Dear Friend:

We count on you and your prayers for the ministry here!

Adjustment! Who would think that after 23 years, you would still have to adjust to returning to Suriname. But it is true. We must adjust to driving on the left side of the road, especially the first couple days. We must adjust to the difference in traffic and driving. We must adjust to speaking primarily Sranantongo, and removing English out of your speech. And we must adjust to the heat. We both felt the cold while in the USA, but this year Suriname has been unusually hot, and the "dry time" has stayed several weeks beyond normal. We have "felt" the heat, and have had to drink more fluids, and limit our walking to early in the morning and shorter distances.

And then there is the adjustment to things that must be repaired: (1) the van whose alternator went out; (2) the computer that would no longer work; and (3) the international cable that is broken so that the French Guyana and Suriname are somewhat cut off from the world. If this letter is delayed, you will know why.

Despite the adjustments, we are glad to be home. We were warmly welcomed back by our people. The van runs again with a new alternator. The computer works when the static was removed. Our bodies are getting slowly adjusted to the heat. And we are slowly catching up.

Just before leaving the USA, we learned that the wife of one of the men at Winti Wai suddenly died unexpectedly - the mother of 12 children, leaving two girls 9 and 7 still at home with her 64 year old husband. We missed the funeral last week Tuesday, but I was asked to preach at a service one week later, which is traditional here in Suriname. It is also traditional to have a second service about six weeks later, and a third one approximately six months or so later. Although the heathen use these times to do heathen ceremonies, we find that as believers, it is also helpful to have additional services for those who have died. We can comfort the family and give moral support those who have lost their loved ones. It is a wonderful opportunity to show the reason of our hope in eternal life, and to show sorrow in a way different from those who have no hope.

I preached from I Thessalonians 4:13-18, tied it together with John 14:1-3 and I Corinthians 15:51-57 showing that we indeed have the certainty of eternal life because Christ lives in us, and we share in His life. I then showed how one could receive Christ for those who have not done so. Winston Zeeman closed the service inviting those who were not yet saved to receive the Lord.

Liz and I went to see the mother of the woman who died. She had received Christ when she was desperately sick about three years ago. She thanked us profusely for coming. She thanked the Lord that there was no family fighting during the funeral ceremonies, which she had feared as many of the family are unsaved. Another daughter was staying with the mother, and gave a wonderful testimony of how the Lord has sustained her over the last three years. Her husband was shot to death in front of her (I think that it was a robbery) while she was pregnant with her eighth child. Several of her family are saved, but the majority of the extended family are not. We pray that many will receive Christ.

In striking contrast, we visited another lady who is holding the heathen cultural system after death. She is clearly saved, but older, and with no family to support her. She is going through many of the cultural ways of living after death of a spouse. She wears some of his clothes. She sits on a special stool tied with a special white cloth. We prayed with her, and the church family will need to continue to pray that she will not become weak in the faith. Her older sister approached me when we were there, stating that she wants to get saved, but needs to wait until "lo" - the time of sorrow - is over, probably about 6 months from now. We do pray for this family also to break out of the ties of heathenism and come to Christ. Six ladies from our church prayed with her the day before Liz and I visited.

Special prayer requests:

1. Continued adjustment to the weather, etc. in Suriname
2. Our spiritual growth
3. Strength and health for the work
4. Guidance in an important meeting concerning the burial funds, the finances of Sunny Point, and several decisions concerning the Bible Institutes
5. Independence of the churches
6. Decisions about transportation costs

In Him and Content:

Bob and Liz Patton