18 Days on the Road

Friday, April 19, Martha and I made the long trip from Ocala, Florida toward Winona, Mississippi. Well, we tuckered out barely into Mississippi. We stayed the night in Starkville. Saturday, we arrived in Winona at the World Evangelism Building for breakfast with Jerry and Paula Bates and Shane and Emily Fisher. The Fishers recently moved to Winona, almost simultaneously as Martha and I moved to Florida. After eating, we loaded my utility trailer with about a ton of literature, nearly all of which is “reclaimed” from various stateside congregations.

Sunday, Martha and I assembled with the Old Union Church of Christ. During Bible class, I showed my PowerPoint presentation “2019 Guyana” mission trip. We always derived encouragement and assistance from these good brethren in all that we try to do for our Lord Jesus Christ. Later, we drove to Rebecca’s home in Collierville, Tennessee and lodged with her overnight.

Monday, Rebecca trailed us in her car as Martha and I drove to Nashville with the trailer in tow. Our daughter is a true blessing to us and goes out of her way to assist us in so many areas. It took us several hours in the warehouse of Caribbean Shipping to pack five jumbo plastic barrels with songbooks, Bibles, maps, communion ware, tracts, The Voice of Truth International and religious books. These items will arrive in June in Guyana, South America, where they will be distributed to most of the congregations of the Lord’s church in that country.

Upon returning to Dickson, Tennessee, where we left Rebecca’s car and from which we carpooled to Nashville, we enjoyed a satisfying meal at Cracker Barrel. Happily, brother Roger and sister Mary Wright called us and suggested that we dine together. They and we arrived in Dickson about the same time. On the way into the restaurant, I spied a prank, hanging out from under a car’s trunk lid.

Afterward, we checked into our hotel, where we will spend the next three nights. While I was checking in, Martha decided to unload luggage from the back of the van. However, she tripped over the trailer hitch; we had already detached and parked the trailer behind the hotel. She hurt her elbows and tore up skin on one leg and her arms.

Tomorrow and Wednesday, Lord willing, we and others intend to attend the 2019 Annual India Mission Conference. This year, it is being hosted by the congregation in Burns, Tennessee.

Thursday, we will return to Rebecca’s home. Friday, we will load the balance of our belongings in Winona. Sunday, we expect to assemble with two churches of Christ in the vicinity of Jackson, Mississippi. Monday, we plan to head toward Hamilton, Alabama for the yearly Maywood Missionary Retreat. Wednesday night, I have an appointment in Leighton, Alabama. Saturday, we head for Piedmont, Alabama. Sunday we are to assemble with two churches of Christ for me to acquaint them with our mission work. Monday, we head back to Ocala, Florida for a couple of weeks before heading out again for a week or two. That’s about 18 days on the road, this time with the next trek already in view. In September, if our Lord wills, we head back to Asia for a few weeks.

We covet your prayers. Martha and I are thankful especially to brethren and congregations that make it possible for us work for the Lord stateside and abroad.

Eagle Lake Church of Christ

Last night (April 17), it was our pleasure to assemble with the Eagle Lake, Florida Church of Christ for the first time. Martha and I were so well received by humble and friendly brethren that it seemed as though we had  been friends with them for many years. It is so wonderful to meet Christian brethren and instant friends in so many instances as we travel stateside and abroad. After all, we all expect to experience an eternal reunion in Heaven. Our connection with the Eagle Lake congregation was our interaction with brother Samuel Singh who preaches for the Asylum Street Church of Christ in New Amsterdam, Guyana, South America. Brother Samuel was my co-speaker for our World Evangelism Team seminars and workshops throughout Guyana in February.

Hot Off the Press!

The April 2019 edition of Gospel Gazette Online has been published to the Internet and is ready for your devotional reading and personal Bible study. Christian brothers and sisters wrote several articles that appear in the most recent issue of GGO. Thousands of articles over the past 20 years of publication are available in the Archive. As always, these resources are free to any user with access to the Internet. May God richly bless each of us with spiritual enlightenment through the Word of God. Select www.GospelGazette.com.

March 2019 Rushmore Newsletter

The March 2019 Rushmore Newsletter is ready for you. Simply follow this direct link:

http://www.gospelgazette.com/Newsletter/2019/March.pdf

Inside, you will find text and pictures regarding our five weeks recently in Guyana, South America, as well as details about the move of our residence to Florida. We hasten to affirm that we are still laboring with our coworkers with World Evangelism in Winona, Mississippi and other parts of the USA and abroad. I continue to edit The Voice of Truth International and Gospel Gazette Online. Martha and I continue to travel to stateside congregations to apprise them of our mission work and to present biblical lessons, too. Thank you for your moral support and encouragement. The elders of the Siwell Road Church of Christ, 4075 S. Siwell Rd., Jackson, MS 39212 continue to oversee our mission efforts, and any funds for our labors may be sent to them. Make checks payable to the Rushmore Evangelism Fund or to the Siwell Road Church of Christ and note in the memo line of the check “Rushmore Evangelism Fund.” We covet your prayers.

March Edition Gospel Gazette Online

Somewhat later than I had hoped, but nevertheless, the March 2019 edition of Gospel Gazette Online is ready for use worldwide. It remains available to anyone with access to the Internet, without charge. May God be glorified, and may we mortals derive edification from the biblical studies of those who are willing to share their efforts with us. Www.GospelGazette.com.

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.

Workshops & Seminars

On January 30, Martha and I flew from Orlando, Florida to Georgetown, Guyana, South America. Yesterday (February 27), we concluded a series of workshops and seminars for Christians and the churches of Christ throughout the ten regions of the country. Early on Monday, Lord willing, we will fly back to the USA.

Through the workshops, two Guyanese evangelists and we encouraged brethren with lessons designed to help save youth and to keep the youth saved. The intention was to stem the tide of wayward teens who are lost to their families and to the Lord’s church as they fall victim to ungodly, worldly influences and to the evil devices of Satan. In the seminars, we provided biblical answers to often-asked religious questions. The former were devised for Christians in general, whereas the latter were presented for preachers and church workers.

Brethren Nigel Milo and Samuel Singh and I taught men’s classes and general audiences. Martha taught ladies’ and children’s classes. It was also my privilege to teach for the Amelia’s Ward Church of Christ in Linden.

Our travels took us to coastal and interior destinations. We labored among brethren from each of the three primary ethnicities, by the way, who harmoniously worship and fellowship together without distinction. For Guyanese Christians, race is not noteworthy among brethren; surely, Heaven will bear these earmarks, too.

Sometimes, we would be out and about for a week at a time, going to more than one venue before returning to our base in Linden and to the hospitality of the Milos and sister Jasmine’s mother, Bee. We’re no worse for the wear, though Martha once more proved to be bug bait, besides being my hearty and supportive coworker.

Two small planes crashed during our tenure this time, and our last little aircraft broke down at another mountain airfield in the hinterland on its way to retrieve us. Repaired and with a mechanic on board, it finally retrieved us from Monkey Mountain’s gravel airstrip where we had waited all day. After a short hop to and a pause at another aerodrome in the nation’s interior, the same craft finally took us back to the Atlantic coastland.

God was with us, we believe, and we endeavored to be loyal servants of God. We think that Guyanese brethren were edified and empowered to act for themselves. Any praise or glory belongs to our God alone. Praise be Almighty God!