"Cold wave" hits Suriname: "It's freezing" said Liz after a cold shower (we do not have hot water). She was right, of course. I checked the thermometer - 75 degrees Farenheit. Of course, feeling cold is relative. But after 23 years in Suriname, 75 degrees feels cold. We didn't need the fan and even slept under the bedspread.

We have had a lot of rain. I had thought the rainy season was at an end. But: Sunday till Monday night - about 4 inches. Tuesday through Wednesday - another 3-4 inches. Our street flooded, and I missed my three mile walk for the first time since returning to Suriname last fall. Tuesday's paper had pictures - 3 boys laughing and paddling down a street in a plastic raft; men picking up some extra cash by pushing stalled cars through the water; a bus plowing through about 18 inches of water. Tuesday night I had a meeting. The street to the church was about 2/3 under water, and some areas getting there were more than a foot deep.

Monday night, we cancelled Bible Institute for the first time this year, and I believe the second time in 18 years of the Institute. Paramaribo is built on what was swamp, and many housing areas back onto swamp. Our students are widely scattered through the city area. One of our preachers used to feel the kaiman (small alligator species - seldom bigger than 6-7 feet, usually much smaller) hit the underside of his house that was built up on supports. A few years ago, Liz walked by a 10 foot anaconda that one man had pulled out of the drainage ditch and killed with a machete. Some have had similar snakes in their yard, or crossing flooded streets. Even after three days, many homes are still sitting with standing water, some inside the house. Many streets are still flooded, as well as a number of schools. Thus I thought it best with widespread flooding to wait until next Monday to begin the new teaching module.

Soulwinning in English: We are so accustomed to soulwin in Sranantongo that it is now difficult to switch gears to English. A Guyanese family has been coming to the church - their 19 year old daughter was recently saved and baptized. The mother is married to a Surinamer and speaks fluent Sranantongo, as does her daughter. The mother had a sister visit from London, and came to church on Sunday although the sister did not understand Sranantongo. When we drove through some flooding to her house, we met both her sister and brother-in-law. We had not only an excellent visit but also a wonderful opportunity both to give my testimony and to present the gospel in detail. The sister had been saved years ago in Guyana. Her husband is unsaved, but now knows it, and will be thinking. Liz had brought a John-Romans in English along with an assortment of Engish tracts which he promised to study. We believe that one day he too will trust Christ as savior.

Schedule completed: Thank you for praying for my schedule for the three months in the USA. It was pretty much completed this week. We will be in six Bible colleges to teach or preach in chapel. We will be giving two week block courses in two schools. I am excited and looking forward to the challenge. We will also be in 11 non-supporting churches, mostly churches where we have never been before. We pray that we might be an encouragement to the pastors and their church, and to spur on efforts in missions.

Bible Institutes: The basic Bible Institute will begin the second of three modules next Monday, and the advanced Bible students will be taking their first module exam for the advanced Institute on Tuesday. We have been very pleased with the response to the advanced Bible Institute, and I am looking forward to teaching some new material on the call to missions.

Evangelism: At the request of the leadership, I have been asked to strengthen our soulwinning program. Please pray for me and for the church as well to be effective in expanding our outreach.

Prayer requests:

1. Strength and health for the work
2. Our spiritual growth
3. The Bible Institutes to raise up more and stronger leaders for the churches
4. Independence of the churches
5. Soulwinning - more participation, more effective in reaching the lost
6. A number of our supporting pastors have major problems - health, church problems, family health situations, etc. Join us in praying for them. God knows their names.