Greetings from Ambassador Baptist College. We just finished three days of teaching here - a total of 7 classes as well as addressing the mission prayer band. It is exciting to see the number of missions majors here, and especially those interested in two areas of special interest - church planting in the 10/40 window, where 97% of all unreached people live, and also two persons definitely planning to do translation in the same areas. Dr. Norman Johnston has done a great job working with the students over the years. We arrived at an opportune time. He was hosting 10 Korean pastors from all over the USA for a conference here, and it was helpful that I was able to fill in for him over these three days. He not only carries a full teaching schedule, but also is planting two churches in the area of Charlotte, N.C. - one in English and one in Korean. He was a church planting pastor in Korea for a number of years, and also in other areas in North America. We have really enjoyed our time.

Last year, I came as Dr. Patton, Missionary to Suriname. Now I have a different title. I am Seth Champlin's grandpa. Seth is doing well, and is well known. He rises head and shoulders above the crowd, so to speak, at height 6 ft. 4 in. But this year there is a freshman student taller than him.... He is doing very well both spiritually and scholastically.

On Thursday we had a nice time with Keith and Martha Terpening. We met them first at Junieta Baptist Church in Vassar Michigan years ago and stayed at their home. Three years ago they moved to Greenville, S.C., and drove up to see us and brought a picnic lunch. Their nephew is Silas Childs, who spent the summer with Ethan and Kim. Keith also fixed a bicycle for Seth which he had purchased last year.

We had a small but frustrating problem today. For the first time this year, my computer would not work with the projector. After working an hour, I finally got it to work - but only briefly for one class, and I had to teach both other classes with just notes and no Powerpoint illustrations. So I would appreciate your prayers. I do believe there is a defect in the computer itself. I have the mac also with me, and if I can get the right connector, I may take the plunge and try using it next week. We will have a busy time at Crown College. I will be teaching 9 classes, preaching in chapel, and teaching a Sunday school class. We would appreciate your prayers that things would go well, and that the Lord would raise up an army of missionaries to go forth.

Special prayer request:

Many of you know or know of Dr. John Dreisbach. For those who do not, he is a medical missionary (surgeon) who spent many years in Africa, with a great talent for doing such things as reconstructive surgery for leprosy, etc. He is very well known, and Bob Jones University made a movie of his life a number of years ago. For the past 18 years or so, he has continued to work for GFA mission. He was recently diagnosed with acute leukemia, and has a short prognosis and is very weak. He has a couple projects that he is praying he will have the strength to finish. One is a book being written describing his life, where the author wanted to check out details with him. Another is about a number of memoirs of situations he experienced. He told me that he is a bit ambivalent about a book on his life, because he does not want to focus attention on himself, but on the Lord. I assured him that the book would bring glory to the Lord in showing what He can do through a man yielded to him. Please join me in praying for my friend Dr. Dreisbach, and that indeed the Lord will be glorified. At this point in life (86 or 87), he told me that the doctor told him that he had bad news - but to Dr. Dreisbach, it is good news. Soon he will see His savior face to face, and be reunited with his beloved wife, who went to be with the Lord several years ago.

I failed to mention that last weekend when we left Baptist College of Ministry, we spent the entire Sunday at Marquette Manor Baptist Church. I was privileged to teach Sunday school, and then to preach in the evening service. Their new pastor is still in the process of moving his family from Oregon. We had a great time, and we were graciously cared for by a lady in the church on Saturday and Sunday nights.

Monday and Tuesday were spent driving to Ambassador College - a total distance of a bit over 800 miles. We drove to Middletown, Ohio on Monday and stayed overnight at a prophet's chamber that they graciously allowed us to use. Grace Baptist Church is not a supporting church, but when I spoke there a year ago, they mentioned that we would be welcome to use one if it was not already used. Then we drove the rest of the distance to Ambassador on Tuesday. Normally, I have done the majority of the driving, but Liz drove more than I did so that I could work on correcting the commentary. I am now on page 530 of 813 pages...

Prayer requests:

1. Strength and health for the task
2. Spiritual growth
3. Safety in travel
4. That the lessons, classes, and chapel will impact lives for Christ
5. Continued prayer for our people in Suriname
6. Computer problem solved
7. Dr. Dreisbach - his health and strength