Big 50

How times fly by so quickly.  I remember where I was and what I was doing 25 years ago.  I was working in the kitchen in Bible College when a dear friend of mine, bought a birthday cake and brought it in the dining room.  He lighted the candles and called me to blow it out.  As I tried to blow out the candles, it would not go out.  It was then I realized that he bought the type of candles that won't blow out.  So I had to put it own with my fingers.  He really pulled a trick on me.  Later he came into my room in the dormitory and brought a large box with a gift wrapped up inside.  I opened the box to find out that there were several boxes withing the boxes and all neatly wrapped and taped.  It took me quite some time and with some effort before I finally got to the final box with the gift.  When I opened the box, the gift turned out to be a bag of Doritos, my favorite.  We sat together and eat Doritos and drank Cola.  

I remember a few years ago I was celebrating my 45th birthday and Nathan his first birthday.  It was a sobering when I thought about when I will be 50 years old on March 12 Nathan will be 6 years old.  In the midst of it all, I must conclude that God is good all times and He is in total control of every things that happened to us. He works everything after the counsel of His own will for His good pleasure.  Indeed, He is directing the affairs of our lives.  All that we are and all that we will ever become, we owe it all to our Great God and our Great Savior who keeps on loving us and blessing us.

Pray that we will continue to rejoice in Him regardless of the circumstances and look to Him to sustain us each day of our lives.

February Update

Dear Friends, 

We are in the rainy season in Suriname.  It has been raining a lot each day.  This morning many of the streets have been flooded thus making driving on the road difficult.  The rain has enabled us to discover several places where the roof on our house is leaking.  We will be working on getting that fixed.

Americas Conference 2011

On January 24-29 about 60 of us who are serving in various ministries in the Americas got together at the Christian Retreat Center in Bradenton, Florida.  It was good to see, hear, and interact with fellow workers who are laboring on the mission field.  Our focus was on studying the “Upper Room Discourse” in light of making and reproducing disciples. Jesus had a lot to say to His disciples about their attitudes, sufferings, living for Him, and serving Him.  We were privileged to have a former missionary to the Philippines and professor of Columbia

International University who started us off each morning with a study on John 13-17.  We spent time in triads to share our lives and experiences and in small groups to interact on what it really means to be and make disciples.  Much time was also spent in prayer for one another and for the mission field.  All in all, it was a very profitable for me to participate.  It has encouraged and helped me to strive to be more faithful and fruitful as His follower and to multiply disciples for His glory.

Equipping Leaders to Serve

On Thursdays, I have been meeting with the Guyanese church leaders to encourage and equip them in the areas where they are lacking.  Vijay is one of the Guyanese leaders whom we have taught and ordained in the ministry in the late 90’s.  He is the pastor of the Guyanese church which we planted in 1992.  In addition to shepherding the flock, he has a job on the outside which takes much of his time away from feeding and caring for the flock.  As such, the church needs to be established further with a plurality of faithful and capable men to share in the responsibilities. I have been working with him to mobilize others in the congregation and delegate responsibilities to them rather than doing everything.  There is a need to enlist, equip, and release others who can make a contribution to the work of the ministry.  Pray that God will enable me to effectively help Vijay in the areas where he is lacking and not comfortable with; that God will give him the courage, strength, and wisdom to lead in spite of his limitations; and that he will cast himself on the All-Sufficient One through whom he can do all things.

                        

Two Friends

On Sunday, Nathan’s best friend and cousin, Victor celebrated his 6^th birthday.  Nathan wanted to know why Victor had to be born before him and thus celebrated his birthday before him. He woke up this morning asking, “Is it March?”  He will be celebrating his birthday on March 11.  We showed him on the calendar how many days more are left and he exclaimed, “Oh, it is too long to wait!” Nathan and Victor go to the same school, spend a lot of time together, caring and protecting each other.  He is always excited to see his friend and rushes to his home to visit and get him to come to his home to play with his train sets and to watch Thomas and Friends.  Pray that both of them will learn to love, honor, and trust in Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Economic Situation

In the month of January the economic situation in the country has drastically changed and it has already started to affect everyone.  With the devaluation of the Suriname dollar by 20 percent and the government removal of subsidization on fuel, it drove prices at the pump to 50 percent more and almost everything else.  It costs a lot more to travel to various areas of ministry.  Utilities have also gone up by 20 to 30 percent and basic food items such as rice, bread, milk, etc. have increased.  Seeing a doctor or specialist is a lot more expensive now.  Although the devaluation meant a better exchange rate for the US dollars, the inflation and cost of living is much higher so that the purchase power of the dollar is weak. 

We look to the Lord to supply all of our needs.  He has been faithful in providing for us.  Pray that God will continue to meet our financial needs as we give ourselves to His work and that the people will be opened to the Gospel of Christ that liberates.

Prayer Needs

• The Shiwdats need your daily prayers for wisdom, strength, guidance, good health, perseverance to stay focus on the Lord and to carry out God’s purposes in making disciples and equipping leaders.
• Gurudatt is meeting on Wednesdays with a few young men who need to be discipled and equipped to serve among the UPG.  Pray that the men will be faithful and develop as disciples to reproduce others; and for Gurudatt’s protection as he travels in the night. 
• Marco and Marjolein are interested in working among the Wayana. They are going through the process of joining the Christian Mssionary Alliance in Holland and then seconded to World Team.  Pray that God will lead the Schuurmans through this process and provide for their needs to get to the field. 
• Margaret Lytle and Jan Blind are close to completing the concordance for the Wayana New Testament after many years.  Pray that the Lord will enable them to reach this goal, provide the finances for the printing, and to present the concordance to the Wayana churches.       

DIWALI, FESTIVAL OF LIGHT

Diwali is the festival of lights celebrated by Hindus all over the world.   This year the President of Suriname declared it as a national holiday which was highly anticipated and most welcomed by the Hindu communities.   The festival is dedicated to Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth knowledge, and prosperity.  It also symbolizes the victor of light over darkness by honoring the gods who fought and won over evil to establish good.  The day is marked by prayers, feasts, exchanging gifts and sweets, wearing new clothes, visiting relatives and the lighting of diyas (small clay pots filled with oil in which a wick is immersed and lit).  A few days before Diwali, Hindus clean their houses and make all the necessary preparation to welcome the Goddess in their home.  It is also believed that the Goddess of Wealth would enter a clean and cheerful home.  In the evening, inside and outside of the homes are decorated with lights and lighted diyas to illuminate the path by removing the darkness for the Goddess Lakshmi to visit their homes of the worshippers and bring blessings and prosperity.  The tradition of people wearing new cloth is significant especially in Diwali festival. They believe that wearing new cloth is the symbol of healthy souls in healthy bodies. 

As I reflect on light and darkness, my mind goes back to the ONE TRUE LIGHT who has dispelled the darkness from my soul and brought me into His marvelous kingdom as a son of light.  This true light is JESUS CHRIST who said in His own words, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (Jn 8:12).  To experience the True Light and Victory, one must turn from darkness and trust in Christ to be released from the penalty of sin and become a child of God.

TRUST IN JESUS, THE LIGHT.  “Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light” (Jn 12:36).

WALK IN THE LIGHT. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin 1 Jn 1:7). 

LIVE AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT.  “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light” (Eph 5:8).

UNIE CONFERENCE 2010

It was a joy to see the Association of Churches that we affiliate with worked together to plan and host a conference on October 21-23.  Each evening about 200 believers from about 14 churches came together to be challenged and encouraged.  The guest speaker was from Holland.  The message was spoken in Dutch and then translated in Sranan Tongo, the trade language, for the tribal leaders and Bush Negroes leaders to understand.

There were church leaders from the Amerindian church in the interior who came to the conference.  It was encouraging to see church leaders and believers from the villages of Lawa, Apetina, Pelemeu, Tapu, and Kwamula. The Association of Churches helped with the cost of getting the interior church leaders to attend the conference in the city and they provided lodging and transportation for them. This will no doubt encourage the tribal leaders to see that they have not been forgotten.

The Bush Negroes church from Nieuve Wakapoe from French Guiana also attended the conference.  Pastor Bhago and a group of believers came to join the fellowship.

There were also Guyanese churches, Creole churches, Javanese Churches, Bush Negroes Churches, Trio and Wayana Churches, and a Spanish church that were represented.  On Sunday morning about 400 believers from all of these churches gathered together for a celebration in singing worshiping, and hearing from God's Word.  Different group had the opportunity to go up the platform and sing and worship in their mother tongue.  There were songs in Dutch Sranan Tongo, French, English, Javanese, Wayana, Trio, and Spanish.  It was a great experience to hear and see the people worship the Lord in different languages.  It is a little foretaste of what it would be like when the redeemed from the nations of the world would gather before the throne of God to bow down and worship the Lamb of God.

Guruatt & Nadira's October Update

Thank you very much for your prayers and support.  We are doing well.  It has been very warm in Suriname.  The electric company has asked its customers to conserve on electricity by turning on fewer lights and air conditioner.  A rain shower now and again is very welcomed and is refreshing. 

Keeping Fit

The surgery on my leg to remove a tumor in June is completely healed.  At first, it seemed like the healing process was long and I was wondering when it will all be over with dressing it daily with bandages.  The swollenness has gone, the fluid has stopped flowing, and the incision has healed up very well.  From what it was a couple of months ago to what it is now, I am amazed and in awe of the great power and wisdom of our Creator who has designed our bodies to heal.  Like David, I can say:  “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works” (Ps 139:14).

After my physical in June, my doctor recommended that I use medication to lower my cholesterol.  I decided to start an exercise program with dieting to lower my cholesterol.  Thus far, I have been able to shed 38 pounds and I still have another 10 pounds to lose.  I have a lot more energy to keep up with 5 year old Nathan.  Although it has been challenging and not easy, it is not impossible.  In the past I lost weight only to regain it after a while.  But this time, I am serious about keeping it off since both of my parents died from heart failure.  Pray that, in addition to care for our souls, we will take time to care for our physical bodies that we might render service to Him and have a greater impact in His Kingdom work.

  

Guyanese Church Project

The Guyanese church, after many years of desiring to have its own property, was able to purchase a piece of land within their target area of ministry.  The church has been praying and searching for a property in a good location in the city and for a reasonable price for quite some time; and finally the Lord provided for this need.  Nadira and I started this church in the early nineties in someone’s living room.   After that the church moved into our living room and then under the house as it grew, and then finally in our garage.

After the pastor was trained, ordained, and took on the task of   shepherding the flock, we switched over to the Hindustani ministry. 

As you can see, there is an old building on the property which will have to be completely demolished to make space for the new building.  Also there were lots of sugar cane trees and garbage on the property.  It was used as the garbage dump by the neighbors.  The believers have worked hard in clearing the trees and the garbage.  There is still a lot of work to be done in clearing the land, building a fence, and raising funds to construct a building with all the needed facilities.  Pray that God will provide for the Guyanese church so that they will be able to raise the needed funds to have a building to meet their needs and to be able to reach out to the other ethnic groups in their community.

Equipping Hindustani

We see potential for growth for the church in Jarikaba among the Hindustani.  One of the ways to multiply disciples is to equip the believers so that they will grow and mature and be competent to serve and reach out to others.  I have been teaching a series on How to Grow a Healthy Church for over a month.  It has brought much encouragement to the believers. 

One of our leaders, Koemar has been doing a good job in teaching the Word.  Although he works full-time at the banana plantation, he is very active in witnessing to the lost, encouraging the believers, and taking time to prepare lessons to teach.  Koemar has been suffering with eye pain and throat and lungs infection.  This has affected him from studying the Word and teaching at present.  Pray that the Lord will bring healing and Koemar’s health will be restored so that he can be active in the ministry.

Prayer Needs

The association of churches (UNIE) that we affiliate with will be having a three-day seminar for the church leaders.  Special speaker from Holland will be leading the seminar.  Pray for a profitable time.

Pray for Roy Margaret Lytle, tribal missionaries among the Wayana, that God will use them as they speak in several churches in the US to challenge the people and to recruit for the field. 

The Trio church leadership wanted to send two couples to minister to Trio believers who have migrated to the city from the interior.  Pray that the need for financial support, housing, and transportation will be met.

The audio recording of the Wayana New Testament has been completed. Pray for the process  of cleaning up sound issues, adding music, and appropriate sounds that goes along with different scenes. 

Thank you for your continual partnership with us.  May God bless you with His wisdom, strength, and His continual provision and protection daily.