Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Matthew 20:22
Dear Co-laborers and Prayer Partners,
Thank you for your continued prayer and financial support. We have been blessed to have each of you standing with us during 2013, and look forward to partnering with you in 2014.
Your prayer and financial investments have definitely paid dividends these past couple of months. Annabelle, has been attending Hualapai Baptist Church for over a year. She was one of the first to go through our New Converts’ Sunday School Class earlier this year. As of the last Sunday in December she has joined with us in membership. There are others who need to take this step, and we pray Anna’s obedience will encourage others to do the same. She has been a blessing to our congregation with her eagerness to participate in all the church activities. She was personally blessed early in the year when she encouraged her son and daughter to attend a youth rally at a sister church in Kingman. At that meeting our youth leader had the privilege of leading Annabelle’s son, Bryson, to the Lord! Several days ago she sent a text to Steve informing him that her nephew was in the hospital in Kingman. Edgar is a 27 year old man whose mother (Anna’s sister) we laid to rest a year ago. Edgar had been unable to attend the funeral because he was in jail at the time. Like so many of our native people, Edgar has struggled with the sin a drunkenness for many years. He was in the hospital because his drinking had caused his pancreas to fail. Steve was able to share the gospel with Edgar and see him gloriously saved! Please, keep this young man in your prayers that he will grow in his new walk with Christ.
Annabelle’s story is not the only blessing we have had this year. At our annual testimony and praise service the night before Thanksgiving nearly everyone in attendance gave God thanks for the blessings of the previous year. One of our seniors in particular brought us to tears. Rose was in a nearly fatal car accident just a year previous. We did not think she would make it through because of her advanced years and the extent of her injuries. Within a few weeks of her accident her husband passed away. The miracles God has worked in her like over the past year are overwhelming. To hear her put words to her gratitude was a blessing beyond words.
The week before Christmas, Steve preached a funeral service for a young man. At the closing of the service another young man indicated his need of salvation. As Steve led in the sinner’s prayer, several could be heard praying throughout the congregation. We may never know the results of that service this side of heaven.
We concluded a month of Christmas celebrations with our annual Christmas program on Sunday, December 22. Paul and Betty Hiscock had helped us earlier in the summer with a program they put together called “Tell Me the Story of Jesus A to Z”. We received several comments of the work done in hearts as a result of the program.
Thank you again for standing with us and the ministry among the Hualapai.
For God’s Glory,
The Steve De Ford family