I cannot begin without first praising and thanking God for performing and fulfilling with His hand what He has promised in His Word. “For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.” (Psalm 96:4) I thank you very much for your faithful support in partnering with me to reach the whole country of Gabon with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Mr. Oswalt once said, “No one has the right to hear the Gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once.” As your representative, this is what I plan on faithfully carrying out, with God’s grace, all the way to the mission field.
2016 in Retrospect
The year 2016 was a very fruitful year. God blessed us greatly by allowing us to see 469 salvations, 11 baptisms, 58 visitors, and 7 new members added to the church. Of course, we give God all the glory and thank Him so deeply. I was asked to be the Vacation Bible Time keynote speaker. The Lord performed a mighty work, and we witnessed 114 professions of faith in Jesus Christ. Around summertime, we started a brand-new bus route, and each week we have been having at least 1 new rider.
At the close of the year, we held our Christmas Cantata. Our pastor gave a clear plan of salvation, and 16 people trusted Jesus Christ as their Saviour. Our three-cord core discipleship class moved a good handful of people to do more for the Lord by serving in the many ministries available around the church, such as the Bus Ministry, church maintenance, nursing home, follow-ups, and soul winning. God has blessed us with a great group of faithful men and women with a real heart for God and the ministry. Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord! My dad graduated from this world in December and went to be with His Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. God was greatly glorified! I was able to witness through my sister to at least 300 people who, for many, heard the Gospel for the first time. “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)
God’s hand was with us, as we saw two families on one of our bus routes all come to church. Of these two, one has been quite faithful with their church attendance. I was happy to see these parents on several occasions during our early morning Sunday knocks and Saturday bus visitations not only help their kids but also get joyfully ready for church. God has been using them to bring other people to church. I was also happy to see God move some souls to come to church through our visitation efforts. Some have been coming faithfully ever since.
During the week of my appointment as a FBMI missionary at First Baptist of Hammond, God used me to lead 1 soul to the Lord and witness to 9 people. In 2016, God allowed me to see nearly 200 souls trust Jesus Christ as their Saviour and witness to hundreds of people.
Winter Revival
By the grace of God, our church started the year 2017 strong. In January, Pastor Ralstin had Bro. Domelle preach for us for three days for the Winter Revival. We filled up the church van each night with several bus kids who wanted to come to church. God did a mighty work in their hearts, as many of them have been faithfully coming to church and growing in grace. Our church ordered several Bibles and gave each kid their own Bible. I was happy to see them get excited about receiving the Word of God. We have also been encouraging them to read their Bibles and pray daily. I have been encouraging both my Sunday school kids and the Christian school kids to read at least one chapter a day. Then I challenged them to get at least one truth per chapter and share it among themselves. Several of them have been doing a great job and having fun with it.
In January, 2 of my former bus kids, whose family now drives in to church, got baptized. A kid I led to the Lord has been wanting to get baptized for several days now. His mom gave her approval and is planning on being there. At the end of the month of January, God used me to lead 2 souls to the Lord: Hunter and Hernan. Hunter has been coming to church faithfully ever since. Hernan has been thinking about coming to church and bringing his whole family with him. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9) Two weeks ago a faithful brother from church and I led one bus kid’s mom to the Lord. Last week a 19-year-old young man trusted Jesus Christ as His Saviour.
Witnessing Everywhere: Stores, Banks, Gas Stations, Restaurants, Etc.
One other challenge that I gave the church kids this year was to place witnessing at the top of their bucket list. My challenge to them was to pass out Gospel tracts at least once a week and invite family members and others kids in their neighborhoods to attend one of our services.
On a personal note, about two years ago, God used one sermon to prick my heart to strive to lead every soul I came in contact with to the Lord. The hand of God has been working, as the Lord has allowed me to see souls trust Christ as their Saviour in bus stations, at parks, in hotels, etc. Plus, God has put it into my heart where every soul I lead to the Lord becomes an automatic disciple. Immediately I become much pressed and more accountable for their discipleship and spiritual growth.
Finally, I thank the Lord for giving me such a great opportunity and privilege to serve Him in this new great and amazing ministry of deputation as I look forward to serving Him through churches and witnessing to so many people across the USA.
At His service,
Bro. Fisa Mihy-mihyndu
Missionary to Gabon, Africa