|
6465
99th Way N. #17B
St. Petersburg, FL 33708
727-393-7846
mlphilippi@verizon.net
March
19, 2009
Dear Praying Friends,
Greetings from Florida! January started off with many doctor appointments and the cataract operations on both of Dotty’s eyes. Her vision has improved some, but since she has macular degeneration in both eyes it has proven to be somewhat of a challenge. With that exception, we are both in good health, for which we sincerely thank the Lord.
Since the first week of January I have been teaching the Wednesday night Spanish-speaking Bible study of the New Testament Baptist Church in Largo, Florida. The church has a very good pastor from Ariquipa, Peru, Pastor Carlos Marquino, who is also presently working part-time to help support the family. He has asked me to continue helping in this ministry as much as possible. I substitute for him on Sundays when he is absent.
I am thankful for the opportunity that I had to
minister in the Dominican Republic from February 26th until
March 10th. It was
one of the most rigorous schedules that I have ever experienced, but one
of great blessing! Pastor
Enrique Mejia met me at the airport in Santo Domingo and I hit the ground
running. The first day I
preached in two services, for an hour each time, in a Bible Conference.
The next day I shared God’s Word with pastors and their wives for
another two hours.
Sunday I had the opportunity to preach in three
different churches in three different towns.
On Monday afternoon I began teaching in a seminar for preachers and
pastors. It was an intensive
course on the technique and the preparation for Expository Preaching.
I considered it a wonderful opportunity to challenge 14 to 18
pastors for 6 days, taking more than 20 hours to cover the material.
It was certainly worthwhile to help them learn how to do a better
and more complete job in their preparation and ministry of the Word of
God. Please pray with us that
these pastors will faithfully prepare and teach God’s Word.
Pastor Mejia and his wife are very dedicated servants of the Lord
and are doing a good job in the northeast area of the Dominican Republic.
After I taught for five hours on Saturday we returned
to the main city of Hato Mayor and they had me on a local TV station for a
question/answer one-hour program. God
used this special time as I shared the Gospel.
We pray that their TV ministry will continue to have a good impact
upon that entire area. Again
on Sunday morning, afternoon and night I was taken to three different
churches to minister the Word.
Not only was I involved in teaching and preaching on
this trip, but also I set aside hours to give council to many who urgently
needed help. After finishing
up the 12 days that I was with them, Pastor Enrique Mejia informed me that
I had preached and taught a total of 32 hours during my visit. You can imagine how tired this 75 year-old pastor was after
that time of ministry was completed.
Actually, I was exhausted!
Pastor Enrique Mejia has invited me to return next
year, and to take Dotty with me so that the ladies can have special
sessions with her while I hold a seminar with the pastors. I told him that we would pray about it, but if we return I
would prefer not to preach or teach more than 2 hours each day.
This group of pastors requested permission to print my book, Llegando
a Ser Cristiano, (Becoming a Christian) in the Dominican
Republic, since the cost of shipping the books is so expensive.
Please pray with us regarding these requests.
We continue to receive requests from prisoners in the State prisons, however, we have not received permission as of yet to place the book, Becoming a Christian, in the prisons of California. Please add this request to the ones mentioned above. This summer we are not planning any promotional trips, as in other years, for we have to work on the revision of the books for both the Spanish and English languages. I will also be working on radio programs that I am preparing for Spanish radio broadcasting. We will continue to help in the Spanish work here locally. Thank you so very much for your continued support for us through your prayers and special gifts. They are much appreciated and needed at this time.
Yours in His Service,
Myron
& Dotty
Myron and Dotty Philippi
Baptist World Mission P.O. Box 2149 Decatur, AL 35602