Dear Co-laborers in Christ,
We trust that all is well with you. Although we are still in the rainy season and we get some rain almost everyday, it is still hot. There are a lot of mosquitoes in the evenings and in the nights. With the dry season approaching in August, it will be hotter but with no mosquitoes. In the month of July, we have been busy with several activities.
A Day of Fellowship
First of July was "Keti-Koti" (cutting of the chain) in Suriname. It commemorates the abolition of slavery in Suriname in 1863. Several of the Guyanese churches came together for a day of fun and fellowship. The group had a time of worship together and I brought a challenge from the Word of God on Our Liberty in Christ. There were several sports activities for the different age groups. The children as well as the adults had a wonderful time together. It was encouraging to see believers from the different churches sharing and getting to know one another better. We are hoping to have several of these get together in the near future.
Father’s Day Celebration
We joined the Guyanese believers on Father’s Day for a time of celebration. On Mother’s Day, the men prepared and served the ladies a delicious meal. It was neat to see the men planning and working together to get the job done. Likewise on Father’s Day, the ladies got together and fixed a meal for the men. The children sang, recited poems, and gave gifts to the fathers. We need to see more men being faithful and fulfilling their God given roles in the homes and in the churches.
Short-Term Team: Extend Global
On July 10-19, a group of six from St. Louis, Missouri came to partner with us in a week of ministry among the Javanese and Hindustani. The flight was delayed and the team arrived about 3:00 a.m. with one team member’s bag missing. We had a time of orientation with the team, going through the schedule, and eating a meal together. They were involved in several areas of ministry. They had a workshop on training teachers to work with the children and another on training youth workers. There were five churches that participated in the training. In the evenings, the team ministered to Javanese and Hindustani men and women in several communities. The team also went out in groups to visit several Javanese homes. During the house visit on Monday, Eddy (ca. 48yr) prayed to receive the Lord while his wife Nancy was at the Ladies group and his 9 year old daughter was visiting the children’s club. The family lives in a small house with 5 children. Pray that the rest of the family will come to know Christ as Lord and Savior.
On Sunday afternoon, three of the men came and shared at the Hindustani House Church in Jarikaba. John Tucker, the team leader, brought a very encouraging message on "Our Inheritance in Christ." On Thursday evening a mixed group of about 50 men came together for a seminar on Marriage and Communication. The men appreciated the time together.
Vacation in Guyana
Last Saturday, we were planning to leave for Guyana for a week of vacation but all of us came down with the flu. Hopefully in a few days all of us will be healthy again and ready to travel. We are thinking of traveling on July 28 and returning on August 3. My last visit to Guyana was in 2006 when my mother passed away. We are looking forward to encourage family members who are Christians and share the love of Christ with those who have not yet trusted in Christ.
Prayer Requests
Pray that we will be able to develop a practical curriculum for the Portable Bible School to develop leaders in the tribal churches.
Pray that the Lord will protect us during our travel to Guyana and that He will give us a time of rest & meaningful fellowship with family members.
Thank you for your continual prayers and support as we partner to make Christ known to those who still need to hear the Gospel. May the Lord bless you and bountifully supply all of your needs. In Him, Gurudatt, Nadira, & Nathan
