saturday morning, May 20, at the same time as the first Saturday street evangelism at the Moncton market this summer. Our family split up with Cherith and Caleb helping with the move while Josiah and I joined the team at the market.  Seeing uniformed military on street corners, we soon learned that Princess Anne was in town to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Canada’s oldest military regiment, which is based in New Brunswick.  The planned open air evangelism changed to an opportunity for handing out tracts.  We followed the crowd to City Hall where we were able to pass out a few hundred tracts to those attending the ceremony. It would be wonderful if some of those who came to see the sister of an earthly king accepted the Words of Life and became sons and daughters of the King of Kings! 

The EBBI team (with Caleb) traveled to Sourris, Prince Edward Island Saturday evening and presented the school in the church there in the morning service.  In the afternoon, they traveled to a church in Summerside, PEI where they were also joined by members of a church in Charlottetown. So God made it possible for them to actually share with three local churches that Sunday.

M arrived from Quebec last Wednesday, here for the summer to take the responsibility of our French ministry in our absence.  He is staying with us and will continue to live in our home while we are gone to the US.  We are furiously preparing to leave Thursday, June 1 for a full summer of visits, seminars, meetings and conferences. 

Cherith had her final Bible study with D last Tuesday, and the final Ladies’ Bible study was Thursday evening.  

Caleb and Josiah left for the Maritime Games at Forest Glen Bible Camp Thursday afternoon.  We followed them early Friday morning, arriving in time for the adjudicator meeting and orientation just before the first session of musical entries.  We took part adjudicating vocal and instrumental presentations by teens from several Maritime churches, with the goal of providing constructive and encouraging feedback to these young people to use their gifts and talents for Christ.  Our boys both had entries, Caleb (preaching and vocal solo) and Josiah (trumpet and Christian service). 

Caleb led the Bible quiz team from EBC (with two junior high girls and Josiah) as they prepared and they did a great job, especially for their first time quizzing against other experienced teams. Our group came in 3rd place out of 5 teams.  

It seemed strange yesterday as we had our French service and took part in the other services, to think it was our last Sunday at EBC until our return to Moncton in August.  We will miss our church family and ministries here where the Lord has enabled us to serve every Sunday since our arrival in July 2021. We look forward to seeing our family in GR and being with the church family in our home church in Grand Rapids, MI next Sunday.  Then begins a full summer of visits, meetings, conferences and seminars.  We appreciate prayer that God will give protection over the miles and that we will be used by Him to accomplish His purposes.  We are planning to attend BMM’s School of Church Planting June 5-7 in Grimes, IA in order to be better equipped for this ministry. One big prayer request is that God will call more laborers and send them into His harvest field in French Canada.  The francophone people of New Brunswick are in desperate need of hearing the Gospel with very little opportunity.  We need help and pray that God will lead others to join us in this work. 

Praise for

• 
  God bringing M safely back from Quebec to begin a summer internship here at Emmanuel which includes the French ministry. 
• a special opportunity for sharing tracts with the crowd gathered to see Princess Anne. 
• God’s blessing and protection of the EBBI ministry team (which included Caleb) as they ministered in three Maritime provinces this month.  Praise for good contacts in the churches.
• God’s blessing of the Spring Music Recital, for the opportunity to glorify God through music, for His help for each of the participants, and for their growth musically this past year.
• a the spiritual growth in D’s life through her Bible studies with Cherith this year, and for a good finish to the Ladies’ Bible study. Praise for the positive feedback Cherith has had from a number of the ladies.
• all of the preparation the youth put into preparing entries for the Maritime Games, for the opportunity we had to interact and encourage participants toward excellence in the use of their God-given talents for His glory.

Pray for

• M as he takes responsibility for the French ministry, and that God will help him with each of his responsibilities serving and helping the ministries of EBC. Pray too for B as he begins an internship in Saint John with a local church and summer camp ministries.  
• the hearts of those who have heard or received Gospel literature to be tender and responsive to the Holy Spirit. 
• God to direct in lives to bring new students to EBBI to study His Word and to prepare for ministry. Pray that God will send laborers to French Canada (NB and Quebec), and specifically that He will add to our team in this ministry.
• God to move our paperwork along for Canadian residency without long delays and without much greater cost.
• God’s protection as we travel this summer, that He will bless as we connect with so many people and that He will sharpen us and refresh us for the work He has for us here.

May 15

April seemed like a whirlwind around here.  We are thankful for God’s protection and for His provision of health and strength.  He is at work and we are grateful for the privilege of serving Him here in NB in this multi-cultural and multi-lingual setting. One thing that He is making very clear to us is the need for more workers, particularly in reaching the spiritual desert among French speaking people in NB.

French Easter Sunrise Service

God filled the church for the Good Friday service (English). We were joined by visitors plus people from two sister churches for a precious time of reflection on Christ’s suffering and the salvation He has provided for us. We had a French Easter Sunrise service for our French speakers while the others had a Sunrise service in English, followed by an Easter Brunch for all at 9 a.m. and an Easter service at 11 in which the choir sang two anthems.

The EBBI school year ended on April 28 with graduation.  My English Composition students were probably as happy as I was to finish the year with God’s help. My prayer is that they were able to improve their communication skills for their future ministries for God’s glory.  The student choir prepared for the musical ministry they had coming up, which includes graduation, Bible Conference, and summer ministry team.  Our son Caleb took a few dual-credit classes during the school year and participated in student choir, so he is part of the summer ministry team that is representing EBBI in churches in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island this month (May).  

M from Quebec defended his doctrinal statement before an examining council and did an excellent job articulating his faith and convictions despite English being his second language.  With his humility and teachability combined with his love for the Lord and a hard work ethic, we are eager to see what God will do with this life. 

He graduated from the four-year program so is seeking God’s direction for future ministry. This summer, he will be filling in for us here in our French ministry while also doing an internship with the English ministries and using his carpentry/building skills to help the church. 

April ended with the annual Spring Bible Conference and the 65th Anniversary celebration of Emmanuel Baptist Church. 

Having Pastor and Mrs. Roger Rosenau here from our sending church (Springville Baptist Church) was especially refreshing for us personally, as was having Pastor and Mrs. Friesen here from Regina, SK.

Praise for

• the finish of the EBBI school year (and my English class!), and for M’s graduation and testimony, and for celebrating 20 years since the beginning of the school. Praise for God’s helping the students on the summer ministry team to prepare for meetings this month in the Maritimes.

• a time of challenge and refreshment for Spring Bible Conference and for the 65th Anniversary of EBC. Praise for a visit from the Rosenaus!
• good contacts and opportunities to share the Gospel with both French and English speakers through door to door outreach. 
• Visitors that have come to our French service. S, a French Acadian, is looking to connect with to a French local church. D from Congo came to our English service for the first time yesterday — he needed the service translated into French and expressed interest in the French service. 

• a lovely Ladies/Mother-Daughter Event last Saturday with 35+ in attendance, including visitors.
• God’s provision of an excellent business internship for Adrianna that meets all of the requirements of her program. 
• a lead that God gave us through Pastor Rosenau that is helping us to move forward with our Canadian residency status.  Praise that we were able to connect with an immigration consultant (for a fee) for the help we need.

Pray for

• God to direct M regarding future ministry, and that God will use him greatly here this summer in our absence.
• good contacts and for hearts to be receptive to the Gospel through door to door outreach and through street evangelism this summer. 
• visitors, returning and new, to our French group Espérance Vivante, and that God will guide us and help us to reach the French population here. Pray that God will send laborers to French Canada (NB and Quebec).
• more church members to be motivated to reach the community around (both French and English).

• the EBBI ministry team (with Caleb) as they minister in churches around the Maritimes this month, that God will use their ministry to lead individuals to dedicate their lives to the Lord for His service and to enroll in EBBI for biblical instruction.

• the Spring Music recital on May 19 and for the Maritime Games youth competition where we will be helping with adjudicating on May 25-27 that seeks to encourage Maritime youth to serve the Lord with their God-given talents and abilities. Our church has a Bible quiz team that Caleb is leading, Caleb will be preaching, and Josiah did a kids program for a Christian Service project and will be playing the trumpet.
• the final ladies Bible study of the season on May 25.
• God’s help with moving our residency status forward without long delays and great cost.
• guidance as we prepare for our travels to the US this summer.
• Adrianna as she serves in her local church youth group ministry this summer.