Make New Friends, But Keep the Old...

"Make New Friends, But Keep the Old, One is Silver, but the Others Gold"

We will be speaking in Enumclaw and Graham, Washington this Sunday to new people, but tonight and tomorrow we are enjoying renewing ties with our old friends and extended family. Dinner, popcorn, corny jokes and old movies with my brother-in-law Steve Dorsey and his wife Nancy were a real treat for us Friday night. Saturday, more friends are coming over. Being isolated on the mission field can make it hard to maintain friendships and family closeness. We feel blessed this month by being able to revive and renew our important personal relationships.

We are trying to fill in our meetings for April in the New York/Penn state area of the country. Please pray that we might get some good meetings scheduled soon for April.

Pleased in Puyallup

We had a busy couple of weeks and a big Sunday in Puyallup recently. Sunday, Tina gave her testimony and I taught about missions in the Adult Sunday School hour. Tina then taught in Jr. Church and I spoke in the main morning service and showed our PowerPoint presentation. Sunday night I preached and the church responded warmly both in friendship and financially. Pastor Franks gave us the good news that the church was giving us a raise in their monthly contributions to our ministry. They also gave us a generous gift of $800. Praise the Lord! Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to the kind people of Puyallup Community Baptist Church. Thank you!

Family Watch Dog Site Protects Children.

My Uncle Tom sent me a link to an impressive site that helps safegaurd kids from sexual predators. It is called: http://www.familywatchdog.us/. Put in your address and the site shows a map of your local area and where the sexual predators in the area live. If you click on the locations, you even get a picture of the person, the crime they were in jail for and even the distance they live from your house! Maybe it will make some folks more paranoid, but I think it is a good idea as it makes you aware of the realities of the neighborhood. As a missionary on the road with children, I appreciate the good work others have done to keep an eye on evil men so we can live in a safer neighborhood.

Kids Galore: Awana Night in Puyallup, Washington

Tina and I spoke at a great youth outreach that is a ministry of Puyallup Community Baptist Church. I taught 3 classes that had about 40 kids in each class and Tina taught the younger children in a different part of the church. They were interested and asked lots of questions. Maybe one of those kids will be a missionary someday!

Bethany and Rachel are going back to Pensacola Christian College tomorrow morning :( to complete their sophomore year at college. We will get up early and say good-by at the airport at about 11:30. We will really miss them.

“Locks of Love”

Bethany had Tina cut off 11” of her hair today. They are going to mail it in to “Locks of Love” a group that helps children who have gone bald while undergoing cancer therapy. It is nice to have kids who have learned to give of themselves to help others. We are very proud of them.

Flexible Friends

Pastor Doan let us speak Wednesday in Vacaville on short notice and we were received well by him and the church people. One lady gave us a chocolate cake and a pair of shoes to Tina to take home! We all had cake for breakfast the next morning! A newlywed couple, Kevin and Rosemary Aubin of Sacramento allowed us to stay with them from Monday night through Thursday afternoon. They were known to our daughters, but we had never met them before. Thanks to a flexible church and some hospitable new friends, our trip from Los Angeles to Tacoma was, comfortable, enjoyable and a lot less expensive than it could have been! Thanks!

Speechless in the Sierra Nevada Foothills

I heard Tina answer the phone and say “Sorry Pastor, Steve can’t speak to you on the phone right now, he has laryngitis and is saving his voice to preach in your church tomorrow.”

And I did! I could barley whisper or even swallow. The next morning, I felt a thrill of fear as I walked down the aisle of a church, opened my mouth and waited to see if I could hear my own voice. Praise the Lord, it was sufficient to the occasion and lasted the entire service.

The people of Porterville were wonderful and encouraged us. Right after the service, we had a great lunch, but my throat was so sore all I could do was sip soup and listen to the others talk. Maybe that is why I got it! Well, whatever the reason, today I was able to eat a regular meal for the first time since Friday night, so I think I am good to go for our meeting in Vacaville, California Wednesday night. Come out and hear us (I hope)!

Orchard Ave. Baptist Church info: http://www.orchardbaptist.org/index.htm