February 2011
Dear Supporters...
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent
that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
2 Pet 3:14
In peace, without spot and blameless is a high calling to those who live
in these days. I pray that we can be found in these words.
We write to you from a rain soaked Amazon. Our yearly rainfall usually
reaches around 300 inches, but I am almost sure that we will be over
that amount this year. It has been a long time since I have seen it rain
like this.
We have begun the building at the Campos Sales church, but with all this
water it has become almost impossible to continue. We are plugging away
at the foundation and are working mostly indoors, cutting and tying up
the iron re-bar and getting it ready to transport to the building site.
Preparing the iron for the foundation has been done at our home because
the thieves will not leave anything at the church. We will be at this
for several more weeks and hope that the rains will let up enough to be
able to put the main pillars in by the middle of March. Rainy season can
last up until June. We ask for prayer concerning the building,
and that there would be no interference from the city in this process.
Bible institute begins on March 14th. Four new students have applied
which should bring our number up to 23 this semester. We are working
with our national pastors and churches to support the institute
financially. The dollars devaluation and the future is calling for some
changes here in Manaus. We are also setting up local leadership capable
of administering the Bible institute in our absence and God has given us
some good men that I believe that with proper guidance are quite capable
of doing the job we are now doing and secure the future for this very
important work. Pray that God will continue to bless us with students
and pastor-teachers.
Rebecca came down with something, we are almost sure it is Dengue fever,
but there was no way to have her tested. I took her to the hospital and
they said that they were only testing for malaria. The World Health
Organization (WHO) is responsible for the eradication of these sorts of
diseases and is embarrassed by the amount of Dengue there is in the
North. To not be punished by the United Nations, WHO works the system
and the numbers to their benefit. If people do not get tested, there are
no negative numbers to present in their annual report. The reason they
are doing testing for Malaria is that Malaria is not present during this
time of the year when the river is coming up. Malaria becomes a problem
when the river is going down, June through November. So they do the
Malaria testing now, and the Dengue testing in June through November so
that the amount of cases is significantly lower. Welcome to the third
world and the World Health Organization! Pray that she makes a good
recovery. She is feeling better this morning after 5 days of fever
etc.
For those who have not heard, we did lose one container of Bibles. I am
very disappointed about this, but I know that the Lord is in control and
the Bibles will make their way into the hands of those he wants them to.
We did everything we could and did it all above board and legal even
though there were times when I was offered an easy way out. I appreciate
all of your prayers during this time. I still have a case in court that
needs to be finalized to end this whole ordeal, please pray about that
also.
Thank you for your prayers and support. We continue to thank the Lord
for you.
John and Rebecca Hawkins
Sending Church: Oak Trail Baptist
Church - 4501 Peppertree Rd. - Granbury, Texas 76048 - 817-279-6430
