A Great Day!

 
July 25, 2007

Wow, these have been very busy the last couple of days! Holiday Bible Club is awesome! Tuesday there were 55 in attendance in HBC and Wednesday due to heavy rain we had a slight drop in attendance but still had 47 soaking wet children to show up – one parent said that she just knew that her children would not want to come because of the rain, but awoke on their own excited and ready to come!.

Tuesday night we did something different this year by showing the film entitled “The Climb.”  There were over 50 in attendance and several parents came as well.  The film was well received and I looking for more to attend Thursday night when we show the film “Facing The Giants.”  The films have proven to be an awesome addition to our program and certainly a way to reach the parents and other adults of the Garw Valley.

Our second Youth Bible Study was GREAT!   I taught them the assurance of salvation.  These teenagers are so hungry for the Word!  It was awesome!  At the conclusion of the study we organized their youth group and elected officers; they will begin meeting every Sunday morning from 10:00 – 11:00 am.   Their group will be known as “God Spot.” I get so excited to see how God is working here!

Wednesday night we met for fish – n- chips.  Yum, Yum.  There were several members of other churches here to share in the fellowship and to encourage this small congregation. God is faithful and you can certainly see Him at work here.  However, just as in many places within the US, you can attest to the fact that  “…”The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”  May we all pray to this end!

Rainy Monday

Although it rained (again) today, Holiday Bible Club (VBS) began this morning at 8:45 a.m. with 44 children attending. The children here are fantastic and are very receptive to us and the Word. Today they learned to have “Courage to Know God” using the Artic Edge VBS material 2006. As wonderful as Holiday Bible Club was, I would say that our discipleship class for the youth was one of the most enjoyable experiences thus far. The youth who were saved last year are hungry for the Word and so anxious to learn. We met with them this evening and taught and discussed the doctrine of Salvation. Following the Bible study, we sang and worshiped the Lord. We finished our time together playing a wonderful game called rhythm . If you are unfamiliar with this game, it is a must for you to witness and/or play!

Perhaps, I’ll tell you about it next time.

Keep praying for the team and the children we are ministring too.

Departing for Wales

We gathered at Mobile Airport between 2:00 and 2:45 pm Friday, July 20, 2007. As each team member arrived you could since the excitement building within the group. As I watched team members tell their family and friends goodbye, I reflected on the many times the Apostle Paul had to say goodbye to embark upon the missionary journeys that he did for the Lord.

The flights all went well and the food was, well – airplane food – what can one expect? We arrived in Cardiff, Wales around 1:00 local time today. Meeting our friends here was nothing short of awesome. It was like coming home. We have spent today relaxing and recovering from jet lag. I am so anxious to worship with our friends tomorrow!

Last year a very good friend of mine and a member of the church that I pastor came with us. After returning to the states he surrendered to the preaching ministry and soon began to feel God call him to come to this valley to minister full time. Since that announcement, the little church here has called him as their pastor. Now, he, his wife, and daughter are preparing to move here and begin the ministry that God has called them to. I ask that you pray for them. They are Robert and Tammy Willmann. They have returned with the team this year and are praying that God will even now begin to move and provide the means of their coming. I end this blog to finish preparing for tomorrow and ask that you continue to pray for the team and ministry opportunity while we are here.

My Third Trip to Wales

The Wales 2007 mission trip will be the third visit for me. My first trip to Wales was in 2003, and I fell in love with the people there. On this trip I had the privilege of leading several teens to Christ. In 2006, there were 13 who prayed to receive Christ as their savior and I have been asked to baptize at least two of the teenagers when we return this summer. With that said, one could only imagine the excitement that I have to return. I would ask, that all who read this, pray for God’s blessing on the team as we prepare to do His will. Pray also, for good health and safe travel.

We look forward to seeing what God has in store for us this summer and long to see the friends that we have already made in Wales.

(Gordon is in the Graduate Program at the University of Mobile working on his MA in Biblical Theology.)