Dear Friend,
Happy New Year! Our family hopes you enjoyed some extra time thinking about the redemptive work of Christ over these past few weeks. One of my favorite Christmas verses is I John 4:10, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
A Special Christmas Eve: Our family enjoyed a special lunch with our fellow missionaries, the Osgood family and Bro. Sarabia. (Charles Osgood and Maria are brother and sister.) Then our family of five and James, our class captain, visited some of our Sunday school class members who have not been able to attend church recently. Please pray for the health of Kwabena, Margaret, Simon, and Yaw to improve. Our visit was a blessing to these class members and to their families.
A Special Christmas Morning: Our Ghanaian staff convinced us to have a Christmas morning service instead of the usual Wednesday night Bible study, and it was a great success! First that morning, our Christian school put on a Christmas play. (John quoted Luke 2:1-2 during the play, and he also played a wise man.) Then Pastor Speer preached an excellent sermon on Christ finishing what He started. This happened to be our first service in our new auditorium! Later that day the team got together at the Speers’ house to exchange gifts and desserts and to play games. We had a great Christmas!
Salvation Comes to Edmond’s House: Last month I reported that Edmond’s mother passed away just a few days after Edmond trusted Christ. Edmond has been faithful to church; on December 29, he brought 3 visitors to church. Today he went soul winning with me. He took me to his house, where I was able to win 5 of his family members to Christ. (Edmond is the one behind me in the picture on the left.) Please pray for these family members to visit our church and for Edmond’s continued growth as a Christian.
Office Work: I am writing a series of Sunday school lessons for our church entitled “Now That You Have Sinned.” The series deals with topics such as reproof, confession, accepting your punishment, and restoration. Also, this month our college is launching a master’s program designed to prepare national pastors to start Bible institutes for training pastors in their own villages. Please pray for this effort, which we believe will be a great multiplier for church planting here in Ghana.
Thank you for your faithful support and prayers!
Mike, Maria, John, Joy, & Faith