This month I have begun to read through the book of Exodus. I must be honest in that I am not in a hurry to read through it. I have chosen rather to read one chapter several times over the course of the week. In reading the first few chapters I have been greatly encouraged by how when God sets out a task, He is faithful to complete it. As the nation of Israel suffered under the Egyptian rule, God was bringing forth His perfect plan. While Israel was not prepared for what was about to happen, God was shaping and sharpening His people. How often did Israel cry out against God wanting relief from their captors? God heard them, but it is always in His time and according to His perfect will.
I recently began conversing with a young gentleman in Paraguay who is working with our partners and preparing for possible fulltime ministry. He was amazed that it has now been almost 17 years since my first time in Paraguay. God has used these years to shape and sharpen His tools for the task ahead of us. I am thankful for the 17 years of learning and growing. I am thankful for the people who God brought into my life to help in the process over the last 17 years. Every step in the path has been worth it!
Wrapping up another month of a ministry always leads to some fun memories. However, with time flying so quickly things often run together and we lose track of what events are in what month. The picture to the right was from a Bible Conference held in South America that I was invited to listen in on. The conference took place the end of April. What a blessing it was to hear faithful men of God from Paraguay, United States and Chile working together. Our director, Shawn Haynie, and ministry partner, Juan Carlos Escobar, were both speakers at this conference. Just another way that Adelphos-USA is being used to train up men and women, and to encourage them in their walk with the Lord.
The first weekend of May we reconnected with First Baptist Church of Quincy, WA. They recently became supporters of our ministry but asked that we come back and give a ministry update. It was great to see these friendly faces again and to have such a great time in fellowship!
God also allowed us to connect with a great group of churches in Montana the middle of the month. Jedidiah and I spent a couple days with a group of guys at Lake Blaine Bible Camp as part of their pastor’s retreat/camp workday. While we are not used to the labor work, it was a great time to connect and enjoy some time outdoors. Jedidiah and I needed this time together and away. Swan Valley Baptist Church hosted us for the weekend, and we were able to connect with such an amazing group of faithful servants. Pastor Wood’s faithfulness in serving the Lord for over 30 years at SVBC encouraged our hearts greatly.
The Lord allowed us to return to First Baptist Church of Soap Lake, WA the end of the month. It was such a great blessing to be back with Pastor Schopf and his flock. They have been a great encouragement to us and our ministry. We enjoyed the time getting to know them more and sharing more about ourselves and ministry.
On to some other exciting news, the kids wrapped up their school year. This was a tough year as we spent so much time on the road, but they have done very well! Educating children in the Tahoe and hotel rooms is not an easy task. I am continually thankful for Kathleen and her hard work with the kids. We allowed them a couple weeks off before starting their next year’s material, and they will have some more time off as we have time on the road and some vacation this summer.
If you remember last month, we began the process of applying for language school. Looking through the material we decided it was in our kids’ best interest to get as much schooling done prior to getting to Texas. This will keep them on track, but also lighten the load while Kathleen and I are busy studying Spanish. Using the program we use, allows us a lot of flexibility. We are moving in the right direction and praying that we continue to trust the Lord as we make decisions moving forward.
The journey of deputation allows us to see the hand of God in a whole new way. The other evening during our Proverb and Prayer time with the kids we shared what it means to have so many people faithfully praying for us and supporting us. Because of you, we are able to serve the Lord in fulltime ministry! That brought tears to our eyes that night. God has continued to bless us with a great support system and we honestly could not do it without you.
As I sat down and began working on this ministry update our support level hadn’t changed. We closed out April at 80% and have been blessed beyond words. We began to pray for a 5% increase within a certain time frame. Just a few days into praying and God has already begun to answer. We can now praise the Lord to be at 83% and just 17% away from our final goal! Would you please praise the Lord with us?
We have also been accepted into Rio Grande Bible Institute to begin language training January 2023. We have a busy fall season of meetings, cleaning house, and preparing for the move to Texas. We cannot do it without you!
Thank you for all of your love and support! We can’t wait to see you in Paraguay.
The Loucks Family
Loucks 2 Paraguay 