NEWSLETTER
DECEMBER 2009

We are saddened to inform you that little Eliana Densmore went to be with the Lord on November 7, 2009.  She had seemingly improved a little and was able to go home from the hospital for the last week of her life.  The family had a good day on November 7; they had a family portrait done, went to Toys R Us, and had a family dinner.  That evening she began to feel bad and they called the doctor, who told them to bring her to the hospital.  On the way to the hospital, the Lord took her home.  A private family service was held on November 12, and a public memorial service was held on Saturday, November 14, 2009.  A huge crowd attended the service, including a number of the medical personnel who took care of Eliana when she was hospitalized so many times.  This little girl, in two and a half years, touched many lives.  At least 42 people came to know the Lord as personal Saviour, a church was founded, and thousands of people around the world were drawn closer to the Lord as they prayed for Eliana.  There were at least two who professed Christ as Saviour at the memorial service.  Please hold up Brian and Joy & the boys in your prayers as they adjust to life without Eliana.  Their hearts are broken, but at the same time they rejoice in knowing her suffering is over and she is with the Lord Jesus.

If you plan to send Christmas offerings to your missionaries, please be sure to mark them as “Gift” so we will know to deposit them separately from the missionaries’ regular support.  Gifts received before December 15 will be deposited on that day and gifts arriving after December 15 will be deposited with the regular monthly deposits on December 29, 2009.  Your missionaries will greatly appreciate these expressions of love.

Please continue to pray for those in our missionary family who are fighting battles with illness:

Betty Hawkins will begin chemotherapy treatments in December following surgery for breast cancer.  The course of treatment will take 18 weeks, followed by about 5 years of hormone therapy to prevent the spread of the cancer.  Pray much for Betty.

Debi Harris continues to receive surgical procedures on her esophagus, which has been affected by MS and causes her great difficulty in swallowing.  Pray that these procedures will be effective and major surgery can be prevented.

Doyle Whaley continues his battle with Alzheimer’s Disease and deafness.  Pray much for him and for Wanda as she cares for him.

Charles Bowen was struck by a car on a parking lot and has multiple injuries.  They are not life-threatening injuries, but he is in a great deal of pain.

Joy Chapman, daughter of Missionaries Ken and Cyndi Chapman, has been diagnosed with diabetes.  Her blood sugar count was so high that it could not be measured and she spent several days in ICU until they could regulate her count.  Now she has to adjust to insulin and the diet she will need to follow to control her diabetes.

Judy Wood suffered a slight stroke in Brazil and was hospitalized for a few days.  Further tests are being done, but the doctors believe there will be no lasting effects from the stroke.

The following missionaries fight a continuing battle with illness and need our prayers:  Linda Carruth, Rebecca Hawkins, Sandy Janky, Juanita Bowen, Joe Hawkins, Elaine Hawkins, Mary Gagnon, Monnie Bacon, Ernie Brown, Gloria Higgins, Abigail Mitchell, Amber Cato, Dana McCutchen, Charlene Neill, Mike Lane, and Dale Brown.

 As we draw to the close of 2009, we are thankful for each church and each individual Christian who have been so faithful to pray and support our missionary families.  We all realize that this has been a tough year, economically, and total offerings are down somewhat from the previous year.  At the same time, however, many have sacrificed to provide the needs of our missionary families and we know that the Lord will richly bless you for those sacrifices.