May God's blessing and peace be with you all.
We have had a very special week of activity and blessing. Last Friday
Steve Shank and an Ethiopian brother Tilahun arrived from EMM.
Tilahun is a missions to church consultant who draws on his experience
with the Ethiopian church and other churches around the world to
assist those of us who are working in a setting where there is an
organized church. They came to attend the annual General Assembly of
the Kekchi Mennonite Church.
Over the weekend we took them to church services in three different
communities to learn to know the area and the people. On Sunday
evening while Steve was preaching and Galen was translating, a drunk
man came into the back of the church and was talking loudly. When he
finished his sermon Steve addressed the man and encouraged him to give
his life to Jesus. After the pastor talked with him for while he came
to the front and the congregation prayed for him.
The next day he invited the pastor to come to his home. When the
pastor and several deacons arrived at the home, a now sober man
invited them in and introduced them to his wife. After sharing
scripture and praying with them the man invited Jesus into his life
and promised to come to church. His wife warmly invited them to come
again to pray with the family. "We will need to walk closely with
them in the days ahead to show them how to be followers of Jesus but
the first step has been taken for which we praise God," said the
pastor.
The two grueling days at the assembly gave our visitors a good
introduction to what is happening in the Kekchi church. For us it was
a wonderful time of reconnecting with old friends from the northern
districts where we used to live and hearing testimonies of what God is
doing in the churches. Steve and Tilahun's messages in the evening
services set the tone for a spirit of repentance among the assembled
brothers and sisters. Two brothers who had fallen into sin requested
prayer for cleansing and victory. As the meetings closed we departed
with sadness that the assembly was over for another year but also
filled with anticipation and excitement to see what God will do among
his people in the coming year.
Today is Friday, our visitors are gone and the house is quiet. There
are no more meetings to attend. A good time to get caught up on some
things around the house.
Saturday and Sunday we will again visit a distant community where a
special weekend meeting is being held. We will participate with the
congregation in baptisms, baby dedications, and a wedding. We will
celebrate the goodness of our God in changing the lives of those who
commit themselves to Him. His name is worthy of our praise!!
Thanks for walking with us with your love and prayers.
-Please pray for those who were chosen to fill new positions in the
church at the assembly, that they would seek the infilling and leading
of the Spirit of God in their lives and ministry.
-Pray that we would be given wisdom to discern and to do what God has
called us here to do among His people.
He is giving us much joy!!
We have had a very special week of activity and blessing. Last Friday
Steve Shank and an Ethiopian brother Tilahun arrived from EMM.
Tilahun is a missions to church consultant who draws on his experience
with the Ethiopian church and other churches around the world to
assist those of us who are working in a setting where there is an
organized church. They came to attend the annual General Assembly of
the Kekchi Mennonite Church.
Over the weekend we took them to church services in three different
communities to learn to know the area and the people. On Sunday
evening while Steve was preaching and Galen was translating, a drunk
man came into the back of the church and was talking loudly. When he
finished his sermon Steve addressed the man and encouraged him to give
his life to Jesus. After the pastor talked with him for while he came
to the front and the congregation prayed for him.
The next day he invited the pastor to come to his home. When the
pastor and several deacons arrived at the home, a now sober man
invited them in and introduced them to his wife. After sharing
scripture and praying with them the man invited Jesus into his life
and promised to come to church. His wife warmly invited them to come
again to pray with the family. "We will need to walk closely with
them in the days ahead to show them how to be followers of Jesus but
the first step has been taken for which we praise God," said the
pastor.
The two grueling days at the assembly gave our visitors a good
introduction to what is happening in the Kekchi church. For us it was
a wonderful time of reconnecting with old friends from the northern
districts where we used to live and hearing testimonies of what God is
doing in the churches. Steve and Tilahun's messages in the evening
services set the tone for a spirit of repentance among the assembled
brothers and sisters. Two brothers who had fallen into sin requested
prayer for cleansing and victory. As the meetings closed we departed
with sadness that the assembly was over for another year but also
filled with anticipation and excitement to see what God will do among
his people in the coming year.
Today is Friday, our visitors are gone and the house is quiet. There
are no more meetings to attend. A good time to get caught up on some
things around the house.
Saturday and Sunday we will again visit a distant community where a
special weekend meeting is being held. We will participate with the
congregation in baptisms, baby dedications, and a wedding. We will
celebrate the goodness of our God in changing the lives of those who
commit themselves to Him. His name is worthy of our praise!!
Thanks for walking with us with your love and prayers.
-Please pray for those who were chosen to fill new positions in the
church at the assembly, that they would seek the infilling and leading
of the Spirit of God in their lives and ministry.
-Pray that we would be given wisdom to discern and to do what God has
called us here to do among His people.
He is giving us much joy!!
Galen and Phyllis
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