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August 2002

Hello from “Way Down Under,”

 

 

 

 

 

Since writing you last, we have had the wonderful privilege of baptizing our youngest son, Micah, who is seven years old.  What a joy to know all three of our children are saved and on their way to “glory.”  We also baptized an eighteen year old young lady by the name of Maraea (pronounced Mariah).  She is a sweet girl with a real desire to serve the Lord.

In July we attended Winter Youth Camp with seven other churches and missions.  It was a great week.  A brother and sister from our group, Royal and Jean, trusted Christ as their personal Saviour.

The Sunday following camp, we gave the worship service over to our teens.  The young people led the singing, sang as a choir, read Scripture, and gave testimonies.  Also, two of our young people did the preaching.  Our oldest boy, Josh, along with another teen did a tremendous job communicating God’s Word.  We sense the Lord doing something special among the youth of our church. Relatively speaking, it is not a large group, but they have a real love for the Lord.  Pray with us as we continue ministering to them.  We believe the hope of NZ is wrapped up in the young people.

As always, thank you for the part you have in the Lord’s work in this part of the world.  God continues to bless your faithfulness with eternal fruit.

By HIS grace & for HIS glory,

Dale, Janet, Joshua, Nathan, & Micah  

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The Brown's in New Zealand
Ministry & Family Update*****May 2002

Dad’s Corner

It’s exciting to be a part of God’s work!  We took some relatively big steps in our mission work over the past two months.

First of all, a sweet single lady by the name of Marilou volunteered to teach a children’s Sunday School class.  This may not sound like a big deal, but this is the church’s first teacher outside of Janet and myself.  Also, a young man by the name of Mario has started helping me work with the teens.  He has a real heart for young people and he will be a great asset in the work.

 

  

Mum’s Corner

  We continue to see fruit from our Holiday Programme (VBS), which was held in January.  One boy, Ryan-Lee, who attended the Programme visited our church services in April with his mum, Aroha.  Several other children from the Holiday Programme have been faithful to attend Sunday School in recent months.  The Lord is so good!  It’s been exciting sharing the teaching responsibilities with Marilou.  Another lady, Puni, has started working with the children for special occasions.  Music and skits will be part of her ministry.  What a blessing.

 

Micah in the Middle

I have some GREAT news to share with everyone.  I asked Jesus to come into my heart and be my Savior.  It happened at our house on March 27, a few days before Easter.  After I got saved, my dad asked me if it was exciting knowing I was on my way to heaven.  I told him I wasn’t too excited about it right now, but when I die it will be really good.  Mum and Dad say they are so thankful knowing that our whole family is part of God’s Kingdom.

Now I have two birthdays.  I turned seven on April 26 and celebrated my “other” birthday with a party at McDonalds.  Some of my friends came and we had an awesome time. 

Josh’s Corner

I have been staying busy finishing up my senior year of high school.  Along with school, I have been working 15-20 hours a week at McDonalds.

I’m looking forward to coming back to the states to attend college.  Please pray for me as I seek the Lord’s leadership for my life.  Right now, I think I want to stay in NZ for a year and work full time to save some money before continuing my education.

 

  

Nate’s Corner

We had a “Fun, Food, and Fellowship” night at church recently and we had a great time.  Several of our new young people really enjoyed the whole evening and saw what a good time Christians can have together.

Two new teens, Maraea and Royal, have started coming along to our youth activities.  They   know they need to be saved, but have not yet made a decision to come to the Lord.

 

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After several years here in New Zealand, we are now accustom to Christmas coming in the middle of summer.  Along with the expected busyness of the Holiday Season in December, the first month of the new year included a Family Camp and a Holiday Programme (Vacation Bible School).  It all made for a very active and blessed summer here in the Southern Hemisphere.
 
The Sunday preceding Christmas we had a wonderful worship service.  Many of the believers in the church had an active part in the service.  Following the service we had a potluck lunch.  We made a concerted effort to bring as many lost people as we could under the sound of the Gospel on this day.  The Lord opened the windows of heaven and blessed in a special way.  We had a record high attendance of 81 including several who heard a clear presentation of the Gospel for the first time.
 
A week following Christmas we kicked off the New Year at Family Camp.  Our group joined two other missionaries and their churches for a week of fun, prayer, and spiritual refreshment.  Only one family was able to go from our church, but as it turned out it was just the family who needed it most.  Some of you may remember praying for the Seumanutafa family.  This is a Samoan family who came to the Lord last year.  Please continue to pray for them.  They are having some marital problems.  The Lord used the camp to help them work some things out.
 
The summer of blessings continued with our Holiday Programme (VBS).  We had 98 children attend during the week with a high day of 69.  In the weeks following, five new children from the VBS have started attending Sunday School.  Pray with us that these children will come to know Christ and for the opportunity to reach their families.
 
We have much planned in 2002.  Thank you so much for the faithful part you continue to have in the ministry “way down under.”  As always, it is a privilege to be your representatives in this part of the world.
 
By HIS grace & for HIS glory,
 
Dale, Janet, Joshua, Nathan, & Micah
 

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November 2001

Dad’s Corner

It was a real joy to baptize two young men recently.  Riki is a Maori teenager who has a real desire to serve the Lord.  Mario is a twenty-eight year old South African.  He has already been a big help in the work.

 Over the next couple of months, we are looking forward to our Christmas Program, Family Camp, and Holiday Program (VBS).  It is a very busy time.  These ministries and outreaches will be a very good opportunity to reach people for Christ.  We appreciate your prayers as we continue to share the love of Jesus with the Kiwi people.

  

Mum’s Corner

We really appreciate the “extra’s” many of you do for us throughout the year.  Birthday and encouragement cards, emails, care-packages, phone calls and money gifts really do make a difference in our lives. Thank you for all that you do for our family.

 The year has gone by incredibly fast.  We’ve  had many discouragements this past year,  but the Lord has been faithful with victories as well.  Satan seems to be changing his strategy lately and we covet your prayers for our family that we will stay faithful in the work He has called us to do.

Micah in the Middle

I have started 1st grade in school this year.  My teacher (mum) says I’m getting much better in reading and spelling.  I really didn’t have any choice.  If I didn’t improve, she said she was going to pull all her hair out and then start on mine!

It’s almost summer here in New Zealand which means I get to start playing cricket again.  I also play on two basketball teams.  I love playing basketball.  Cricket is on Saturday.  Basketball is on Monday and Friday.

Josh’s Corner

 Our church organized an all-night activity for our youth group.  We called it “Ultimate All-Nighter 2001.”  Two other missionaries joined us with their youth groups.  About 60 teens came and had a great time.  The night’s activities included a youth rally, Laser Tag, Video Arcade, and indoor go-carting.  My dad preached a Gospel message during the youth rally.  One teen said it was the first time in his life he had ever been in a church.  No one got saved that night, but we know many seeds were planted.

Nate’s Corner

 I was chosen to be part of a representative basketball team that recently traveled to Australia and Japan.  We had to do a lot of fund raising in order to make the trip possible.  Each player stayed with a host family in each country.  The family I stayed with in Japan was especially nice.  The trip was a great experience.

 

 

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August 2001

Hello Everyone,

We are having a cold and damp winter.  Temperatures have been in the 30’s and 40’s with “heaps” of wind and rain.  The Lord, however, continues to warm our hearts with His love and care. 

We have just arrived home from a week of Winter Youth Camp.  Apart from most of us coming home with a flu bug, it was fantastic.  The camp is about five hours away and accommodates 170 people.  Our church, along with 11 other churches and missions, filled the place to near capacity with 166 teens and adult counselors.  It is exciting to share with you that one of the young people we took to camp trusted Christ as his Saviour during the week.  After hearing that James was saved, one of our other teens said, “The angels in heaven are shouting right now!”  Pray for this newly born again teenager.  No one else in his family knows the Lord so it will be a difficult road for him.

Every time a soul is saved here in New Zealand, we think of each one of you who co-labors with us in this work.  Yet again, because of your faithful prayers and support, another life is saved from ruin and is now filled with hope.  James will be in heaven because you cared.

Personally, our home continues to be a beehive of activity.  Mum still home schools all three boys.  Joshua is busy playing sports, working at McDonalds and learning to drive.  Nathan plays on two basketball teams and is always needing to be at a practice or game.  At age 6, Micah is already taking after his older brothers (not to mention dad) in their love for sport.  He plays basketball and cricket and starting next week he will add swimming to his busy young life.  Thank the Lord for three healthy, active boys.  We are just not sure how long mum and dad can keep up.  We just keep telling ourselves that it is better than sitting around doing nothing.  Sometimes, we are not so sure!

As always, we praise the Lord for each of you.  Take care for now.

By HIS grace & for HIS glory,

Dale, Janet, Josh, Nate, and Micah  

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