Dear Family and Friends:
There is a certain “thrill” that the sky-diver feels when
about to jump out into thin air, or the rappeller when about to “go over the
edge” of the cliff. We often feel a similar excitement when about to
start a new evangelistic campaign. Multiply that feeling by about 20, and
you have an idea of how we felt when our 25 PAFCOE students and staff departed
the training center at RiverView Church, to conduct 20 one-month evangelistic
meetings! For many of our students it was a mixture of excitement
combined with fear since most have never done a public evangelistic effort.
The final week of classes was a whirl of activity, as we
conducted final exams, final preaching practice, and final preparations for the
meetings. The children’s program materials almost seemed overwhelming, as
we prepared 50,000 crafts for the anticipated 2,000 children we expected at the
20 different sites. But God helped the team to do what looked impossible,
and large boxes of supplies were taped up to be shipped off with our students
to their various sites. Some students went by bus, some by car, some by
boat, and a few by air, but all accepted the challenge to “go.” Some probably
felt that they had no “choice,” since they are required to conduct an
evangelistic series in order to graduate from PAFCOE! But many are in
partner with another student so they can take turns preaching the meetings.
After all the students had left, we packed our house to move
to the other side of Panay Island, to conduct an evangelistic series in the
city of San Jose. Michael and Lowell are partnering together in the
preaching, and Sandra and Teresa are doing the same for the children’s
evangelistic meetings.
The reports that we have been receiving from our students
are thrilling! Many have faced great odds in even getting their meetings
started, but all are reporting a good attendance, and are amazed to see how God
is using their efforts. For the first two nights of meetings, most sites
have seen their numbers grow, and the children’s meetings almost doubled in
attendance in some places!
Considering all the difficulties we have faced
in getting these student meetings started, the adversary must not be happy.
For us, the gratitude is not only in seeing many people attending the meetings
in so many places, but to see the experience our students are gaining in active
soul-winning.
For those of you who have helped to sponsor the student
evangelistic meetings, our entire PAFCOE staff extends a heart-felt “Thank
you!” This project could never have been realized without your support
and prayers. Please continue to pray for our students as they conduct
their meetings for the next four weeks.
Your friends in the field,
Pastor Lowell Hargreaves and the PAFCOE staff
