Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support of our ministry here in Wanganui. I am just completing my first year of paid, full-time pastoral work since 2011. This is a tremendous blessing, and I can honestly say that it has brought a ministry-saving change in our lives. This year has given me time to recover personally, deal with spiritual and relationship struggles that might otherwise have festered, and generally be a better pastor than I could have been if I had kept going as I had been. This would not be possible without your support.

New Zealand is so desperate for men to be called to the ministry, and keeping in the ministry those who are already there is critical. To my fellow pastors, can I say, Please take care of yourselves. Part of the command to love others is to love others “as thyself.” It is safe to say that this implies a reasonable degree of self-care.

OUTREACH

The Gospel continues to be distributed through Wanganui. I have several people I meet with regularly for discipleship and continued witnessing opportunities. We praise the Lord for Kaya and Rewi, who were recently saved and have been faithful (until they got hit with COVID) to church and discipleship classes. They have many struggles ahead, but their continued faithfulness should hold them in good stead. Please pray for them to be baptized, to remain faithful, and to become increasingly more open to God’s working in their lives.

We also had our “John and Romans Blitz” in a town two hours north of Wanganui (our Samaria). This town is called Taumaranui (pronounced Taw-mah-rah-nu-ee), and from what I could learn, there are no Gospel-preaching churches in the whole town of 5,000 people. We distributed 1,500 John and Romans in just a few short hours and had wonderful fellowship with our church family.

FAMILY

Shockingly, our children continue to get older. Did no one think to warn me of this? Abby turned 12 and seems to have become a lady overnight. My little girl is gone and will be missed greatly, but the little lady who replaced her is a true delight. She is progressing well in school, despite the normal trials of homeschooling. She has a great teacher in Beth. Zack recently turned 8, and he and I are getting stuck into a few projects around the house. He teaches me so much about myself; it is like relearning my history (or rather discarding my excuses) when I am around him. What a witty, loving, and creative gift he is to us.

Beth continues to have struggles with her health, but the drastic dips seem to be shorter and less frequent, though no more easy to predict. She has been investing more time in her music, specifically around her writing of songs and music. It is a blessing to have a home filled with creative praise to our Saviour. I don’t deserve her, but I am trying to work my way there.

In Christ’s love,

Nick, Beth, Abby and Zack Watt