Dear Friends,

Janice and I send you greetings from Jakarta. We do appreciate you folks who continually pray and give for the ministry here in Jakarta, it does make a difference. Let me bring you up to date on the news.

In June we had our Bible school graduation with 13 students graduating. The students received various degrees starting with a one year diploma to a full graduate of theology degree. Most of these students will be heading out to other islands either to start new churches or work in existing churches. Please remember to pray for these graduates as they will face many challenges to fulfill their calling to serve the Lord.

Right after graduation, I traveled to Nias to be with our churches there. I spent the first few days with the two churches in North Nias. Eben, one of our Bible school graduates has taken over the work there and seems to be doing a good job. On the Sunday morning that I was there, Eben baptized 14 folks. I then traveled to South Nias and spent a week with our churches there.

The work in South Nias is a mixed bag. In South Nias we have 9 works with lots of people and many opportunities to start more works. The great need is trained men, who not only have a proper vision of church planting, but who also believe that God can use

them to build a Biblical church in South Nias. We have some good men in South Nias, but the pressure of combating non Biblical beliefs concerning the church is tremendous. Our pastors need the courage to not emphasize the physical over the spiritual. Pray for these men and their churches: Arohati, Erliaman, Fama, Formil, Bapak Teti, and Yawasah.

I would like to enlist your help with a new project we are starting this month. Two years ago I was challenged with a project to provide Bibles for all the junior high children in Nias. As Nias is basically an island of traditional Christians most of the Nias junior high children attend Christian religion classes at school. The Gideons do provide the students with a small New Testament, but few homes in Nias have a complete Bible (Old and New Testament) in the Indonesian language. Consequently, very few of the students have ever read the record of creation, the fall of man, the flood, Abraham's call, the true history of God's dealing with the nation of Israel and God's faithfulness in providing this lost world with the Messiah.

Over the past couple of years, I have basically avoided the project as I knew it was a huge project that involved getting about 20,000 Bibles printed and transported to Nias. However, over the past couple of months, I have been impressed with the need to take a good look at the project. So on my return to Jakarta from Nias, I began talking to the Indonesian Bible Society about the project. Basically, the Bibles will cost about $3.00 each. The Bible will have the logo of the Independent Baptist Churches of Indonesia on the cover and be a regular sized complete Bible. On the inside cover will be printed information of who paid for and presented the Bible, a brief plan of salvation and the identifying marks of a New Testament Church.

Here is what I would like you to consider. Would you involve the young people of your church in raising the finances needed to provide a complete Bible for every junior high student on Nias island? On the inside cover of the Bibles will be written, "This Bible is given by the young people of the Independent Baptist churches in America to the junior high students on the island of Nias." The goal is simple, have the young people raise enough money to provide the 20,000 Bibles that will be needed.

Brother Jim Daley (BIMI), my fellow missionary, encouraged me to go ahead with the project and he will actively seek to raise funds for the project from his churches. Miss Karen Werth (WBF) has also agreed to encourage her churches to take part in this project. Please mark any funds for this project as "Bibles -- Nias"

Janice and I are both fine. Janice continues to get older, but continues to look young because she has to put up with me. One bit of good news, our eighth grandchild, Olivia Celine Crawford was born June 18, 2007. Sam and Alyssa Crawford are the proud parents.

For your faithful prayers and financial support we are truly thankful.

In Christ,