Opportunity to Preach the Gospel

On March 9th Nadira and I had an appointment to visit a Hindustani lady in a hospital who was suffering from Aids.  Sister M, a believer, wanted us to visit and pray with her sister.  M shared with us that her sister had attended church for a while and then drifted into the the ways of the world.  She was into drugs and had illicit relationships with different men which resulted in the birth of four children.  Two were given up for adoption, one has Aids and is in a special home, and the youngest is with her father.

Some assumed that she was a believer because she had attended church, but we were planning to find out about her spiritual condition and  share the gospel with her.  On our way in the hospital to visit, we met M who was troubled and crying.  She mentioned that the nurse had called her and told her that her sister was not doing well.  We believed at that point her sister S passed away but the nurse was waiting for her to come to her office.  Once we got to the office, the nurse took us to the place where S was lying.  Her body was reduced to bones and some flesh.  The disease had already destroyed the immune system and taken away the desire for food and nurishment.  It was a very sad situation when I saw other family members came and wept.  My heart was saddened when I thought about coming too late to share the gospel.  I realised more than ever that I need to seize the opportunity to visit and share  the gospel with people who are sick befor their state worsen.  That incident made an impact on me personally to be more diligent and more intentional in sharing the gospel with the lost. 

On Friday 11, I went to the preach the message for the funeral service at the cemetary.  About 50 people gathered together under a leaky shed and with the rain pouring  and flooding the areas.  At one point, I nearly did not find the cemetary since someone gave me wrong directons to get there and I almost ended up in a pasture.  It was raining heavily that I did not know where I was going.  The thought even came to my mind that I should return home since the pastor could take charge.  I drove a little longer until I spot the hearse in a side street and headed in that  direction.  At last, I found the place.  I took the opportunity to share the gospel in Dutch and Sarnami to several Hindustani families who do not know the Lord.  I shared on how they can passed from death unto life and be prepared for the future without fearing it.  Keep pray that God will use us to minister to M and her family and seize the opportunity to share Christ with the lost.

Gurudatt & Nathan's Birthday Celebration

On March 12, I celebrated my 50th birthday and Nathan celebrated his 6th on March 11th in the city. We invited friends, church folks, and neighbors to join us for a time of worship, praise, fellowship, and hearing from the Word of God.  It rained a lot during that week and on the day of our celebration it rained most of the day.  Even though it rained heavily, we had about 70 people.  We were hoping for over 100 to come but the weather prevented the rest from coming.  We had a lot to eat and to give thanks to God for.  He has indeed been good to us and His mercies are evident each day. 

Nathan had his celebration at school with 27 of his classmates.  He served cupcake, pop corn, candies, and a drink to the children.  He was looking forward to his birthday celebrate many months ago.  Finally it came and he was excited to celebrated with his friends and also to receive all the gifts.

On March 13, we had another celebration among the Hindustani people in the district.  We had about 40 people who came and joined us.  Our friends brought in a small band and surprised with wonderful songs of praise in Sarnami and Dutch language.  We also heard a short message from the Word of God. 

The Lord was truly glorified in our celebration.  It was a testimony of His goodness and greatness to His people.  His name was honored and praised among His people and even some non Christians were able to hear about the Gospel.

CELEBRATION OF PRAISE

"The rain came down and the floods came up" but the celebration when on to honor the Lord.  It rained heavily each day last week.  Homes and streets were flooded in many districts in Suriname.  We also got a lot of it in our area in the city.  In the midst of it, we had several birthday celebration.  Among the people we work with, it is common to celebrate one's birthday by having a "Thanksgiving Service."   It is a time when relatives, friends, neighbors, and church folks gather together celebrate and give thanks to God for His protection, sustainance and goodness.  During this celebration the Word of God is proclaimed, special songs are being sung, and a hearthy meal is served.   

             Equip to Serve



Rakesh, Nandanie & Joshua

 On Thursday 10 Joshua celebrated his 5th birthday.  I remembered the day when we visited him in the hospital at his birth and prayed for his well being.  Rakesh and Nandanie have been special to us since we led them to the Lord when they were teenagers.  During their marriage in September 2003 I brought the message and walked Nandanie down the asle to give her away.  Her father lived in Guyana and he had abandoned the family when she was a little child.  Her mother took the two daughters and moved to Suriname to find a better life for her children.  She worked very hard and made many sacrifices to provide and care for her children. In the early 90s Nandanie came to church with her mother and sister several times.  They stopped coming to church for a while and we did not know what happened to them. One day while we were out doing evangelism, our path crossed again and we encouraged them to visit the church since they moved into our area to live.  Then one evening, we visited the family Nandanie and her older sister and her brother-in-law prayed to receive the Lord.  The mother had received the Lord in Guyana.

Rakesh came from a Hindu home where his father was abusive and a heavy drinker of alcohol.  He lived in the same street where we lived and had church meetings.  Rakesh came to church whenever he was not busy with chores at home.  It was during our weekly evangelistic outreach in the community that we visited the family.  After several visits, Rakesh and her mother and sister came to church a few times but his father, Harry was a regular visitor at the bar.  Eventually, the father suprised everyone by coming to church with his whole family.  We followed up with the family and then in 1994 the entire family prayed to received the Lord.  We discipled the family and Harry gave up drinking and took better care of his family.  Rakesh has been involved in leading the worship and preaching occassionally.  Presently, he has been attending our Thursday evening Leadership Training Class.  Rakesh has potential in becoming a leader in the Guyanese church.  Pray that God will work in Rakesh lives and make him to be the leader that He will have him to be and that Rakesh will lead his family well for God's glory.

       Salvation Celebration



Gurudatt & Nikki

On March 10, I had the opportunity to share the gospel with Nikki, an 11 year old, who prayed to receive the Lord.  She has been attending church and Sunday School for almost her entire life.  Her father Harry, whom we led to the Lord, told us that Nikki was ready to receive the Lord.  Since I led his family to the Lord in the past, he wanted me to talk to Nikki about salvation and the need to receive Christ.  It rained a lot that afternoon but that did not stop us from visiting the family.  Once we got there, Nikki was ready and prepared by the Holy Spirit to receive the Lord Jesus Christ.  The seed was planted many years ago and it was a matter of simply reaping the fruit. 

Now, the entire family has become believers.  Truly a household has been reached for the Lord.  Pray that Nikki will continue to grow in the Lord through the discipleship process.  Pray for Harry who is on the leadership team of the church and he will be officially ordained as Deacon of the church.

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.