Dearest of Friends, Brethren & Coworkers

For several days this year also, Martha and I have been as family members of the Nigel Milo family in Guyana, South America. Brother Nigel, sister Jasmine, master Zab and sister Bee are, indeed, to us among our dearest friends, Christian brethren and coworkers for the cause of Jesus Christ our Lord. We are indebted to them for their hospitality and kindness.

DeFuniak Springs, Florida

This past Sunday, Martha and I visited two congregations in the vicinity of DeFuniak Springs, Florida. In the morning, we worshipped with the Liberty Church of Christ, and that evening, we assembled with the College Avenue Church of Christ. Both churches received us very well, and I was privileged to speak for each of them. We were greatly encouraged.

After evening worship, Martha and I enjoyed a carriage ride around the lake in the heart of town. The shore, surrounding homes and even in the lake itself were decorated with Christmas lights. The weather was just about perfect, and Martha and I enjoyed it all as well as one another’s companionship.

Some More of the Nicest People

As Martha and I were traveling on Saturday, August 25, I mused that we were about to visit some of the nicest and the most pleasant people I know. We were on our way from Collierville, Tennessee, where we had spent the night with our daughter, to be with the Center Ridge, Arkansas Church of Christ on the Lord’s Day. In particular, we were to lodge with and be the guests of brother Garry and sister Melissa Polk. This lovely couple is as down to earth and unpretentious as any American, country, farm family could possibly be.

Awaiting our arrival was a superb homecooked meal of fork-tender roast beef, carrots and potatoes. It was complemented and complimented with corn, okra, fresh tomatoes and rolls. Beyond that, there were brownies, banana bread and raw apple cake to tempt us, to which temptation we succumbed! The hours spent together talking and enjoying each other’s company was icing on the cake, so to speak. Breakfast was over the top with scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy and farm-fresh sausage patties. After worship, we all had lunch at a very, very busy and one of the largest Mexican restaurants of which I am aware. We’ve eaten there before on previous trips, and we have never been disappointed.

While it might seem that our trek to Center Ridge was all about eating and reminiscing with Christian friends, the real reason for our journey there was to be with the Lord’s people as they assembled in that village on Lord’s Day morning. During Bible class, I spoke about our stateside and foreign excursions for Jesus Christ, which we did in 2017 and so far in 2018. At the worship hour, I preach about Bible Authority. This children-lively congregation has been one of my primary encouragers over the years and has really impacted souls for our Lord, not only locally, but through me in far away lands. For them and appreciating their kindnesses and friendship, I am truly thankful. God be praised! Truly, I interact with some of the nicest people stateside and abroad among my Christian brethren!

Winona to Memphis to Nashville—and Back

Saturday, July 28, Martha and I departed Winona, Mississippi at our leisure. We headed for Rebecca’s home in Collierville, Tennessee. We drug along behind us our utility trailer, loaded with about $28,000 worth of literature. Since we would be in the Memphis, Tennessee area on Sunday—about two-thirds of the way to Nashville, Tennessee from where we ship to Guyana, South America—it was an opportune time to tote the trailer.

Lord’s Day morning, Martha and I convened with the brethren of the East Frayser Church of Christ for Bible class and worship. We always receive a hearty welcome, which we did this time as well. During class time, I talked about foreign mission work. For the sermon later, I preached about “Bible Authority.” Brother and sister Green, who labor with the congregation, treated us to Panda Buffet for lunch.

By 1:30 p.m., Martha and I had made our way to the meetinghouse of the Collierville Church of Christ. Once more during this church’s afternoon worship, I talked about mission work in which we are involved.

All day Monday was consumed in hauling the literature to Caribbean Shipping Services in Nashville, unloading the trailer, packing shipping barrels and driving back to Collierville. We prepared seven barrels for shipment to Guyana. After they arrive in Georgetown, South America, good Christian brethren with whom we partner will distribute the books, magazines and songbooks throughout most of the churches of Christ in that nation. This is the second shipment we have sent this year. (We welcome used but serviceable songbooks, leftover VBS and class literature, communion ware and Bibles for use among English-speaking brethren overseas. Contact me by email at: rushmore@gospelgazette.com.)

Tuesday, we arrived back in Winona in the middle of the afternoon. Wednesday, I published the August edition of Gospel Gazette Online to the Internet (www.GospelGazette.com).

Thank you for your prayers, encouragement and participation that enables us to be some service to our Lord Jesus Christ. We are partners together in any good that through our hands occurs.

Noccalula Falls

Saturday, July 21, Martha and I drove from Winona, Mississippi to Piedmont, Alabama. We left at 11:25 a.m. and arrived at the home of brother Bob and sister Peggy Rogers at 5 p.m. They treated us to supper at a local Italian restaurant across the Georgia line and in another time zone. The tasty food was only surpassed by the company of dear brethren.

On the Lord’s Day morning, Martha and I assembled with the Highway Nine Church of Christ, whereupon I spoke for Bible class, a.m. worship and worship once more at 12:30 p.m. Between the worship periods, we were treated to an amply delicious cuisine, complemented by cherished brothers and sisters in Christ. Incidentally, one of our waitresses in the family run eatery was only 9-years-old. She did a very good job and was so cute. Her brother, mom and dad comprise the balance of the team.

Sunday afternoon, we caught up with our hostess, sister Peggy, at the local nursing and rehabilitation center where brethren from the Piedmont Church of Christ were conducting a devotional. A little over three hours later, we assembled with that congregation, and I was again afforded the privilege of speaking to this church, too. Following worship, youth loaded about a dozen boxes of used songbooks into the van; they will eventually make their way overseas to English-speaking Christians.

Passing through Gadsden, Alabama, we stopped briefly at Noccalula Falls; we enjoyed the natural beauty of the site nestled in the cityscape, and we noted the lore surrounding the spot. Then, through the dark of night, we aimed the car back toward Winona, and we pulled into the driveway at 1:00 a.m. In less than an hour, we had the van unloaded and readied ourselves for bed—thoroughly exhausted.

Monday and Tuesday, young people—10-months-old through middle teens—congregated at the World Evangelism Building. They came from the Double Springs Church of Christ in Alabama. For those two days, boys and girls prepared several mailings (i.e., the Bates’ newsletters, The Voice of Truth International), unloaded a truck and warehoused Volume 96 of The Voice of Truth International, packed boxes of books to be sent to student preachers (free of charge), shredded papers and cleaned. They also loaded literature into Jerry’s utility trailer; Wednesday he and Paula left for Texas where they will offload the literature for eventual shipment to African nations.

Wednesday, Martha and I personally delivered two cases of The Voice of Truth International #96 to the West President Church of Christ in Greenwood, Mississippi. We were passing through before services on our way to the Indianola Church of Christ in Indianola, Mississippi. Before we got to Indianola, we paused for awhile in Moorhead, Mississippi at the home of brother Gene and sister Madolyn Gibson. Gene has been and is valiantly fighting illness as they have tirelessly for many years operated a Christian Student Center across from Mississippi Delta Community College.

Brother Gene Hill taught the adult class at the Indianola Church of Christ. It was good to assemble with these familiar brethren. We were cordially greeted, and we left some The Voice of Truth International and Global Harvest magazines as well as a few of the Rushmore Newsletter. We arrived back home at 10 p.m.

Between incidents mentioned above, we devoted ourselves to sundry office duties. Martha has been contacting schools of preaching and Bible colleges associated with the churches of Christ to prepare for sending books to men in training to be preachers. I have been working on the August edition of Gospel Gazette Online and volume 98 of The Voice of Truth International. Today, we also prepared “Thank You” cards for our most recent donors over the past week. There is always much to do—often behind the scenes to further the cause of Christ. We are pleased to be of some service to our Lord, and thankful that congregations and Christian families make it possible for us to so do.

Printed Literature, Gospel Gazette & Maywood

Monday, April 30, Martha and I drove to Nashville, Tennessee. There we unloaded many thousands of Christian books, Gospel magazines, biblically relevant tracts and such like. We place the literature into five shipping barrels. The agent for Caribbean Shipping Service will haul them to Miami, whereupon they will be placed on an ocean freighter. About a month after leaving port, the drums will arrive in Georgetown, Guyana, South America. Brother Nigel Milo and the Amelia’s Ward Church of Christ in Liden, Guyana will retrieve the materials and distribute them to churches of Christ throughout the tropical nation.

Tuesday, May 1, Martha and I finished driving to Maywood Christian Camp outside of Hamilton, Alabama. For two days, others and we helped make ready for the beginning of our annual missionary retreat. As important as cleaning, etc. is the fellowship we experience with those especially devoted to carrying the Gospel abroad.

Wednesday evening, Martha and I made an unannounced visit with the Bear Creek Church of Christ in Bear Creek, Alabama. These good brethren support the original World Evangelism work as well as the labors for Christ in which we engage.

For several days, I have been putting together the May edition of Gospel Gazette Online. Rebecca Rushmore, my daughter, proofs it for me, finding several mistakes that I miss. Finally, late Wednesday night, Gospel Gazette Online was officially published for the world to see and to use. It is available without charge to the user for anyone and everyone around the world who has access to the Internet. Now in the 20^th year of continuous online publication, thousands of pages are preserved in the Archive besides the content of each new monthly issue of the journal.

We keep busy, and we like it that way. Martha and I want little else than to be useful tools in the hands of our Almighty God.

Nearly Five Weeks in India

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

October 23, Martha and I flew from Singapore to Bangalore, India in the state of Karnataka. After enjoying time with and assembling for a couple of days with Christian brethren, we traveled overland by car to the state of Tamil Nadu. There we remained for most of a week; we greeted several Christians who came from various parts of that state to meet us. After traveling back to Bangalore, we flew to Vishakhapatnam in the state of Andhra Pradesh, before being retrieved and taken about 80 miles south to Kakinada on the Bay of Bengal. For approximately one week, we spoke to Christian men and women daily there and also in outlying villages.

Upon returning to Vishakhapatnam, Martha and I flew to New Delhi to connect with dear Christians there for a couple of days. Next, accompanied by two brothers in Christ, we nearly returned to Andhra when we flew to Raipur in Chhattisgarh state. Five hours of road trip later, we arrived at a coffee house in Korba, where we lodged in upstairs rooms. For the next several days and evenings in the neighboring village of Balco, we addressed Christian men and women publicly and from house to house.

Finally, we returned to New Delhi via Raipur and prepared to return to the USA. We had departed our homeland about eight weeks previously for three Asian countries, and we changed planes in a fourth nation. We renewed old friendships and made new friends, too. This was Martha’s first trip to Asia. Twice before in 2017, though, she and I traveled to metropolitan as well as remote villages in Guyana, South America. Our first year as husband and wife is swiftly drawing to a close, and we have vigorously applied ourselves in our travels stateside and overseas for the cause of Christ. In addition, there is an immense amount to activity behind the scenes relating to the publication of Gospel Gazette Online and The Voice of Truth International magazines, publication of books and tracts, plus distribution in the States and overseas of this Christian literature. I especially concentrate on delivery of tons of literature and Bibles to Guyana, South America.

We are growing older, have our aches and pains, and sometimes we are weary. However, we fully intend to rest at some time in the future—when we’re dead! Until then, as long as possible, we intend to be active for the Lord. We are thankful to the many Christian families and congregations of the churches of Christ who make that possible through their financial participation and moral encouragement.

Three Weeks in Myanmar

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The first week, Martha and I lodged in the Hotel Bo Bo Min by evening and taught by day some 30 minutes away on the east side of Yangon. Nine Chinese Gospel preachers from the northeastern area of Myitkyina convened for the special series of classes. Some of the ministers have dual Myanmar and Chinese citizenship, and they all speak the tribal language of Lisu.

Martha taught ladies, and I taught the men. My lessons over the week included crash courses on “How We Got the Bible” and “Bible Geography & Sacred History.” In addition, tracts and books in the Lisu language were provided for these attendees.

Weeks two and three, Martha and I lodged by night on the other side of Yangon in the Hotel Corolla, and during the days, we taught Christians and non-Christians who had come from throughout the nation especially for these lessons. I taught the same courses as I did during the previous week, plus English and a variety of short biblical lessons.

Over the three weeks, we worshipped on the Lord’s Day and I spoke for three different congregations in the Yangon area. We were also lunch guests one day in the home of a revered Christian brother and his family in the outskirts of Hmawbi. Not the least of our joys were the playful moments enjoyed with a certain pintsized boy and an equally precious little girl. Both are preschool, but already they have mastered more than I did in first grade—a few decades ago.

An Indian brother who directs a Bible training school in India visited while we were in Myanmar. I have known him for years, and he was the teacher of several of the Burmese evangelists with whom I labor for our Lord. Not a part of what we do, of course, we observed samples of Buddhism everywhere, including young, female monks in training—wearing pink.

Ready to move on in our two months abroad, still, we were reluctant to part from the dear Christian brethren whom we count as among our most cherished friends on earth. I have grown to love them over the past decade, and Martha and they became fast friends. Friday evening, October 20, Martha and I winged our way across a time zone or two to Singapore to be with more Christian friends and brethren. We struggled to reload our suitcases, and we don’t dare buy another thing or accept any gifts; otherwise, we may have to check into getting luggage racks installed atop an airliner or two!

We appreciate and continue to covet prayers on our behalf as we travel overseas. Martha and I, Lord willing, will return to the USA on November 21.

Expedited Course for Church Leaders & Workers

Recently, Martha and I traveled once more this year to Guyana, South America—this time for two weeks. Whereas earlier this year we conducted a workshop for six weeks in all 10 regions of that nation for all interested brethren, on this occasion I taught seminars in eight regions—a World Evangelism Expedited Course—for church leaders and workers. The subject for 2017 was “Bible Geography & Sacred History.” A goodly number of brothers and sisters in Christ participated. The following bulleted points summarize the event as it unfolded.

• Saturday, September 2, 2017: Travel Day
• Sunday, September 3, 2017—Amelia’s Ward Church of Christ
• Monday, September 4, 2017—Tuschen Church of Christ
• Wednesday, September 6, 2017—Amelia’s Ward Church of Christ
• Thursday, September 7, 2017—Industry Church of Christ
• Saturday, September 9, 2017—Richmond Church of Christ
• Sunday, September 10, 2017—Amelia’s Ward Church of Christ:
• Monday, September 11, 2017—Asylum Street Church of Christ (New Amsterdam)
• Tuesday, September 12, 2017—Bath Settlement Church of Christ
• Wednesday, September 13, 2017: Travel Day
• Thursday, September 14, 2017—Culvert City Church of Christ (Lethem)
• Friday, September 15, 2017: Travel Day
• Saturday, September 16, 2017: Return to the USA

I worked on Gospel Gazette Online and the Voice of Truth International magazines between travel and speaking appointments. Sometimes I seem to get more done on some projects while out of the office rather than in the Winona, Mississippi office.

Aside from the uplifting and gratifying program, there were some minor abrasions obtained along the way. Martha was the primary recipient of the injuries, a slight scrap of her arm once in a boat taxi as well as at another time smacking a board with her head. She appears happier in the picture than she was about hurting herself. Fortunately for me, there was a whole room full of witnesses that I did not hit my wife. She seated herself behind a board across two pew packs for a makeshift table to hold the projector. When she leaned down to pick up something from the floor, the corner of the board struck her right between the eyes. The car in which we were riding experienced some abrasions and minor injuries in transit, too.

Upon landing in Lethem and checking into our hotel, I noticed that Martha’s face around her nose had turned purple. She was experiencing some pain also. Evidently, Martha’s injury a few days prior became more discernible all of a sudden, perhaps tied to the nearly two-hour flight over the jungle to Lethem. More ice.

Due to the nature of the program, Martha did not have as much opportunity to teach this time as she did earlier in the year. However, she did teach, and additionally, Martha had substantial interaction with sisters in Christ throughout our travels.

Sister Jasmine, brother Nigel and their son, Zab, hosted us in their home, as they always do. We are thankful for the Milos and their hospitality annually. Brother Milo is a tireless and an effective evangelist. He directs our workshops and seminars, and Nigel is truly responsible for any successes in which we participate. Of course, we are indebted to the fine brethren stateside who make our journeys and efforts possible in the first place. Thanks.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Hot & Sticky in Guyana, South America

Monday, August 28, Martha and I drove from the hotel in which we lodged Sunday night after leaving DeFuniak Springs, Florida. We drove to Middleburg, Florida to spend some time with my son, Robert, and cart down to him some of his belongings. That trailer we acquired earlier in the year has certainly been getting some use. Of course, Martha is planning in us depositing in it more things from our Florida home to transport back to our mission cottage in Winona, Mississippi.

In Middleburg, we spent the night with new friends, a preacher and his wife. One of their big dogs was not nearly as welcoming as he chewed up my right leg as I exited the car. A little cleanup and Band-Aids later I was on the road to recovery and still able to leave the country on our mission trip to Guyana.

Happily, all of Martha’s medical tests over four days had satisfactory results. As she says, “We’re stuck like glue!” Lord willing, we will comfort one another and amble throughout life together for a few more years yet.

After packing and repacking our suitcases a million and one times, along with daily trips to Walmart to get “one more thing,” we headed for the airport at Sanford, Florida on Saturday, September 2. This year by coming to Florida, we were able to dismiss one airline from the travel mix and attempt to allay connection snafus that plagued us earlier in the year returning from Guyana.

Who would have guessed? The Surinam Airlines flight was delayed by about three hours leaving Sanford. At least the airplane was sitting out there this time. In March, Surinam Airlines was 8 hours late arriving in outside of Georgetown, Guyana for our return trip to the USA.

We arrived about 10:30 p.m. EST in Guyana after a four and a half hour, nonstop flight. As always, the familiar face that greeted us when we exited the airport was that of my dear brother Nigel Milo. Martha and I turned in for the night around midnight in Linden. The next day, we worshipped with the Amelia’s Ward Church of Christ, and brethren have about decided to view us as regulars rather than visitors. These Christians are precious to me; we love them very much.

Now, don’t misconstrue the picture, which was snapped earlier in the year on an outing in Guyana with the “Sunshiners,” senior citizens with whom Martha and I were grouped. We traveled to a park for devotionals and fellowship over food. After Martha and I each had an occasion to teach those present, Martha, of course, teaching the ladies in my absence, I tested the serviceability of a park apparatus for a few moments. Martha snapped the photograph! No, I am not on vacation abroad, though I thoroughly enjoy serving my Lord among foreign Christians and non-Christians, too.

For Bible class, I taught about, “Sins of Good People in the Church.” During worship, brother Nigel preached an excellent lesson regarding the disobedience of King Saul with respect to the Amalekites, and of course, made an appropriate application to all present. His straightforward, biblical teaching and preaching is refreshing in times when not everything coming from the pulpits relies on much Scripture.

Sunday evening, I posted, howbeit late, the August edition of Gospel Gazette Online to the Internet. The mobile office is up and running and will be up and running in idle moments between appointments here in Guyana.

Tomorrow, very early, we begin our current round of seminars with church leaders in mind. It is my pleasure to speak throughout the country on “Bible Geography & Sacred History”—foundational and contextual background material to effective teaching and preaching. We covet your prayers and praise God for such an opportunity that is afforded us.