February 2006

A “New” Testimony
Chinese New Year is often a joyous time with family reunions and happiness. For Christians, however, it can be a very difficult time as there are many ceremonies and events involving idol and ancestor worship. This year, it was thrilling to hear many of our folks give testimonies about standing firm and not worshiping idols as well as witnessing to family members. One baby Christian at Lighthouse Baptist, Judy Lio, was very strong in her stand, but also concerned how her unsaved husband, Mark, would react. Because she had been faithful in their own home over the past few months, when they returned to the in-laws for the New Year, he told the family that his wife would not participate in worship at the temple or in the home. Please pray for Judy's husband, Mark, that he will not only allow his wife to serve the Lord, but will soon accept Christ as his Savior.

A Child's Encouragement
One Sunday recently our attendance was down as we started the service. It is customary for the Chinese to be late, so we usually begin with one eye on the song book and another on the door. Most of the time, our folks gradually drift in. However, on this particular Sunday we watched in vain. Of course, this is discouraging and sometimes causes you to wonder if you are really making progress. After the opening song service, Lisa took the children down for their lesson. When it was over, she asked one of the students to pray. The young girl prayed, “Thank you God for sending Pastor and Mrs. Simpson to come tell us about Jesus. Help us to witness to others so they can hear about You.” We thank the Lord for His reminders that the work although slow at times is not meaningless. We continue to praise God those who have been saved and have a desire to see others follow the Lord.

Personal Thanks!
Thank you for praying for Lisa's health. She has regained her voice and strength and is back to her normal hectic routine. In addition, she is very excited about teaching a Sunday School workers' class and already had a good group of ladies attend the first session. As a footnote, Andy also injured his ribs (badly bruised not broken as originally thought, praise the Lord!) playing basketball with some of our teens during Chinese New Year. He is feeling much better now and any remaining pain serves as a reminder that he is not so young!