Hello to all our S.O.M. supporters, followers and prayer partners,
Just wanted to inform all of you that John and the Bolivia team arrived back home safely and rejoicing over all the Lord enabled them to do for the ministry at Monte Blanco. I’ve attached just a few pics to allow you to see the scope of this major water project. Thank you for your prayers for John and the team as they worked to complete this enormous project, for safety, for strength and for the ministry of Monte Blanco as they reach thousands of young people sharing the Good News of the Gospel of Christ. That’s the sole purpose for everything we do!! To enable those on the field and equip them with the best possible resources to reach their people with the saving Grace of Christ. Praise God he allows us (you/me) the privilege to serve Him and participate in what He is doing in this world.
Next on the schedule is John’s knee replacement surgery. This will take place on August 3rd in Canton, OH. We have been busy with Dr. appointments, lab work, therapy consultations and pre-op instructions since John’s return. As I have stated before – this will (no doubt) be one of John’s most challenging assignments from the Lord. Not that he is fearful or anxious, but that he will be immobile for awhile:):). He is in full confidence and peace that this must be done in order for him to function in a manner he is used to and believe that the Lord has arranged this timing for him.
We do ask for your prayers for the surgery, the recovery and the healing process. John has a full slate of projects ahead and will be using his recovery time to map out Church building plans for Liberia, Well drilling and water storage in Ivory Coast, Bible School addition for Jacques. We also have a couple local ministries needing assistance with building upgrades for church use and the renovation of a building for a Youth for Christ ministry in downtown Cleveland.
Let me update you briefly on Jacques’s ministry in Golikro, Ivory Coast. He reports that they are 14 new Bible School students and all is going very well with them. A couple of them are traveling as far as 6 hours to come and get training in God’s Word!! Their desire is to know truth and in turn teach that truth to their congregations. The church in Golikro is growing:). Julienne’s SS class has outgrown the front porch, so they have migrated to the shade of the mango trees and beyond. All of the wells we drilled in 2014 are producing plenty of water and in fact the one closest to the church can provide so much water that there is a need to build a water tower for storage and possible farm irrigation – Praise the Lord!!
Our plans are to take teams to Ivory Coast and build on to the Bible School and drill an additional 6 wells in April of 2018. So, please be praying about how you can be a part of that project. Jacques will also need to provide some basic Bible teaching materials to his students as they progress in their training. If you want to help with that, you can do so by donating to SOM and marking your gift – Bible School. Any other project you wish to be a part of you can simply mark your gift with that projects name or general use. Thank you ahead of time for your faithful support and for answering the call to partner in the Lord’s work.
I’ll close with expressing our sincere gratitude for you! John and I pray for you each day and ask that God would bless you and increase your joy as you faithfully serve Him.
1 Chronicles 29:14-16 (ESV)
“But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. 15 For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. 16 O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own.