Between a lot of rain through most of the week and a nasty case of flu, I did not see as much outreach as I had hoped. Liz and I were able to go calling on Saturday. We had originally planned to go to Andoe Kampoe, but Zr. Mauke told us the weather was not good. Fortunately we did not go. There was a real deluge later in the afternoon.

A real encouragement: It had been some time since we had had baptisms at the main church. We had an exceptional baptismal service on Sunday. For two weeks, Kalow Palata had been going over baptism with candidates. He asked me to preach on baptism, and had the candidates sit up in the front pews. We wanted them, as well as the congregation, to understand what they were doing.

Kalow baptized a total of 13 persons, most from our church families. One was especially touching. I had mentioned a young boy with a hereditary neurological disease often resulting in death by mid-teens. The disease began showing itself about 2 years ago, and now he can only crawl. However, his mind still is working. The family lives in a very poor wooden house on the back of a narrow street where the bus would not be able to go. The mother comes faithfully. The boy comes some of the time carried by his father.

He wanted to get baptized, but was afraid that if he went under the water, he would not be able to get up and would drown. If I were to do such a baptism, I would have people carry him in a chair into the water, and simply tip the chair back and bring him back up. But Kalow had a different plan. He told the boy that he would go under the water with him and come back. He told the boy that if anyone was going to drown, it would be both of them together. Then the boy was no longer afraid.

Well, he was the first one baptized. I wish that I had had a video that day. Kalow carried him in one arm - he is quite thin and wasted. The boy put his arms around Kalow’s neck. Then he asked him if he had accepted Christ, and wanted to follow him in discipleship. When the boy answered yes to both questions, he plunged himself and the boy under the water briefly and then back up they came. It was truly a unique moment.

Prayer requests:

1. Strength and health for the work
2. Our spiritual growth and teaching and preaching
3. Safety driving.
4. Moving ahead building the Sunny Point church. We are seeing slow progress on the roof.
5. Andoe Kampoe
6. Independence of the 4 churches. We are having a meeting on this on Friday.
7. Schedule for mini-furlough this fall. We thank the Lord that the schedule is basically complete. I am certain there will be additions or alterations, but things seem to be falling into place.
8. Our daughter Kim is pregnant; they have 8 children. She would appreciate prayer very much for this pregnancy.