July 2005

From Tragedy To Triumph
We have just returned from a fun and blessing-filled week at youth camp. We praise the Lord for the teens that were able to attend this year. We had fifteen from Lighthouse and thirteen from Daya go for a total of about eighty campers from six churches. We are also glad that the weather, although hot and humid, did not bring any typhoons during camp for the first time in several years. But the greatest blessing was the decisions that were made by teens as our camp speaker, Mark Dickerson, youth pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Michigan, used the life of Joseph to challenge them about how God can take their tragedies and turn them into triumphs. One salvation decision was reported and there were at least five teens, all young men, who publicly surrendered their lives to serve the Lord. Please pray for these to continue to follow through on their commitment and for these results to be an encouragement to other Christians in our churches.
One missionary couple missing from our camp again this year was Malcom and Carol Feistel. As you might remember, last year their daughter tragically drowned in Taiwan. Just before camp this year Malcom was diagnosed with colon cancer and had to suddenly return to the US for surgery. They will be staying in the US for an undetermined amount of time while he undergoes chemotherapy. Please pray for them and for their church in Taiwan, Faith Baptist Church. We will be doing all we can to help at this work during their absence.

Building Update
After much prayer and talk with the church people and the landlord, we have made an arrangement for Lighthouse Baptist Church to stay at its current location for one more year in exchange for an increase in rent. However, the landlord is only giving us some more time as he definitely wants to sell the building. As we wrote in our last prayer letter, this area of Taichung city has sky-rocketed in prices; and we are concerned about being “pushed” out of the area. Hopefully, this arrangement will allow more time to find a suitable building in a good location at a reasonable price. Please continue to beseech the Lord on our behalf concerning this need.

Finally, as you receive this we should be busy with our children’s Vacation Bible School (July 25-29). Please take a few minutes and pray for the Lord’s blessings upon this. If you read this after our VBS is done please pray for the children who came to continue attending and for those who were saved to be able to grow.

We consider it a great privilege and responsibility to serve the Lord and represent your church in Taiwan. Thank you for caring about these lost souls!