December 2017 Prayer Letter

It is with joy that we have reached the two-year mark here in Chile! The time has passed quickly, and there is no place we would rather be. There is nothing more fulfilling than doing what the LORD has called one to do, where He stipulates. December 25th is our favorite day of the year, not because of the festivities, but because it is the anniversary of our arrival in 2015. However, we are just getting started; we have decades of work before us, if the LORD doesn’t come back for us before then.

This month has offered many of the usual opportunities for ministry, namely public ministry outings, plus our monthly trip to the Xo Región to the South. We preached and passed out tracts in Osorno, which I’ll expound on shortly, and Puerto Varas, where we were able to talk to two men, both of which listened but each had their own hangups. Ricardo is a middle-aged man who insisted (like most people infected with religion) that you have to “live it” to be saved. Jorge (which is pronounced “Hor-hay”) is a former satanist who spent most of our extremely interesting (but ultimately pointless) discussion telling us about the occult meanings in symbols and flags, and showing us pictures of demons that he had taken with his cell phone. He’s scared out of his wits, and wants to go to Heaven, but can’t seem to grasp that one can know that he has eternal life. I loaded him up with material and gave him my number, so please pray that Jorge will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Another new area of ministry that the LORD has opened for us is working with some Haitian immigrants. Recently the influx of immigrants has reached our area, and many of those who are allowed to enter the country speak little to no Spanish, and so their work opportunities are limited. As strange as it may seem, we’ve begun teaching Spanish to them, to help them get integrated, but with the ultimate goal of ministering to them spiritually. Although progress is slow, I’ve had two of them admit that they aren’t saved, which any soul-winner knows is often the hardest part with religious people, so we’re trusting the LORD to give fruit in His time.

Finally, and most excitingly, we have been asked to begin an in-home Bible study with a family with whom we have been visiting each month in Osorno. This family is eager to begin something a little more formal during our monthly visits, and I will be leading the study as part of our initial efforts at church planting in that city. Please pray with us for wisdom and guidance in our dealings with this family, for their spiritual growth, and that the LORD would have His will and way in this new undertaking.