God has really blessed us with the addition of new prayer partners and workers on the field here. Two couples who previously attended First Indian returned to help with the ministry there. George Hostler is leading music and Danny and Denise Ellis are working with children and youth. Please remember them as they adjust to life back in Gallup. Elston and Renee Bingham visited from Georgia and feel God's call to New Mexico. We are all praying about the details of their move here. Please remember them when you pray. They need to rent their house in Georgia at this time. We also met with Jamie and Nancy Sharpton of Birmingham, AL. They have been coming to the area and doing VBS in Red Rock for many years. We have had several visitors from the Red Rock area and would like to start ongoing mission work there. Please pray for God to open doors in this area. Pray that we will know the direction and plans He has there.
During the month of October, we had our first mission team join us through Hands and Feet, Adairsville, GA. This team consisted of a group of women from Burnt Hickory Baptist Church of Powder Springs, GA. We are excited about the ongoing partnership with this group of women (Sisters of the Heart) and Hands and Feet. This group broke new ground for us as they led a women's conference. This was an exciting time for us. The women who attended the conference were given gifts, meals, pedicures, manicures and facials. All of these things were done to share with them the worth they have in Jesus Christ. They were also blessed with worship and teaching done by the women of Burnt Hickory. The mission team also led VBS and a huge family night activity in the Church Rock area. The last day of their visit they did some work projects at First Indian and a home in Church Rock. These women were truly the hands and feet of our Lord while visiting here. Please pray for them as they plan to come back in the summer. We hope to get pictures to Tim soon to post on the website.
Please pray for the groups who will visit during the holidays. We are excited about the opportunity to present the gospel to so many. We will deliver gifts to the children at Church Rock Academy alongside a church from Jacksonville, AL. Another church in Louisiana will be visiting during the holidays. We will assist them in giving out shoebox gifts, doing work projects and feeding Christmas meals LA style (gumbo). This will be the most extensive work we have done during the holidays. We are praising God for this opportunity. Some other churches are preparing stockings, blankets, and other items to be distributed. Please pray for all involved in this joint effort.
Pray for direction for the congregation at First Indian Baptist Church. We hope to begin a monthly feeding program soon. We also plan to renovate the upstairs apartment to be used for a food pantry, clothing outreach, prayer center and teaching/training, etc.
On a personal note......the boys are doing great. Lucas just finished his first season of football and Eli was manager for the cross country team. We were blessed with a trip to GA/AL to visit with family in October. While we were gone, our house was broken into and vandalized. The boys also stole some items including Mark's jeep. All of the items were recovered when the boys were caught drinking and driving. God truly was protecting us and our belongings. We want to give Him glory for allowing us to be used to catch these young boys. There had been several other break-ins in our teacher area. Please pray for these young men. Mark will be visiting them soon to offer forgiveness and to share the hope found only in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are so thankful that what others meant for harm; He meant for good.
Please pray for all those who are ministering to the Navajo people. We were able to spend time with some of those working at Wingate on Saturday. We had lunch with a Sunday school class visiting from Albuquerque. It was a great time of sharing what God is doing. God is doing a mighty work here and the enemy is not happy. We are all experiencing much spiritual warfare. Praise God that Jesus is greater than he that is in the world!
Mission Groups Currently On-site. Mission teams continue to work here in the Church Rock community. Please pray for these teams as they represent Jesus Christ to the Navajo Nation.
New Partnership. We are excited about a new partnership with Hands and Feet Ministries in Adairsville, Georgia. They are currently organizing teams to build a new home for a family in the Church Rock Community. The home was destroyed by a flood several years ago, and the family has not been able to live on their land since the flood. Any groups working on this particular project must register with Hands and Feet Ministries and come as a part of their ministry.
Supporting Churches . The Chandlers were able to make presentations in 6 churches in Georgia and Alabama during their Spring Break get-away. Pray that these churches will be sensitive to God's will concerning their possible involvement with our ministry.
Nora Lee. Pray for Nora as she is currently undergoing treatment for cancer. Please pray for her healing. She is also still grieving the recent loss of two grown children.
The Vision. We are in the process of introducing the expanded vision for the ministry in the Church Rock area. Being a God-sized vision, support for the vision must be secured from partners, individuals, churches, ministry organizations and Southern Baptist entities for the vision to go forward. God has already revealed the vision; please pray that the right people will participate and support God's vision to reach the people in the Church Rock area. For information about this vision, click here.
Ministry Bus Dedicated. The mobile classroom bus is now in operation. The bus was dedicated on Sunday, May 4, 2008. Please pray for this ministry as we use this new ministry for teaching and worship opportunities in isolated areas.
New Christian. Please pray for Eric, a new Christian convert in Church Rock. Pray that God will show Himself powerful in Eric's life and help him to overcome his old ways of living. Pray for his family; Eric's wife is a Christian also.
Church Health. Continue to pray for the health and effectiveness of Church Rock Family Life Baptist Church . Ministry in the Church Rock community is a slow and determined process. Please pray that God will keep everyone strong and bold. Pray that our people do not become tired and overwhelmed. There are so many people who need to hear and understand the hope and encouragement that is available only through a personal ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ.
Ministry Needs. Pray for the needs of the ministry. Many people have requested that we post a list of needs. Click here for more information.
