Monday, October 11, 2021

Happy Thanksgiving in Canada!  We are thankful for God’s bountiful goodness to us each and every day and for the assurance that He is at work here and around the world.

On Friday evening, our city entered a 2-week period of a lockdown “circuit breaker” with limited social interactions outside the home, families restricted to themselves, and church activities limited to services only.  While many activities were cancelled, we were able to have our French service on Sunday before the English service at 11 a.m.  We wondered if anyone would come out and if they would want to continue but were pleased that there was a good group out and high interest in continuing.  The morning English services were well attended as well, though some were out due to health concerns and risk.  On Sunday evening, we had a special Thanksgiving praise service with music and testimonies.  Instead of singing favorites, there were more special music numbers and many shared testimonies of God’s blessings and faithfulness this past year.  We sang and played as part of several special numbers, including a father and son duet with Caleb.  

As many family gatherings for Thanksgiving were cancelled due to the “circuit breaker”, our family was invited for an early Thanksgiving dinner with the family of the pastor of a sister church here.  We enjoyed getting to know them better, especially since there is a US connection.  It was especially nice for our boys.

It is encouraging to see the students making progress in the piano and vocal lessons.  One student told said he was so excited about learning the piano because after trying to learn several other instruments in the past, he is actually seeing progress!  We are happy to see the motivation they have, especially for using music in ministry for God’s glory, which makes teaching a real joy for both of us.

This past week we had word from a dear pastor brother in Bambari, CAR who told us of a vicious rebel attack on a loaded truck not far from Bambari.  Passengers were killed and the truck burned.  

The population of Bambari has been forced to hunker down, not knowing when and where the rebels will strike next.  Physically, this makes life even more difficult as most people’s livelihoods are connected with their garden fields outside of Bambari, which they are unable to get to at this time. Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ, and for peace and security to return so God’s work can continue to go forward. 

Center 1 Baptist Church, Bambari

Michael and Sarah

We appreciate your continued prayer for our loved ones.  My cousin Michael has had a difficult week and remains in very critical condition needing a miracle. Yesterday, the Lord chose to heal Mrs. Verna Friesen by calling her Home to Glory.  Her husband (Tim) remains hospitalized in fairly critical condition though he has made a little progress. We appreciate your prayers for Tim’s recovery and for God’s comfort for the whole family in this time of sorrow. His family is connected to ours as his daughter Nicole is married to my cousin Rob Teachout. 

Randy's family

The Lord brought Rob’s brother Randy and his family safely home to IN on Friday where they are preparing for the funeral for their son Kaleb tomorrow.  We are very sorry not to be able to attend the funeral, but are thankful for the comfort and healing God is giving to the family. 

We appreciate your prayers and know that God is at work.

Tuesday, October 5, 2021

On Sunday morning our French meeting was interrupted with everyone going up to the auditorium for Pastor Eastwood to be able to share with the whole church what the church was facing in the way of new C-d restrictions, some of which had just come out Saturday afternoon.  We pray the Lord will continue to give His protection and guidance and the church will be a bright beacon of light to those in darkness.  

That evening, our family accompanied the students of EBBI and the family of the EBBI administrator as they ministered across town in an EBBI day at Jones Lake Baptist Church.  We appreciated the opportunity to minister with them and get to meet those in another church here in Moncton.  It was encouraging to meet a young man in his senior year of high school who is already planning to attend EBBI next year.   

Some other special opportunities the Lord gave us this past week included joining our friends at Plainfield Baptist Church at the men’s missions breakfast over zoom Saturday morning, helping out here at Emmanuel Baptist for a church workday and delivering a fresh apple pie from Cherith’s kitchen to the youth pastor’s family who just welcomed their third child. One of the week’s blessings was having a dental filling repaired that had broken the week before our move to Canada in July.  

We appreciate your prayers for our kids, Adrianna far away at BJU and our boys here with us.  Hockey is big (huge!) up here and the church started a new season of Monday evening ball hockey last week, which Caleb attended.  It is an outreach with a devotional halfway through the evening, and some come from outside the church. Caleb and Josiah enjoyed their first field trip with the homeschool co-op on Thursday as they went to an apple orchard outside of town and picked 20 lbs of delicious apples.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1).  As many of our family members are going through difficult days, we are grateful for God’s presence and help for each one.  He is answering prayer for my cousin Randy’s family as they prepare to leave SA for the US this week for the funeral and burial of their son Kaleb, scheduled for October 12 in Kokomo, IN.  Another cousin, Michael, was hospitalized on Saturday with C-vd and blood clots.  He is receiving good care but is on a ventilator and in critical condition. We have several family members that are battling cancer.  Pastor and Mrs. Friesen remain in critical condition in the hospital in Saskatchewan.  We covet your prayers for God’s help and care for these precious loved ones.

Praise and Prayer September 30, 2021

We are grateful for your prayers and for the Lord’s answers to prayer this past month.  Various new ministries have started up and we are being stretched but the Lord is helping us. 

The French Bible study was launched on September 12 during the Sunday school hour.  We are starting 15 minutes earlier than the other classes in order to give a full hour for our meeting.  M, is from Québec and is in his third year at the Bible Institute.  He is taking turns with me for leading the song services and is leading the Bible study about once a month. For some of those attending whose mother tongue is French, this has been the first time they have ever sung hymns or studied the Bible in French. We now have flyers to give out as invitations so we trust the Lord will use those to draw others in.

God is giving us many opportunities to use music in ministry, both in the church as well as in the Bible Institute. Pastor asked us to take over the leadership and accompaniment for the choir as they started back up after being out since Covid began.  Well, we prepared the fall schedule and had our first practice with 17 eager singers on September 19.  Then the government reinstated masks and choir was again suspended. 

Besides the piano and voice students that we have from the Bible Institute, Cherith also has 5 other piano students.  Last week, I was approached by one of the pastoral students who was interested in learning music so he could use it in ministry.  He had observed how Pastor Eastwood has used music in his ministry and realized it could be a real asset to his own future ministry.  I am delighted with his desire to learn and prepare for future service and started music/piano lessons with him last Friday.

The Bible Institute began September 6 with orientation classes, and regular classes beginning the following week.  I have two classes currently, Missiology 1 and Ministry of Worship besides preaching in chapel every other week.

Cherith is teaching both Music and French in the Home school co-op  which started up September 14 and meets Tuesday mornings.  It is a first for us as well as everyone else and we have seen God’s blessings through it already.

The Lord is sustaining us though our hearts are heavy.  One of the former pastors of our church here (Emmanuel Baptist) and his wife are in serious medical condition, both hospitalized in Saskatchewan (Tim and Verna Friesen).  A dear family friend and retired missionary (Clarissa Barton) is not doing well and getting weaker back in Michigan. And this week we received news of the tragic death of my cousin Randy Teachout’s 15-year old son Kaleb. With hurting hearts we cry out to God for His mercy for these loved ones and for His comfort and consolation for Randy’s (our) family at this time of great loss.

Praise and Prayer August 30, 2021

Moncton, NB Canada

It seems our lives have been spinning these past few months and we have not taken time to update our blog.  For those who are part of our Facebook group (Light in the Darkness), we have tried to keep up with regular updates.  If you are not in that group but would like to be, please let us know by email (jteachout2@cs.com). Thank you for keeping our family in your prayers!

After traveling nearly 19,000 miles to visit with supporting churches and individuals, the Lord opened the door for us to move to Moncton, New Brunswick, arriving on July 20, just two weeks under a year from the date we arrived in the USA from France in 2020. 

God opened the door at the border for us to come through based on our new work assignment even though the border had not yet opened for non-essential travel.  We were welcomed to Moncton by the church family of Emmanuel Baptist Church with whom we are partnering.  

The Lord provided a nice little house for us to rent through one of the couples in the church who had purchased a home and remodeled it to fit our needs.  

There are so many details involved with moving and setting up residency in a new country, including bank accounts, transferring insurance and drivers licenses, and so much more.  We are settling into our home and stepping into new roles in the ministry.  Time and again the Lord has confirmed to us that He has brought us here.  There are so many opportunities and needs and we rejoice in His calling.

Praise for

• God’s protection and blessings on our time of Home ministry.  Praise for the shared vision that God has given us and our support team! Praise for an increase in our support through one new supporting church and an increase from a partnering church.
• God opening the door for us to enter Canada on July 20, even though the border was still officially closed for non-essential travel.
• many opportunities to dive into various aspects of ministry here in Moncton even as we settle in (VBS, preaching, church music ministry planning, accompanying, EBBI course prep, etc.)
  
  
  

  
  

  

• Adrianna’s High School graduation from the Bob Jones Academy of Home Education, for her being able to accompany our family to Canada and for a safe trip alone on August 12 to Greenville, SC to begin her studies at BJU.

• the progress made on the roof of the new Christian school building in Bambari, CAR.

Pray for

• the remaining needed support to bring us to 100%.  Pray that God would lead those He has chosen to partner with us. 
• the beginning of the school year for Emmanuel Baptist Bible Institute this week.  Pray for the new and returning students and for the staff.  Pray for my teaching ministry, that God would guide me in discipling future ministry leaders.
• the French Bible study and outreach that we will be launching September 12.  Pray that God will help us to connect with French speakers outside the church.  The longer we are here, the more we understand how great the need is for a French work. We are surrounded by French speaking neighbors!
• Adrianna as she adjusts to college life at BJU and being away from her family here.  Pray for us too as we adjust to the huge hole that her absence leaves behind.

• for Caleb (10th grade) and Josiah (7th grade) as they are now into their second week of school.  Pray for Mom and Dad (mostly Mom) as we work with our boys and try to give help where needed.

Praise and Prayer April 13, 2021

Springville, PA

I love the spring with the signs of new life everywhere, bursting from the ground, the bushes and trees all around us.  It is a reminder of God’s love and goodness, His faithfulness, His power in sharing His resurrection life with us.  This spring is extra special to us since it is the first time we have been in the US for this season since we first left for France in the spring of 2007. And though we’re so thankful to be here this year, we are also thankful for the time He allowed us to serve Him in France and for His work in hearts and lives there.  “For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” (Psalm 61:11)

We appreciate your prayers for us over these past couple of months and we thank the Lord for His answers to prayer.  God’s protection has been evident as we have driven many miles through 10 states and DC sometimes watching as cars flew past us, weaving in and out of traffic.

Once we came upon an accident that had happened seconds before. God has also given us wonderful opportunities to connect with our ministry partners, both churches and individuals. It has been so encouraging to spend time with many who faithfully sacrifice to make it possible for us to pursue God’s call. We are so honoured to be able to partner with each one and thank the Lord for them.

Praise for

• God’s protection over 3300 miles traveled since leaving Michigan March 7, and for great opportunities to reconnect with our supporting churches and individuals.
• the Lord making it possible for Adrianna to visit the Bob Jones University campus and connect with a number of people there in anticipation of starting there in the Fall.

• God’s help for our children, and for the opportunities He has given them to serve Him. Praise for a place where we are able to stay this month in Springville, PA where the kids are able to get caught up with their classes.

• the time we are able to be near our sending church (Springville Baptist) to connect with our church family and participate in activities when we are not speaking in other churches.
• the way God has blessed Cherith and Caleb with healing following sinus surgery for Cherith and removing 4 impacted wisdom teeth for Caleb.
• Emmanuel Baptist Church in Moncton, New Brunswick being able to launch the French Sunday school class despite Covid restrictions.
• the vision and amazing teamwork to build and set up a Christian school ministry in Bambari, CAR that we are hearing about from Central African pastor friends.

Pray for

• God’s continued protection as we travel, and that He will help us with the rest of our meetings and use us to challenge His people to greater commitment to His service.  
• God’s provision of the remaining support needed before we leave for Moncton, New Brunswick in July. Our committed support is currently at 95%.
• each of our children to be sensitive to God’s leading and that they will daily desire to know His will and do it. 
• Cherith’s complete healing from her sinus surgery and for her breathing and congestion to show real improvement soon. 
• the Canadian government to further loosen Covid restrictions and for the borders to soon be open.
• meetings with the staff of the church and Bible Institute in Canada and for our preparation for moving and beginning our ministry there late summer.

• The churches in the Bambari, CAR area as they prepare to begin a new Christian school ministry in the midst of the daily turmoil.

Praise and Prayer February 2, 2021

Warm greetings from cold, beautiful, snowy Grand Rapids!  It has been interesting dealing with snow again, both on the driveway and on the roads.  The boys have been a big help with shovelling the drive and have enjoyed building snow forts and sledding.  

Adrianna took drivers’ education in the fall and has gotten in nearly 80 hours of accompanied driving, and is becoming an excellent driver.  

The Lord has given us many special visits with our team of supporting churches and individuals as we share of God’s leading to Canada.  God has surrounded us with the loving care of these friends, our own church family and immediate family, which has been so good for us.  

This last month, we lost one of our supporting church pastors to COVID, a great loss for his family, church and all who knew him.  We are so thankful for Pastor Ken Harris’ life and for God’s help and comfort for those who remain.

Since we arrived in Michigan, Cherith has been undergoing many tests (in many cases repeats of those already done in France) to try to ascertain the cause of her respiratory problems.  This has been a bit of an ordeal, both physically and financially.  Our health insurance has a very high deductible and is very slow to approve tests and treatments.  With tests coming back negative, the medical team has reached the last resort of recommending sinus surgery with the hope that this would improve her respiration.  We would greatly appreciate your prayers that the Lord would see fit to cause this surgery to be successful and that Cherith would experience relief.  The date for her surgery is February 18.  

Praise for

• time to be with our Plainfield Baptist Church family, and for the good meetings God has given us with our support team of churches and individuals thus far.
• health and safety on the road and for our vehicle running well at this time.
• the many medical tests Cherith has been able to have leading to sinus surgery and that they were able to get her scheduled before our big trip in March and April.
  
• the French Sunday school ministry launching soon in Moncton, NB at Emmanuel Baptist Church in anticipation of our arrival in July, Lord willing. 
• some good contacts with our friends in France over the holiday season.
  
• the opportunities that Adrianna has had to minister in music (instrumental and vocal) in our meetings as well as in our church here in GR.

Pray for

• God to use our family as we meet with individuals and share in churches.  Pray that our support team will share our vision for ministry in Canada and that God will supply the support needed.
  
• our children in this transitional time, travelling with us while they homeschool.
• the Lord to bless the sinus surgery Cherith has on February 18 and that the results will be very beneficial!  Pray too for Caleb as he has dental surgery to remove 4 impacted wisdom teeth on February 8, and that God will give healing.

• restrictions in Canada due to COVID to be lifted soon and the French Sunday school ministry to be launched.
• Pray for Jonathan’s Muslim friend who may soon be moving to Canada.  If he does, we are hoping that we will be able to meet again and have greater opportunity to share the Gospel with his family.
• Pray for our children to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and to be sensitive to God’s direction in their lives. Pray for Adrianna as she prepares for her graduation in June and heading off to Bob Jones University next fall.

Praise and Prayer November 2020

Thank you for your prayers over these past couple months since our last update, both for the Lord’s provision of grace for our family and for His clear direction regarding our future ministry.  While waiting for our shipment to arrive from France on September 18 we enjoyed spending time with our church family here in Grand Rapids, MI. With the help of a dear couple in our church, Adrianna was also able to begin Driver’s Ed and finish the in-person requirements before we left for northeast PA the following week.  There, we were able to spend 3 weeks with our sending church family, Jonathan’s brother David and his family, and other friends (while our kids continued with their studies). While there, David provided his photographic talent to take family pictures as well as senior pictures for Adrianna.

On one of the weekends, the Gadbois family, who had come to help us in France on several occasions, drove over from CT to spend some time with us. 

God has used these visits and the times with our loving church families from both of our home churches to build us up, refresh our spirits and give us healing. 

Through this time, even without the possibility of making a survey trip, we have sensed the Lord continuing to lead us toward a new ministry.  With the unanimous approval of both our sending church (Springville Baptist Church) and the leadership of Baptist Mid-Missions, we are transferring fields from France to Canada to minister in Moncton, New Brunswick in partnership with Emmanuel Baptist Church there. Our ministry there will include Gospel outreach to the French speaking population of this officially bi-lingual city and teaching in the Emmanuel Baptist Bible Institute in the areas of missions and music.  EBBI was launched and developed with help from Baptist Mid-Missions in order to prepare Canadian leaders for church planting in Canada in 2001.  We are excited about this new opportunity and by the way the Lord has been preparing us for this particular ministry over the years.  Our new prayer cards have arrived.  If you would like us to mail one to you, please let us know! (jteachout2@cs.com)

Praise for

• the work that God has done in our hearts to bring us to this point, and for His clear leading regarding our future ministry.
• the arrival of our shipment from France.

• safety in traveling, for good fellowship and meetings, and for protection from Covid-19 up till now.
• God’s protection and provision of help when the transmission of our car went out travelling on Interstate 81 near Harrisburg, PA.

• many opportunities that God is giving us to serve Him here.

Pray for

• God to continue to help each member of our family as we move forward in the direction He is leading and seize opportunities that He gives us to serve Him here (Besides our Sunday deputation meetings, Jonathan is currently leading the Wednesday Bible studies at Plainfield Baptist Church while our pastor and his family have had to travel to TX unexpectedly to be with family after his mother-in-law was in a serious accident. Please pray for her and this dear family.) 
• relief and healing for Cherith’s respiratory and sinus problems as she undergoes tests with various specialists here in the USA and as they try different treatments.  Pray she will find relief.
• the Lord to open the doors for us to get into each of our supporting churches over this year, especially after having had to cancel all of our meetings between August and October. Pray for continued safety in travel and from Covid-19 for both our family and for our ministry partners. Pray that our vehicle would run well.
• Our continued contact with friends both saved and unsaved in Europe.  Pray for Jonathan’s ongoing contact with his Muslim friend.
• Pray for our children to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and to be sensitive to God’s direction in their lives.