October 30, 2003 (excerpts)
Family Update
Good news in our family this month is that Ema is pregnant. According to the doctors the baby is around 7-8 weeks old. We are immensely thankful for this providence from the Lord and look forward to next year when our first child will be born. Rejoice with us.
We anticipate the financial burdens which are coming; however, we face them with joy, knowing that this is truly a blessing and that the Lord will provide through the generosity of His people.
Church
Things continue to move somewhat slowly with the church. I have spent many hours on a one-to-one basis with the men who do not usually come to gatherings. This has had a strong impact on them, and I hope they will see the value of meeting together. Until then, it gives me an opportunity to be involved in their lives, build better trust, and help them in their spiritual lives. I will do my best to spend a little time (outside of official meetings) with each man in the church, at least once a month.
Evangelism
The homeless ministry is moving a little more slowly without much progress in finding the homeless in our church’s vicinity. Advice from others who have done this ministry before gives me a better grounding for finding the homeless and building relationships with them.
Esther and Mary have finished their beginning level training in street evangelism, and we are now a team. There are five of us in the team and we will soon go out in groups together. I have two men whom I continue to train, plus another two in reserve who would like to be trained at a later date.