The Timothy Project

Wow, thanks for all your prayers- it has been encouraging to see the “hit” count to the web site climb this month.  Here is just a quick overview of how things went this weekend:

1) Culto Unido- we had over 500 people enjoy a beautiful day. 40 people went from the three missions and they were thrilled- it was a great opportunity for them to see the larger Baptist family and hear first hand some of the upcoming events of the convention (mainly the annual meeting in January) and are now excited about saving money to be able to attend. It was an important step in them seeing themselves as church and being challenged to grow and develop as church.

2) In Los Santos, they didn’t want to cancel the Youth meeting even though we had been out all day! We didn’t have our usual meeting for various reasons but the church filled up with youth and children and we sang songs and everyone seemed to have a good time.

3) The services yesterday went well, Ramon Ortiz preached in Los Santos and it was a great message. It was good for them to hear someone different than me or Jose! He really challenged them and several made some important decisions. I was pleased to see a group of youth there and watch them follow along in their Bibles and pay attention! Please pray with me that a pastor will emerge for this new church soon!

In The Hole, we had a great group of 16 and had a good discussion. I continue to be concerned about the future there- we haven’t grown as I had hoped and really only Victor and his wife are the only leaders there. I am talking with another couple who live close to see about them coming to join us and help establish things and begin some outreach ministries. Please be in pray for those discussions tomorrow.

I was made aware again this weekend in my dealings with the people how much violence takes place in the home. Please pray for our people, that Christ’s love can breakthrough the hurt and damage done to the hearts of those who have been abused.

4) The seminary faculty meeting went well and I feel encouraged about the future. Pray for a new group of students to enroll (we will begin the end of January). I am praying for at least one person from each of the three missions to enroll. Pray with me please! (two from each would be wonderful!!)

On another note, the Patriots won so that clinched a successful day!

Many of you know Juana- she is an unstoppable evangelist! Her husband Jose is my main helper in the mission work. She has suffered terrible pain for several months, and suffered all sorts of health problems over the past several years. When I heard one doctor was talking about taking her kidney out, I decided it was time to get more involved! Unbelievably, they have only focused on a problem in the kidney when the pain she is struggling with is in front. I have taken her to an internist and gastrologist this week and she is going today to have a colonoscopy to determine what sort of problem is causing this severe pain. Please keep her in your prayers and ask that God would use these doctors to identif her true problem and find a plan of treatment to restore her to health!

Tomorrow morning all the Baptist churches from the Cibao region will be gathering together here in Santiago for the annual “Culto Unido”, which means United Service.  It has always been a blessing to see brothers and sisters in the Lord from other churches, hear what God is doing in those churches and worship together. We have had as many as three hundred participate. I am pleased that at least 45 from the three missions will be participating as well! I believe it will be important to their identity as church, as Baptists, and as Christians. Pray for those who have committed to go, that nothing would hinder them from following through on this commitment, and pray for Victor, Sol, and Hector as they work to arrange transportation for their respective groups.

It has been a very good week. Monday I had a very profitable time in Villa de Yaque visiting with different folks.  I believe Hector is SO CLOSE to making a decision for Christ- please continue to lift him up. There are others in this area that are seeking the Lord- some want to come to Christ and be baptized but their husbands have said they can’t. Others are dealing with painful consequences of sin in their lives but want to find a healthy path- pray for courage to leave behind sinful ways and embrace the path of righteousness.

Monday night we had a prayer time in Los Ciruelitos- it was the international day of prayer for women. We had a faithful group and prayed for various countries- continue to pray with us that God would expand our vision of the needs around the world.

Tuesday in Los Santos we had a smaller group than normal. I discovered that one young man was prohibited by his family to be baptized and now he feels embarrassed- pray he will overcome that and continue to meet with us and study God’s word despite the opposition of his family. (I think they only probited the baptism, not participating with us.)  Contiue to pray for these new believers as they grow and begin to take on more and more responsibility as members of the church. This Sunday Pastor Ramon Ortiz will be preaching during the morning service. Pray for Sol and Eli right now as they prepare the order of service and select the chorus’- that all would be done for God’s glory.

The Hole- our faithful group of young people were present and we enjoyed a good time studying God’s word. We even went so far as to memorize Deuteronomy 6:3.  But when I asked for commitments to read God’s word everyday, there was a lot of hesitation. Pray for them to want to build healthy spiritual habits into their lives. Pray for Victor and I this week as we seek to develop a plan to help them get into God’s word daily. Any suggestions from those of you who work with youth would be GREATLY appreciated!

Yesterday we had a small group in Villa de Yaque, but a good time looking at how to deal with temptations.  A young man was killed in the community and many were with the family.  Pray for this community- there continues to be conflict and dissensions between the upper section and lower section. I struggle to know what role I should take (i try to stay out of community issues) yet they need help to work together peacefully and for the good of all. Pray for the key leaders, for humility and a spirit of cooperation. God is at work among many there, I know He has a plan for this community- pray for wisdom in helping them discover that plan and find the courage to follow it!

Tonight I will be speaking at Los Ciruelitos on prayer- Overcoming Hindrances to Effective Prayer- please keep me in your prayers as I prepare and share tonight!

I heard from Lili yesterday and things have gone well with Carlos. I believe he will move back to MLC on Saturday - please keep them in your prayers.  God is so good to us even in difficult circumstances! Lili told me many folks have been there to help and support them- folks from Cool Spring, from Mill Creek, from the IMB family and also their pastor from Miami who flew up to be with them! It is so good to be a part of God’s family!

Pilar’s mom is doing well finally. Monday night she had a severe drop in her sugar level but since then she has been okay.  Please continue to pray for them, for healing and inner peace. Many in Pilar’s family are not Christians but have begun to seek Him. Pray for an openness to the things of God and for a genuine repentance and turning to Him.

I haven’t heard from the Randolph’s since they left here so I am assuming all has gone well. Please continue to pray for them as they spend time with their family.  It is so important that missionaries (as well as all of God’s servants) have times of renewal and refreshing, reconnecting with the people who we love and love us. Pray for their safety as they travel and spend time with family.

I can’t believe it- one of the most exciting days of our ministry here and I had the camera with me but forgot to even get it out! We baptized 12 people in Los Santos as we began Sunday services. Only three of the six that we planned on (pray for the other three- I don’t know what caused them to back away) but then 9 young people who have been participating in the youth meetings asked to be baptized. 

I was so pleased with the participation of Sol, Eli and Guillermo- pray for them as they emerge as leaders of this church, and pray for their spouses to also come to the Lord.  These three along with Julian basically led the service with a little guidance from me.

Prayer update: Jose and Juana, who have worked so hard in Los Santos, were not able to be present because Juana spent a horrible night in pain and they went to the hospital first thing in the morning. Pray for her as we go see an internist today.

Also, Pilar’s mother got out of the hospital this weekend and is looking good. Pray for them as they continue to look after her. 

Also, for those who check in Monday morning, Carlos is undergoing open heart surgery in Richmond, until about noon. Please keep him and his family in your prayers!

Well, it has been a good week. The baptistry is ready for use tomorrow in Los Santos. It looks like at least 6 and maybe 8 will be baptized!  Please pray this evening and tomorrow morning that many in the community will come to see this act of obedience and that God would touch many hearts to respond in faith. Pray especially for the folks in Villa de Yaque that will be attending- I know several are close to making decisions for Christ and baptism and pray that this service will inspire them to faith!

We had a good service with the youth in the Hole Wednesday and they are coming tomorrow to sing a special during the first official worship service in Los Santos!  Continue to pray for the youth in the Hole- attendance was down, partly because we had missed a week or two with the strike and rain.

Thursday we had a good turn out in Villa de Yaque and had an interesting conversation with a man named Israel and his wife. They have been Christians a long time but are not involved in a church and haven’t been baptized either. They want to be baptized tomorrow so we will see if they follow through with obedience. Pray for him as he struggles to find God’s direction and that they will begin to congregate with some church, hopefully ours!

 

Please be in prayer for Carlos and Lili Llambes as he prepares for open heart surgery on Monday. Many of you know Carlos as the pastor of the church in Bonao who together with his family have helped translate. They have been at MLC in Virginia preparing to become IMB missionaries; he lost consciousness during some exercise and discovered a heart valve problem he has had since birth. We are thankful they were in the States when this happened and he is getting excellent health care. I am thankful to Mill Creek folks and Cool Spring folks who have ministered to them during this time as well.

Also, Barbara Randolph, an IMB missionary here in the DR (Nagua) found out yesterday that her mother passed away. They had planned to visit her during an upcoming vacation. Obviously, the Lord had differant plans. Be in prayer for Barbara and John as they prepare to leave the DR to be with their family in Kansas. 

These words hit me so hard last night as I shared with Richard after the service in Los Santos. He came Saturday to the youth meeting and was there last night as well. He seemed so knowledgable about the things of God and He accepted Christ during the service and as we shared after, I realized he understood salvation to be gained by good works. We walked through the Romans Road of salvation, and focused on Romans 5:6-11.

Richard looked to be near tears as we talked about our helplessness and God’s love and mercy toward us. Two years ago he was baptized by the Mormon church, but he said to me last night that he has wanted to please the Lord but he didn’t know how. It struck me how often this is the case here: people seem to know a lot about God but as we talk about what salvation really is all about and what it means to be a Christian, they are lost- what they haven’t heard is the love and grace that God has for them.  Please pray for him and our new church there as we seek to nurture him in an understanding of God’s word. He is a very sharp young man with an obvious heart for the things of God. I will be giving Richard a Bible for him to study and pray it will become the foundation of his life.

Two others came to the service last night eager to know more about how to know God. Pray for them and for the new believers as they help guide these folks through evangelistic bible studies which will help them discover God’s purpose for their lives.

Whew, what a weekend!

Friday night: 23 ladies from Los Ciruelitos came to the house for a fellowship time and to pray over my new house. It was a wonderful time for all of us. A little after folks had left, Pilar got a call that her mom had taken a turn for the worse- it turns out she had the beginning of a heart attack. We had to take her to the clinic and then eventually to the public hospital.

Health care for the poor is a terrible subject and Friday night’s experience in the emergency room with the loved one of a friend only confirmed my worst feelings about the health care system here. It was dirty, poorly attended, lacked basic supplies (we had to go out to a street vendor to buy a styrofoam cup to get a urine sample for testing because there were no normal bottles) and very disorganized.  Thankfully the ICU of the coronary unit is better equiped and managed and she is receiving adequate care there.

Saturday: With no sleep, we began the building of the baptistry which is really exciting.  We had a music rehearsal for the three missions and had about 25-30 youth and adults- it was inspiring for all of them and I hope will move us on our way to establishing the missions as churches.

Saturday night we had 29 youth for our meeting in Los Santos- after the service many stayed to talk and several asked to study the bible. Pray for the new believers there that will be baptized Sunday that they might be courageous to lead others to study the bible and grow in their faith, becoming multiplying leaders.

Sunday: We had a good worship day at church. A fellow IMB missionary preached and his message on prayer really touched me and I spent the afternoon in some agonizing prayer time.  With all the good happening around me, I am really struggling in some areas and feel like I am walking through a dry desert. Please pray with me that God will break through what is troubling my spirit and bring His healing and grace.

Monday: The missionaries here in Santiago came to inaugurate my house as well. We had a wonderful share time and prayed together and then enjoyed a porkchop cookout! 

We had some good visits in Villa de Yaque in the afternoon and heard that Hector is making some comments about wanting to be baptized! PTL! Continue to pray for him and especially this Sunday as he comes to Los Santos to see the baptismal service there.  I finished up my day buying a few last things for the completion of the baptistry. The community is very excited about the service on Sunday- pray with us that it will be the start of a movement toward God in that community!