WITH SYMPATHY

Charles Greenawalt’s mother, Crystal Walker, passed away Saturday night, April 2nd. A family memorial service is planned for some later time.  Our sympathy, heartfelt prayers and love go out to Charles and Barbara and to all in the family.

EATING OUT TOGETHER

Next Eating Out Together . . . . . .will be on Thursday, April 14th at the “Trailblazer Grill” in Burnet at about 5:00 PM. There is a sign-up sheet on the table in the back of the auditorium.

The following report from our brother Mike Udam in Nigeria reflects the challenges and blessings of sharing the gospel and of our need to continue keeping Mike and all the Nigerian brethren in our thoughts and prayers. For the elders, Ken D

HIS PROMISES ARE SURE

We left Ogoja for Onitsha for a very important marriage enrichment seminar – Oba Couples retreat. We were informed that our host Chidi Chibunna, was involved in outdoor evangelism in a town near Onitsha called Nando. He asked us to stop at a popular junction in Anambra state called Awkuzu Junction. The idea was for us to join him at the point of the evangelism and after the exercise, he will drive us home. After the evangelism, those who followed him and my team of three couples could not fit into his picnic car. A young man, Okechukwu Israel, stepped forward and offered to use his car to pick the left-over brethren. Our wives and brother Patrick Woshor joined the picnic car while Cornelius Monjok and I followed the brother in his car.

After an hour trip through Nnewi to Oba in Idemili LGA instead of through Onitsha because of hold ups, the brother dropped us and we were very grateful to God for using him to bless us. Five minutes after dropping us off, armed robbers attacked his car at a bad spot on the road leading to his house around Obosi. That spot is usually manned by the police. Unsuspectingly, he ran into the hands of the bad people and they snatched his car at gunpoint and all that he had on him. 8 minutes later we got a call that the brother has lost his car to armed men close to his house. We were devastated and emotionally disturbed. How can God allow the very car that was used to convey his spokesmen to be snatched at gunpoint?

A decision was reached to speak to God about it. We did and waited on the Lord. 56 hours later, the car was recovered by the police. The robbers ran into the police the next day and could not speak concretely about the car. As the strength of the scrutiny from the police intensified, they simply ran away leaving the car with all the phones and Bibles in the car just as they took it.

We thank God. He has promised to always care for us and demand our total faith in him. At the end, he has shown himself once again to be the promise keeper.

The faith of the young man has been tested and our trust in the lord has been strengthened.

To God be the glory. The Mission to Oba was successfully discharged to the glory of God. It was a couples retreat and 15 couples attended. I spoke about the Man, his wife and his wealth. We had break-out sessions and it was beautiful. The ugly incident almost robbed us of our joy. But the Lord intervened. I am back to Ogoja and met the family well.

Sincerely yours

Mike Udam