Are you as busy as we are during the summer time?  God has definitely given us His strength and guidance, so that the work of a busy time is done in His power.  Busy-ness does not mean spirituality.  We are very aware of that fact.  Therefore, the activities must be directed by and approved by God.  Are these activities what God would have us accomplish this summer?

1.      DVBS continues to be a favorite summer activity for all children.  The neighbor children are already asking Sharon, when our DVBS will be.  Sharon is planning six different weeks of children’s ministry.  She will be involved in two of them.  Isn’t it wonderful that there are Ecuadorians who are capable of helping in the others?  God is building His church with faithful men and women.  

2.      Camp must come in second place of the most wanted activity of the summer.  Not everyone can go due to lack of family funds, school activities, and/or responsibilities at home.  That’s right; many children have to do activities at home all summer.  In many cases both parents are working, therefore the school age children will be cooking, taking care of their younger siblings, and help out with raising some extra money for the family.  But for 300 children, camp is on their list of summer activities.  80 campers each week enjoy the games, Bible lessons, food, fun time, swimming, hiking, preaching and films.  Many of these children make decisions of salvation, of spiritual changes, and of life long ministry to serve the Lord.  Pray for the counselors, teachers, directors, cooks, maintenance men and nurses, as they do their jobs well, in order to see the changes God wishes to see in each life.

3.      Bible Institute Summer Class will begin this Monday.  Five weeks of intense study of the book of Romans.  It is intense, because five weeks to teach this book of the Bible will fly by quickly.  Fernando Bassler, an Ecuadorian student at Calvary Bible College in Kansas City, will be the teacher.  He loves to teach the Bible and will do a good job.  He has been learning Greek at Calvary and so desires to teach during his vacation.  He has two years left and so in August will return to the USA for more studies.  We’re praying for 25 students to take this course.  Maybe more.  God is teaching His people the Word of God.  What a blessing to see God use His servants to build up the body of Christ.  

4.      Evangelism cannot stop for vacation.  People need the Lord.  Our evangelists are doing the work and God is using them mightily.  Last week four of them were busy in different locations around Ecuador.  They will have another seminar on evangelism this summer.  These servants need the encouragement often.  They are on the frontlines against the enemy.  Pray for them.

5.      Summer intern comes in a week.  Josh Frewin will have the chance to practice his Spanish and even become effective in sharing his faith.  He will be working with Pastor Marco and Luís in the Good Shepherd church.  Josh will be involved in many activities around the church.  This will be a great experience for him.  What will be the best part is that he will be staying with three different families during his internship.  Lots of ministry will happen with the youth and sports activities.  Like all youth summer is a “boring” time.  He will help make this a time of fun and learning.  Pray for Josh. 

6.      Bible institute preparation must take some of my time.  Planning for the new semester in the fall has its priorities.  Ordering textbooks, making sure all the teachers are ready for their particular class.  This summer Lynford and another professor will be writing two new classes.  Church history has never been a part of the curriculum, but this year it will be included.  Lynford wishes he could teach this course, but what a blessing to have an Ecuadorian trained to do it instead.  That is missions at its best! 

7.      Planning another evangelism seminar for new evangelists.  This will occur in September, but you know how important it is to plan ahead.  Pray for men who desire to become involved in this very important and fruitful opportunity.  Lynford’s goal is to train twelve evangelists who will be effective in their ministry of reaching others with the gospel, as well as encourage other believers to get involved with them.  Pray for the seminar and for God’s servants to be called into his service. 

Thank you for praying on our behalf.  Allow me to finish this letter with some exciting answers to prayer..

1.      The evangelists, four of them, are serving very faithfully in the work of reaching the lost.

2.      God is working in the students of the Bible institute, next fall there will be more than a hundred students.

3.      The health and strength, that God has given us, has sustained us daily.  God is good all the time.

4.      The financial provisions have far succeeded our expectations.  God provides all the time.

5.      The new church plant in North Quito is going slower than planned, BUT God is in control.  We continue learning how to hand over the baton to the Ecuadorian.

6.      Lynford’s counseling ministry continues with four couples who are leaders in the making.  With their walk with God much closer, they will be able to serve our Lord together with joy and rejoicing.  

Rejoicing in God’s faithfulness,

Lynford and Sharon Regier