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.