NEWSLETTER

FEBRUARY 2004

The month of January for us here in the Mission Office is one of the busiest times of the year.  All the files and receipts for the previous year have to be packed for storage and new files set up for the current year.  Computer printouts are done for each missionary’s account plus the General Fund so that the records can be provided to the auditors when they come to examine the books.  Income totals are prepared for each missionary that they will need for their IRS returns.  All this is in addition to the regular work of receiving and receipting offerings from the churches, depositing funds, forwarding mail and the many “normal” activities of the month.  Our ladies need your prayers on a regular basis, but especially at this time of the year when they are so busy.

We have received good reports from our missionaries around the world of souls being saved at special services during the Christmas season.  Many times folks will attend a special service when they will not go to a regular church service, especially if their children are involved in the service.  The Lord has blessed through the years with many souls reached during the Christmas season.

John and Marjorie Malanowski have returned to Bali, Indonesia following a brief furlough.  They are excited about what the Lord is doing in Bali.  The mission church is growing and the Bible Institute has a number of new students enrolled.  The Lord willing, I will have the opportunity to visit Indonesia in June, along with Pastor Glen Anderson of Pensacola Baptist Temple in Pensacola, Florida, who is the Malanowski’s pastor.  What a blessing it will be to see firsthand the work that God is doing there in Indonesia through the efforts of our missionaries!

Congratulations to Tim and Becky Billups on the birth of a new son, Tobey Josiah Billups, who was born on December 30, 2003 in Santiago, Chile.  Both Becky and the baby are doing well. 

Bro. Jack Weaver continues to struggle in his battle with Lou Gehrig’s Disease.  He has been re-admitted to the hospital and at this writing is in the Intensive Care Unit at the Palestine Regional Hospital in Palestine, Texas.  He has developed pneumonia and his blood pressure and blood sugar levels have been dangerously low.  Please remember Bro. Weaver and also Mrs. Jo Weaver in your prayers that the Lord will grant recovery and allow Bro.Weaver to return home soon.

Other missionaries who have ongoing physical problems and who need your prayers are:  Debi Harris, Monnie Bacon, Gloria Higgins, Joe Hawkins, Cecil Henderson, Mary Gagnon, Phil Gagnon, Sandy Janky, Miss Bessie Millican. 

Thanks to your faithfulness, as well as hundreds of other churches and individual Christians, we received offerings in 2003 totaling $5,947,879.48, which is a new record for offerings received.  We praise the Lord for supplying the need and for your faithfulness in giving.  The Lord has never failed in providing the needed support for our missionaries and our needs here at the Mission Office.  Thank you for your part in giving the Gospel to the world.

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