Praying and Surviving

“O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.” (Isaiah:1)

Hello friends and faithful prayer warriors,

Just a note to let you know how things are in this part of the world.

We are at the end of the second month of 2021. Time is flying by. Seems like not enough hours in the day anymore to do what needs to be done. We would do like to be about the Master’s business. However, there are so many restrictions in what we can do anymore. Since some of us are risk factors, we just have to do what needs to be done at home.

We are surviving the pandemic and staying home. I go out only when necessary to the grocery store, drug store and bank. We praise the Lord for His protection and care of us. Skip is about the same and his speech improves a little once in a while. His Portuguese is very slow to return. He is very anxious to talk but just can’t make it come out. He reads his Bible all day most days at intervals and prays. He makes a sign that he is praying and doesn’t want to be interrupted. Dr Humberto says he is doing good although handicapped on the left side. He says continue with speech therapy two days a week and I do his exercises now that the therapist has gone back to Bible School, but we are making out.

Seems like there are new lockdowns every week. It is so frustrating. The schools are doing teaching mostly online and activities with children and adolescents are out for the time being. Our ladies’ visitation program is on hold for the time being. We are having services in the unfinished new building because of the distance factor, following the requirements recommended. I am still helping out at the church wherever needed and am glad I can still have a ministry.

We had 4 baptized in January. Our prayer ministry has blossomed and we have seen spiritual growth in the lives of the members. Our ladies’ group, called Women in Action, plan to resume on March 8th. The church is also planning a workday and a bazar in March. A church meeting is also scheduled for March 25th of all members to plan our calendar for 2021. We are still in partial lockdown and people are afraid to come to church activities, so we are limited in what we can do but continue doing our best to win others to Christ.

The piano has not been moved to the new building, so I help out on the accordion. Some hymns are harder to play than on the piano, but we make it do and I struggle along. I choose a hymn most Sundays as a special with everyone singing with me, as we have a special time every Sunday night. Hymns are not too well sung anymore and I do want them to remember some of the good ole hymns (guess I’m telling my age – ha!). The praise group uses guitar and cannot seem to get the chords right for the hymns.

PRAISES AND PRAYER REQUESTS:
Praise God for our health and protection of all of us. Praise that our needs are met at this time when inflation is on the rampage again here and things just go up from one day to the next.

Pray for our people to remain faithful in this crisis.

Would love to hear from some of you and any prayer requests you have we could pray for.

Looking for the blessed hope and listening for the sound of the trumpet!

In Christ,
Betty for the Harkins