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.