March, 2012

Dear Friends and Prayer Partners,

“Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’s name is to be praised” (Psalm 113:1-3). Here are some of the highlights of the past several months, for which we praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord for His blessings over the Christmas season. A group of young people from Covenant B-P Church, supported by Deacon Raymond Woo, his wife Peggy, and Peggy’s mother, Irene Lee, sang Christmas carols in four homes of members of Covenant B-P Church and Attadale Baptist Church, with neighbors and friends also invited. Deacon Raymond Woo also read Scripture, brought a short message and prayed in three of these homes, while Rev. Ed Paauwe brought a message and prayed in the fourth home.

Irene Lee, Deacon Raymond Woo’s mother-in-law, is in her 70’s. For several years we had been praying for her salvation. Praise the Lord that during 2011 she confessed her sins to the Lord and trusted Christ as Saviour and Lord of her life. She was baptized at Covenant B-P Church on Christmas Day.

Dn. Raymond and Mrs. Peggy Woo’s daughter, Dorcas, and her husband, Deacon David Pang, have a baby son named Moses, who was born on October 29, 2011. On Christmas Day Moses was baptized at Covenant B-P Church. That means that baby Moses Pang and his great-grandmother, Irene Lee, were baptized on the same day! Praise the Lord for His marvelous working in hearts and lives.

Praise and thank the Lord for a blessed missions trip to Myanmar, December 30, 2011 – January 6, 2012. We are grateful to God for safety in travel for the six members of the missions team: Deacon Yen Fye Yap, Jacob Woo, Merilyn Orchard, Mr. Mark Chen, Rev. Ed Paauwe and Mrs. Lehia Paauwe. We thank the Lord for His guidance and encouragement when we went to Myanmar to share the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Shortly after we arrived in Yangon, we attended the New Year’s Eve service at Bible Presbyterian Church of Myanmar. Mr. Chen preached God’s Word that evening. On New Year’s Day, which was the Lord’s Day, Rev. Paauwe preached God’s Word. After the worship service, we had warm fellowship with the people in the church.

From Monday to Friday was the Leadership Training for the adults of BPC, Myanmar, 9 am – 3 pm, with lunch provided by the church. Mr. Chen taught the Five Points of Calvinism, Deacon Yen Fye Yap taught English, and Rev. Paauwe taught The Ten Commandments. Pastor Kima and his wife, Mawite, interpreted for the teachers into their Burmese language. Daily attendance was 35 – 40. There were good question and answer sessions reflecting the students’ interest in God’s Word. We were blessed to have Rev. and Mrs. Andrew Kam of Yangon Bible-Presbyterian Church attend these classes as well.

From Monday to Wednesday were the Children’s Meetings, 10 am – 3 pm, with lunch provided by the church. Jacob Woo, Merilyn Orchard, and Mrs. Lehia Paauwe were privileged to teach the Bible lessons, the memory verses, new songs, and arts and crafts to the children, aged 4 to 12. The Bible lessons were on “Walking With Jesus,” (Salvation and Christian growth), and “God’s Word is My Delight, Wisdom and Hope.” Mawite and Mabiaki, a kindergarten teacher, interpreted for us. The children listened attentively and responded eagerly in their singing, recitation of the Bible verses, and participation in the arts and crafts. We thank God for the 32 children; 15 of them were the orphans and the rest of them were from the kindergarten and Sunday School.

The children were very appreciative and joyful to receive all the gifts that were given to them, particularly the care packets from the children and youth of Covenant B-P Church. We were blessed to serve in the children’s ministry and fellowship with the teachers of the orphanage and kindergarten. We also had warm fellowship with Pastor Kima’s sister, Thangtei, whose husband passed away last year from stomach cancer. She continues to serve the Lord with her baby daughter, Phoebe.

We give thanks to God for His wonderful care throughout the missions trip. We are thankful to Pastor Kima and BPC of Myanmar for their hospitality. We thank each one who prayed for us and for their support of God’s work in Myanmar. “To God be the glory, great things He has done.”

Covenant Bible Institute, which started classes in January 2011, is progressing well. Rev. Ed Paauwe is teaching one night a week on Bible doctrines. He is almost finished teaching “Doctrine of Christ,” after which he will teach “Doctrine of Salvation.”

We thank you for your prayers and faithful support, which have made our ministry in Perth possible. We look forward to the following ministries in the near future.

On April 6, we’ll have a Good Friday service, combining the congregations of Covenant B-P Church and Attadale Baptist Church. Rev. Paauwe will be preaching God’s Word on that occasion. Then we’ll have our Easter service on April 8, praising the Lord that Christ is risen indeed. April 9-12, is the Annual Family Bible Conference of Covenant B-P Church. The theme of the Bible Conference is “Be Fruitful in Every Good work.” Mr. Mark Chen will bring the theme messages; Rev. Ed Paauwe will bring daily devotional messages on “A Closer Walk with God,” and Mrs Lehia Paauwe will minister to the children. On April 29, Covenant B-P Church will celebrate her second anniversary with a Thanksgiving Service and a Thanksgiving Dinner. Please pray that the Lord will bless these coming events for His glory.

We pray that the Lord will continue to bless and keep you. May you have a wonderful Easter in 2012. May our risen Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be your strength always.

With Christian love and prayers,

Edward and Lehia Paauwe

Mr. Srong, my friend and  local Christian leader in Kpbaom, wasn’t always a good Christian.  He was a Shaman of sorts and this made him fairly wealthy and respected.  He and his family lost both respect and income when they came to know Christ as Savior.  They have faced rejection by neighbors and family, mild persecution and financial difficulty for their faith.  Villagers have mocked them for turning to Christ and losing so much.  “What good is your God?” they are asked.  Their once beautiful home where we have all our fellowships has fallen into disrepair because of the loss of income; it is not even possible to go inside anymore because the wood is so worm eaten it can’t support the weight of a person.

Mrs. Srong has struggled to understand why they suffer like this as Christians.  She has been bitter about it but now has come to understand that “prosperity gospel” is not biblical; rather, the Bible promises a reward for those who patiently endure and hope in Christ alone.  When the Srongs were approached last month by an NGO to sell their field next to the church, they may have thought it was an answer to prayer.  They would receive enough money to rebuild their house.  (The wood is too far gone to repair; they must start over.)  I was surprised by their answer.  After prayer and discussion between themselves, the Srongs decided not to sell but to keep the land for the Lord’s work.  They hope it can be used for the pastor’s house or extra classrooms for the church.  God comes first to them, and their house will have to wait.

Please be in prayer for this dear family.  Mr. Srong has been diligent and enthusiastic in his study of God’s word and in his labors for God’s people.  He does evangelism, visitation and re-teaches our lessons to the adults who miss and children who live too far away to come regularly.  Mrs. Srong has grown in Christ and even humbly reconciled herself with her older sister. The family is given to hospitality, and their eldest daughter, Chanak, has also started showing a great hunger for God and His Word.  She is learning to read, looking to grow, and now only considering Christian men as a potential husband. — Rev. Mark Baldwin

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

On January 9th – 14, we had our VBS. This year’s focus was on the plan of salvation of our Lord. We taught the plan of salvation through colors in a book without words. Every day we explained one color, and we had materials for the children.  We printed two evangelistic banners with our logo and church address. We started with 30 children which grew to 60. This year was different because we did our VBS in the small square of the “Uyustus” market.

On Saturday, January 14th, we went to “Pura Pura” park, 30 minutes away from our church. We paid the bus and tickets for all our children. Inside the park we prepared a devotional. We sang and repeated our Bible memory verses. We amplified the activity with our sound system. The people around us listened to the gospel, and we shared many tracts. It was a good experience.  We praise the Lord for 31 children who accepted Jesus Christ as Savior. These kids received a free Gospel of John. Thank you for your prayers for them.

FEEDING THE HOMELESS

We worked for three days with the homeless in the area of the “Bus Terminal.”  We started our work at 7:00 to 8:30 AM. We taught the Word of God to the homeless with the book without words. Many of them accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. We also  provided them with 150 cups of milk, bread and clothes. We shared 310 tracts. Please continue in prayer for these people; May God change their lifestyle.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

1. Please join us in prayer for our AWANA leaders and volunteers.
2. Please pray for new opportunities to share the gospel in Christian Schools.
3. Pray for our Ladies’ Bible Studies.
4. Please pray for the distribution of 1500 gospel tracts and 1000 Gospels of John.
5. Please pray for the completion of our church building in La Paz.
6. Please pray for the visit of Dr. Kevin Backus to Bolivia in March.

Yours in Missions, Rev. David Quisbert

The Lord is growing the mission in North Idaho! We are thankful for our members and adherents, and for the fairly steady flow of visitors through our doors. We are thankful for the opportunities we have to minister privately and corporately in the community. We’re thankful for the marvelous place the Lord has given us from which to launch our efforts and present a public face in the county. God has been very good to us.

We are also rejoicing for those who are seeking membership in our body, now attending membership classes on Sunday afternoons. Also, a group of men are prayerfully considering standing for office in the body, and they are now taking leadership classes with me on Sunday afternoons as well. These are reasons for praise!

Planning for the summer Team Timothy ministry which will follow Synod has now begun in a big way, and team members will soon be getting their assignments which they will carry out alongside the church body. Our principle aim is to evangelize our community in that ministry, and to “introduce” the mission church to our neighbors. Please pray with us, as there will be many obstacles along the way. But, there will also be many chances to grow together as a church body as we put ourselves in the mindset of sacrifice for the cause of Christ. I, for one, am looking forward to the journey. Thanks for your prayers and support for home missions. —Dr. Len Pine

Please remember our summer missions team members as they raise funds and prepare for this summer’s ministry in North Idaho.

February, 2012

Dear Praying Friends,

Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s a bit of a snowy day here in North Idaho, but our thoughts are already beginning to turn to the warmth of summer. Karen and I spent the morning laying out plans for the Team Timothy ministry scheduled to come our way in August. It’s going to be a big effort: thirteen team members, two county fairs in two cities, canvassing, work on the church property, and fellowship with the local church all have to fit into one week. But it’s exciting to think of the opportunities for testifying to the gospel that will present themselves to us. Please join with us in praying for the team members and their fund raising efforts and preparations, and for those who will hear the gospel through their labors.

Between now and then, of course, a lot of work will have to be done by our people here. The Lord has brought a number of visitors our way over the past few months, which is encouraging. I’m currently holding weekly membership classes for a number of folks who are interested in joining the church, and it’s been a terrific time. I’m also teaching classes in church government and leadership for men who are considering holding office, and a fine group of guys is taking part. These steps in the development of the mission are vital, and a great blessing to me personally. The Lord’s hand is evident among us as He shapes and grows this body.

I’ve also been encouraged by the ways the Lord has used us as salt and light in the community. Sometimes those ways are not even directly related to our particular ministry. For example, I’m a member of a small vocal group in town which was preparing for a concert this month. In fact, the group has been working on this concert for about ten months as the program has developed and changed for various reasons. A crisis arose a month or so ago when the director introduced a selection of readings into the program that was a real problem morally and theologically. Two members of the group complained and then dropped out because of their evangelical convictions, and I nearly did as well. But I had a series of conversations with the director (who professes to follow Jesus) which helped her realize at least some of the problems, and in the end she readily scrapped the entire script she had proposed in favor of better, acceptable material. She even asked me to help screen the new selections. Praise God for His work in her heart! These opportunities to be an influence for righteousness in the broader community are common among all of us, and we are thankful that we have them. Sadly, not everyone will darken the door of our churches and mission stations, so being salt and light in the community is vital. Your support helps to make this possible here, and all over the world.

This winter has been a challenging one in the health department for our family, and it has kept us from being as active in the lives of our church family as we would like. But light is beginning to gleam at the end of the health tunnel, and we are seeing how faithful the Lord has been to all of us, all along the way, in spite of our weakness. I’d appreciate your prayers for Karen as she continues to heal after her foot surgery: progress has been steady but slow (which is what it’s supposed to be), and sometimes frustrating for her. If you know her at all, you know that she’s not a person who likes to sit around unable to do much! I’ve been amazed at how much she has been able to accomplish by the grace of God, even with the limitations the recovery process demands. Truly, the Lord’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.

Our daughter, Chelsea, is now home for a sabbatical from college, which is a blessing to all of us. She’s been struggling with illness most of the fall and winter, and is trying to get back on her feet so that she can find a job to begin saving for the next step in her education. Eli, as a junior in high school, is beginning earnestly to consider and make plans for his future after he graduates, with his sights set on a career as a chef. We’re thankful for our children, and thank you for your prayers for them.

It’s been quiet on the home missions front here at PMU over the winter, which is not surprising, but I expect inquiries to begin again once the weather starts getting nicer around the country. The respite has been welcome with all the other things going on, but I’m eager to see some new contacts come across my desk. Other administrative tasks have maintained their pace, and the Lord has provided for every aspect of the agency’s ministry at home and abroad. Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer and support. Your notes of encouragement from time to time bless us. May the Lord richly bless you in turn in the labors to which He has called you.

For the Kingdom,

Len Pine

February, 2012

Ministry Update

The church in Kpbaom was “electrified” this month.  What a blessing!  Our adult’s have been coming early for a prayer meeting and studying about the new life in Christ before the sermon.  Our sermon series through Colossians has come to completion, and we are beginning a series through James.  With the situation stabilized in Kpbaom, we have seen around 8-10 dedicated folks in attendance each week.  They have been receiving the Word and the Westminster Shorter Catechism with joy and growing step by step.

 A few of the children who attended regularly have been forbidden to come to church both in Prey Pdao and Kpbaom. One of these precious children had approached Mr. Srong asking for a Bible.  Komsrun, who has been calling the children, was told by their parents, “Why do we want to listen about Jesus? We don’t want to.” So our classes are getting smaller, but the Lord is gracious. This year we are covering the “Salvation Series.” The first lessons are about heaven. We could see the children were enjoying the lessons and made an effort to memorize the Bible verses; we praise God for their response.

 Vouthia and his siblings, whose father abandoned them when their mother went to work in Malaysia, haven’t come for several weeks, and we’ve learned the family moved to Ratanakiri to find work. (That is the furthest province from Phnom Penh, about 12 hours by bus.)  We’re sad to lose them and pray God blesses them with a new church to feed their souls.

 Teaching Update

I had another chance to teach a one week, intensive class to lay pastors and leaders.  This time I taught the book of James focusing on how the Christian must be, as Paul says, “performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.” (Acts 26:20b)  It was well received, and we pray they will boldly preach the need for a transformed life.

Visitors from Singapore

We are always excited to have visitors, especially when they are friends. On January 16-19, 2012, two young friends (sisters) from Maranatha BPC took a holiday trip to Cambodia. Wiwin helped them get around, and we were joyful that they were able to serve the Lord and His people in the countryside. Both of them shared their testimonies of salvation, taught an English lesson, and since they are nurses, conducted a basic hygiene class.

Please remember us, the people here, and the ministries here in prayer.

Pastor Mark & Wiwin Baldwin

Building on lessons from PMU’s New York City ministry two years ago, this summer’s Team Timothy ministry in  North Idaho will take the gospel to Bonners Ferry and Sandpoint from August 15-23rd.  This summer’s team includes thirteen members from three states and four BP churches. Team members are Alexander Bean, Danielle Blizzard, Hannah and Peter Blizzard, Sharon Blizzard, Julie Brown, Benjamin Couch, Patrick Couch,  Richard and Rita McMillan, Rebekah Sudlow, and Kaiya Weston.

Lead by Pastor Pine, the team will take advantage of county fairs in North Idaho and employ Bible stories, music, drama, food, and other means to make opportunities to testify of Christ. The team will also do door to door work in the area of the mission church, Providence BPC, in Bonners Ferry and assist the church in maintenance and landscaping projects as well.  All in all, it will be a packed week!

Please pray for the team members as they begin their preparations and raise the necessary funds to come and participate in this supporting ministry of BPC’s newest church plant.

The new mission is holding membership and leadership classes in January and February.  The church praises the Lord for growth and progress.

January, 2012

Dear Family of God,

It has been a long time since I have communicated with many of you. Leah and I have been married for thirteen years now. God has blessed us with Darius (9), Zayin (8), Titus (6), Solomon (4), Lukas (3), and Roman (1). The Leaman family has moved around quite a bit, and our lives have come across many beautiful saints of the Lord. In all our travels and in the numerous tasks the Lord has brought to us, the one overarching goal of our life has been to serve Christ and better understand how to advance His cause through our lives. This is certainly our passion and the reason that we desire to serve Christ with all our strength.

Both Leah and I grew up as pastor’s kids. I was born in Brazil in 1972. My parents were missionaries whose main job was to care for orphans in Northeast Brazil. In 1975 my family returned from the mission field.  For me, the connections with Brazil were always strong because my mother is a native Brazilian. The sights, sounds, smells and stories of Brazil were constantly being raised in my imagination through the many travelers that came to our home from that country. After college I had the opportunity to work in Brazil for several years, during which time Leah and I were married. We both came to know the culture, language, people, and most importantly, the needs of that country. The gospel needs of the world are ubiquitous, but Brazil is the place the Lord has put in our hearts and lives.

Since I was a child I have been taught the Scriptural truth that life at its core is about the glory of God. God’s Holy Word teaches people how to glorify Him. In Brazil evangelical theology is growing, but it is in the midst of giant opposition. The battle has already begun as I have faced Spiritism, nominal Roman Catholicism, and an evangelical church inundated with many challenges. Brazil needs reformation, revival and messengers of the good news. My desire has been to better understand, practice, and be able to explain what it is to live for the glory of God. I have prepared myself for this battle through years of theological education. I am now seeking to enter that battle in Brazil, proclaiming the salvation and glory of Christ. In August I was approved as a missionary candidate to Brazil by the Presbyterian Missionary Union Missions Council.

Currently the main tasks I seek to undertake in Brazil are teaching practical theology, specifically discipleship and biblical counseling, and using my sports background as a tool to preach the gospel to the youth. The eternal glory that awaits those who believe in the message of God’s grace is the reason I get excited about missions and obeying our Lord’s great commission.

We are ready to go. Our passports are in process. Work is waiting for us. Now we need you. We need your prayer.  Moving a family of eight to a new country and beginning new ministries are daunting tasks, but God has promised to provide strength and wisdom to His laborers.  We also need monthly financial support. We acknowledge that it is a difficult financial time in our country, but God can and will carry forward His work in the midst of our struggles. Even the smallest amount of faithful support will greatly encourage and help us get moving towards Brazil. PMU has made it easy to give for this cause. You may donate via check mailed to PMU, PO Box 879, Bonners Ferry, ID 83805 or donate through Paypal at donations@presbyterianmissions.org. Please join us in this battle for souls and for the expansion of His kingdom in the huge country of Brazil.

For more information about our ministry, you can visit our website, leamans4brazil.com; follow us on Facebook; or write us at leamans4brazil@gmail.com.  Thank you for your prayers!

“Him we proclaim”

 Douglas E. Leaman