January 14, 2008 Update

Dear Friends,Here is an update in reference to the good old fashioned Gospel tract. Every year I make sure to order in some specific tracts for Christmas that are applicable and designed for Christmas time. We then make them available to the church folks to use usually by the first of December. I encourage them to put them in Christmas cards, in with bill payments, hand them out in the shops, etc. Any left overs we use in December while going door to door. As a family we participate as well. Lisa being the creative one in our family always like to do some baking for others. So, she and the girls baked a load of biscuits (cookies) as well as apple and banana breads and packaged them up along with Christmas Gospel tract for the neighbors, friends, and the people we have met and interact with on a regular basis. In that group is the group of people from the community that Lisa plays volleyball with on Monday evenings. The volleyball groups has for the most part kept Lisa at arms length because she is "different" (does not cuss or go to the pub with them). When ever you meet some one here for the first time it is usually obvious to them that you (us) are American and not from here (Ireland). The first time at volley ball for Lisa was no different. She then was asked the normal routine of questions, "Do you like it here?, What are you doing here?, How long do intend to stay here?, etc." So, she explained that we are Baptist missionaries and her husband (ME:) preaches and teaches the Bible at Anchor Baptist Church in town. Well, back to the Christmas tracts. Lisa gave each person in the group a gift of biscuits and a tract. Lisa then came home and they all head for the pub. One lady opened the package and found the tract and said "Oh no-she's a Christian!" A French lady spoke up and said, "What do you mean-a catholic?" The Irish lady said, "OH no-worse then that she is a Baptist!" The French lady spoke up again and said, "what is wrong with that? I'm a Baptist too." The Irish lady said, "You are not-besides, Lisa has five kids." (I guess that is the defining mark of a true Baptist Christian!) Anyway, this past Saturday night we got a text message from the French lady asking if she could come to church. Lisa rang her back and made the arrangements as well as invited her over for dinner after the service. She stayed the whole afternoon and explained the conversation that took place at the pub at Christmas time. She then proceeded to tell us that she was a born again Christian and had been attending a Baptist church in France before coming to Ireland. Then she said, "You know, everyone at volleyball knows you are different, but when I spoke up they did not believe that I was a Christian." She had been cussing and going to the pub right along with the rest of them and admitted the she had no testimony. She said, "Imagine that, a little Bible message in a bag of biscuits to get me thinking about going to church again."

You never know what may come out of the use of a Gospel tract. Be praying for her. I need to dig deeper into her salvation testimony to be assured of her salvation. She lives a rough 45 minute drive away. So, it will take significant effort and determination to come to church along with the fact that she works many Sundays.

After recently speaking with our pastor from our sending church, we felt that our next prayer letter should give you an update concerning our financial position. Our regular prayer letter was posted out yesterday. So you should have it by the end of the week. Hope your week is off to a good start.

May the Lord find us faithful,

Don Thatcher