Thanks for your gift of prayer for our ministry this Christmas season. May the Lord grant you a blessed Christmas season. We have greatly enjoyed hearing from family and friends.

Christmas cookie (and banana bread) evangelism: For a number of years, we missionaries have given out Christmas cookies and goodies to all sorts of people. This year, it seems that Liz will have made Christmas cookies or banana bread for over 70 groups when she finishes. She did most of the baking herself, but had two young ladies from our church help last Saturday. With each gift goes one or more tracts. The garbage men, the shop owners, the radio broadcast teams from three stations, the TV studio team, the vet, the neighbors, as well as many families from our church have received a treat and the gospel as well. It is a wonderful way to build friendships as well as evangelize.

Christmas services: Sunday I preached at the main church in the morning service, and at Winti Wai in the evening. I traced the coming of Christ from Genesis 3:15 and the promised seed of the woman throughout the Old Testament to the actual Christmas story. We see the power as well as the wisdom and foreknowledge of God. We see the love of God despite our sinfulness. We see His power breaking the power of satan. We see the wonderful offer of victorious Christian life now and reigning as co-heirs with Christ throughout eternity. Pray that many will accept His gracious gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Our traditional Christmas service is not Christmas eve, but Christmas night. (We follow the European custom of first and second Christmas - the 26^th is also a holiday). This year, Kalow Palata will be preaching at our main church, and we will have some treats for all as we celebrate our 20^th anniversary in the church building. I had hoped to have the property in the hands of the churches for this anniversary, but we still have some work to do. Pray with us to complete the task of the churches going independent. Also pray for lives to be touched and souls saved in the service.

Christmas weather: In northern USA, we expect snow for Christmas. In Suriname, we expect rain. Finally the rainy season arrived, and this morning it was a cool 73 degrees, with a high expected of 86, and as usual, some rain and humidity of 100%. You who are tired of cold and snow, become missionaries to Suriname and expect a warm welcome!

A reminder that effective January 1, 2009, our support or gifts should be sent to:

Baptist World Mission
PO Box 2149
Decatur, AL 35602-2149

It would probably be good to send a note that it is for Patton support

Prayer requests:

1. Strength and health for the work
2. Our spiritual growth
3. Souls saved and growing in the Lord
4. Independence of the churches
5. Two Bible Institutes starting the first week of January

Once again, we wish you a blessed Christmas season!