James, Rachel, and Amanda have safely returned to Guatemala after a short visit over the Christmas holidays to the United States. Their families were able to see them – of course that included seeing their new baby – for a few short days. The new school year in Guatemala will start in just a few weeks. Please continue to pray for them as the new school year starts.
We praise the Lord that the end of the year matching fund drive has been successful. The offerings have surged over the $100,000 mark that was necessary for the matcing $50,000. In fact we are ahead of schedule since December 31, 2009 was the deadline! What a tremendous out-pouring of support from our donors this has been.
One of the hardest times on the mission-field is the Christmas holiday season. It can be challenging to keep traditions alive as well as the joy of Christmas when family is far away. David Middleton recently said that the first term on the field was the hardest for them and that it did get easier. Marilyn Middleton wrote home and stated the following:
This year we were able to find cured ham once again,(last year it seemed to have disappeared) so bought a portion of one and it is sooooo good. I made applesauce too, which is a rare treat here and also apple pie, amongst other good foods, so you can see we didn’t suffer as for food!
We appreciate the dedication of all our missionaries. We should not take the simple things like apple pie for granted – but we often do.
Happy New Year to all our friends, supporters and MOST OF ALL to our MISSIONARIES!
Lee Rickenbach writes of their activities and they have had good services. Here is an excerpt from his email:
Sunday a.m. we visited a mountain church at Las Joyas only about an half hour from Jalapa. It was well attended with about 50 present and a great spirit of worship. I presented our regional vision of education and church extension into other departments of Guatemala and into other countries of Central America with a special pull to the youth. There were about a dozen young men and women that prayed after the pastor’s message, which went right along with my exhortation. We rejoiced at His moving in our midst!
Sunday p.m. we visited the Jalapa Central right next door and in spite of the cold, wind, and rain we had a good service with Bro. Edgar preaching. Misael gave a report on a recent revival the trio held at Copante in Jalapa Mtn. It was an unusual closing not because of the hundreds that packed out the larger new church, but the children that came weeping to the altar! One boy came up with this mother and stood beside Misa crying and praying for about 15 minutes. I could tell from Misa’s reponse that it must have been a very touching altar service. Many rejoiced in salvation, thank the Lord!
The story of Christmas is not a myth that we cling to like a child clinging to his ragged security blanket. It is a life changing historical account that is for ALL people.
We have just received a report that the 30 EFM women in Eritrea have been released. It is hard to verify details but the women were elderly Christians from our churches who were holding a prayer meeting in a home. While in prison they continued their praying and caused such a religious stirring that a revival spirit broke out and the authorities were baffled about what to do with them. They have been released. The women report that the blessings of the Lord were so wonderful that they did not have enough time in jail to enjoy them! The Lord be praised.
Br. Manley safely returned from the annual national church convention in Honduras. Lee and Shari Rickenbach from Guatemala were there and helped translate and preach.
Lee Rickenbach writes the following about the meetings: (He is thanking the Lord for)……….God’s very special help to Bro. Manley and myself during our nights to preach with the Holy Spirit near, special altar services each night and people testifying to victory and/or the call of God to their hearts, especially youth. Tues. pm after the service an older pastor who had left the pastorate was really broken up back at his seat and afterwards thanking God for His presence and help. I trust he will be able to return to God’s service. …and as always it was great to have fellowship with the other missionaries and nationals there! Thanks again Tiffany for all the great meals and making our stay so enjoyable.
Please note the following correction of the last blog and the middle name of Rev. Troyer.
His name is as follows: Guy Elbert Troyer
Rev. Guy Edward Troyer passed on to his heavenly reward on Saturday night (12/5/2009). He had been ill and in the hospital with multiple problems. Rev. Troyer served with Evangelistic Faith Missions in Egypt and also worked in the home office for several years. His funeral will be on Thursday (12/10/09) in Louisville, Kentucky at the Fern Creek funeral home at 10:00 a.m. The address for the funeral home is: 5406 Bardstown Rd. Louisville, KY 40291. The phone number is: 502-499-1361. Your prayers for the family are appreciated.
A group of Faith Mission ladies in Eritrea were arrested while in a private home praying. Please pray for them. Please see the news release from In Chain For Christ.
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Press Release. ICFC/1015/09 Monday, 7 December 2009 New Wave of Arrest in Eritrea ICFC has learned from sources in Asmara that the government of Eritrea has of late unleashed another wave of arrests against Christians. On Saturday, December 5, 2009 at 4:00pm, one group of thirty women were rounded up in Asmara by security agents and hauled off to prison. Multiple sources confirm that the women were mostly elderly and were praying together when they were arrested. Most of the women were believers of Faith Mission, an Evangelical Church with a Methodist background. The denomination has been in existence since the early 1950s. Until it was closed down along with many other churches in May 2002, it operated orphanages and several schools throughout Eritrea. The Eritrean government is known for its policy of religious repression. As a consequence, the US State Department has designated the Marxist nation as one of eight Countries of Particular Concern' (CPC). At the moment, the United Nations is considering sanctions against it. ICFC once again calls on the government of Eritrea that these and the thousands of other Eritreans who are languishing in prison for their faith be immediately released. D. Amine, Communications Directory, ICFC "Remember those who are in prison, as if you were their fellow prisoner. Remember those who are suffering as if you were suffering with them..." (Heb. 13:3). www.InChainsForChrist.org (Voice of the Persecuted Church in Eritrea)
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At this time we do not have any further news or information.
Steve Hight found this note about Eritrea. He writes and quotes:
I saw the following note this morning in a news summary. Please note the underlined statement at the end of the note:
Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports that states from every continent expressed concern Monday at the extent of human rights violations taking place in Eritrea. Appearing before the Human Rights Council, the Eritrean delegation faced broad-ranging, and yet consistent, questioning of their human rights record. Statements by member states repeatedly expressed concern at the ongoing use of torture, arbitrary and indefinite detention, the suppression of press freedom and freedom of religion and belief among other accusations. Eritrea’s representative, Dr. Girmai Abraham, confessed to being “overwhelmed” by the number of questions he had received, and responded to calls for open access to Eritrea with a guarded conditional acceptance. However, in an astonishing admission, he indicated that an independent press was incompatible with Eritrean culture.
Please pray for our people there