November 2021

Dear friends and mission-partners,

We've been off the radar for a long time, but we have a lot of good news because of that. With this short update we want to give you an insight into what we have been through in recent months.

We see that the ministry has expanded since we started using the “House of Peace”. People are growing in following Jesus and that is not without a struggle. We grow in relationship with each other and are more closely involved with problems that people are entangled in. But at the same time we also see that God allows us to grow through setbacks and pain. We learn to embrace every situation, ups and downs, because we realize more and more deeply: we cannot be disadvantaged!

The summer period
This summer, unlike in previous years, we did not have a so-called 'summer break'. We continued with the weekly Bible school, on Thursdays. It was amazing how well attended the evenings usually were. Almost every time there was someone new. And the power of God was mightily seen every time through healings and deliverances.

We also were able to baptize 4 people in the river. As we did, we also saw how God's Spirit immediately opened the ear of a baptized person when she came out of the water. The hearing was only 70% and now she could hear completely with it. God is confirming His Word beautifully.

Whenever it was possible, we went out by boat. This way we could catch fish and spend some time in nature and with each other. The construction and furnishing of Joël's new room has also taken us a bit more than we expected – but we are very happy with the result.

In the course of the summer we were also able to further furnish the mission house. There are now tables and kitchen utensils etc. present, which opens up new possibilities. And finally, the entrance is finished. Our carpenter friend couldn't come to help, so we had to let a local company do the work.

The Power of God
I think that we almost always see a new person in the meetings every week because God's power continues to manifest among us. Once there was a woman who had been unable to walk normally for years. She walked very slowly and in great pain behind a walker, until the Lord took away the inability  all at once. Over the next few days, her strength grew and she even ran to her daughter's house. Her daughter then also came to faith in Jesus. Our faith should not rest on human wisdom or fine words, but on the power of God working in our midst. It is a pleasure to be part of and I hope it strengthens you in your trust in God. But even with such a great miracle, she was told by several:”ah, what they believe there is not real… “ to which she replied: "this -that I can walk again- is otherwise very real to me."

New initiatives
In September we started again with weekly Sunday services and now that the house has been furnished we could also start a number of new activities: a youth Bible evening, a soup kitchen financed from a monthly second-hand sale and evening meetings (coffee and cake) to promote relationships. It took a little longer for me, Thinka, to start with the girls-meetings again. But I got a “yes” again and a vision for it.
Soon we want to start with “life groups” and we are working on a preparation process for the “installing” of two deacons.

Can you include us in your prayer, so that Gods Word will be preached and people will be saved?
 
Warm regards!
Peter and Thinka