May 2019

When we aren’t in Bugros…

We spend over 9 months of the year in Burgos, but sometimes the Lord deals with us to travel to other cities and countries and lay the groundwork for future outreaches. Here in Spain, it took a couple of years to get things started. With some targeted trips, we can do much of this preliminary work in several places at the same time. More and more, the Lord is providing me travel companions so that Daphne can stay and take care of the Spain work. Here is an update on two countries I visited recently. God is leading us into His fruitful harvest. We give Him glory for all that is happening and you thanks for being such an important part of this ministry!

By the end of our third trip to Mons, Belgium we have:

• Befriended the owner of a coffee shop that is open to having us use his facilities to teach the Bible
• Met and shared the gospel with a Turkish apartment-hotel manager who will help arrange housing for those who travel with us
• Connected with someone in America that is fluent in French and can teach and translate for us.
• Visited a local French school and discussed options for anyone wanting to learn the language

Early outreach in Mons:

• Gave the book In Him by Kenneth E. Hagin to a kind Catholic man and encouraged him to use it to study his Bible
•  Met a man who struggled with schizophrenia and lost his arm in a motorcycle accident – He tried to convince me that God could not love him because of all that he had been through. I assured him that God did love him and gave him a track about His love. He was thankful and, as he left, he made sure that I saw him clinging to the track.
• Had a very good first conversation with a Muslim store clerk that knows I am a Bible teacher
• Became Facebook friends with a local man who, after finding out that we were a long way from our destination, walked with us to his house to pick up his car and gave us a ride.

Fascinating Fact about Mons:

The last shot of World War I was fired in Mons, Belgium when a German sniper shot and killed a Canadian soldier just 2 minutes before the arimistice was to take effect.

On our first, four-day trip to Utretcht, The Netherlands:

• We spent time with Dutch friends and shared at their church (see below to learn the intriguing story of how God brought us together).
• Pastor Greg Anderson, who traveled with me, had a great conversation with a local about what it really means to know and serve God. 
• We met several people and learned our way around the community.
• We visited a local Dutch language school and became aquantied with their program for anyone who wants to study Dutch. (However, most people speak English in the Netherlands, so much can be accomplished at the same time as the language is being studied.)

How God brought us together with our Dutch friends

It was the summer of 2016 and Daphne and I were out and about in Burgos in our exercise clothes. I was wearing a Family Church t-shirt. We were returning home when I heard a voice behind me calling out, “Family Church, Family Church!” As I turned to see what was happening, I was wondering who could be saying “Family Church” in English in Burgos, Spain. It was Adriann from the Netherlands. He had been searching for an English-speaking church in Burgos, Spain and had come across our information (although we do our services in Spanish). He saw on our website that we are connected to the Family Churches in the New York and Pennsylvania region. And when he saw my Family Church t-shirt, he recognized me.

Fast-forward over a year and the Lord started to deal with me about Utrecht, the Netherlands. And over 2 years after we first met, as I was preparing to visit the city, I wondered if the man that I had met here in Burgos lived nearby. I contacted him and learned that he lived just outside of Utrecht, about 20 minutes from where we were staying. He was very welcoming. We had a wonderful time with him and his son and his church community. I am very thankful to God and to him!

Brothers, pray for us. We are praying for you!While I was doing my devotions, this Bible verse jumped out at me. “Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you.” (2 Thessalonians 3:1 ESV) This is the perfect prayer to pray for us. As we work in Burgos and travel, we believe that the Word of God is speeding ahead and being honored! Thank you so much for your prayers.We pray for you, our partners, regularly. Most often we use the scripture prayers in Ephesians 1:15-23 & 3:14-21 to lift you up to the Lord. We believe, according to those prayers, that you have wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God and are strengthened with all might to walk with God and know the fulness of His love. Praise God for his powerful working in our lives!

How God brought us together with our Dutch friends:It was the summer of 2016 and Daphne and I were out and about in Burgos in our exercise clothes. I was wearing a Family Church t-shirt. We were returning home when I heard a voice behind me calling out, “Family Church, Family Church!” As I turned to see what was happening, I was wondering who could be saying “Family Church” in English in Burgos, Spain. It was Adriann from the Netherlands. He had been searching for an English-speaking church in Burgos, Spain and had come across our information (although we do our services in Spanish). He saw on our website that we are connected to the Family Churches in the New York and Pennsylvania region. And when he saw my Family Church t-shirt, he recognized me. Fast-forward over a year and the Lord started to deal with me about Utrecht, the Netherlands. And over 2 years after we first met, as I was preparing to visit the city, I wondered if the man that I had met here in Burgos lived nearby. I contacted him and learned that he lived just outside of Utrecht, about 20 minutes from where we were staying. He was very welcoming. We had a wonderful time with him and his son and his church community. I am very thankful to God and to him!