January 10, 2012

The view from Makapu'u on a Sabbath afternoon hike

This morning, we went to the Bank of Hawaii to open an account. The first thing the teller said when she saw us was, “I’ve never put four people on one account before!” We all laughed, and began the process. However, as she was filling out our information, she began to tell us parts of her personal testimony. She is the only Christian in her family, and has been struggling with her spirituality. In addition to a spiritual struggle, her grandma passed away just a few days ago. We offered to study the Bible with her, but she declined. Nevertheless, we prayed with her and gave her a GLOW tract on the State of the Dead.  

            We ask you to pray for Sarah* and her family—they desperately need your intercession before our Heavenly Father.

After cleaning the secretary's office--a good place to put canvassing books!

           So far, we have worked 7 days. Over these days, God has given us 16 precious souls to study with. All four of us have been working out of one car, so some of us canvass when the others are giving studies.

 

             One of these studies is a woman named Aunty Makayla*. Grayson recounts the story of meeting her as follows: "I met Aunty Joyce at her house while canvassing. I showed her some of our books, and she invited me inside. As we talked, she told me that she is a former Seventh-Day Adventist. I knew God had placed me there, because she said that she was interested in going back to church. Before I left her home, she emphatically said, 'You are a God-send!'" 

            This experience reminds us of the prayer of Nehemiah, where he quoted God in saying, "But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there."--Neh. 1:9 

            God is desiring to gather His lost children back into His fold, and is doing so as we speak. Praise God that His work is almost "pau" (or "finished")!  

The four of us on Sabbath afternoon (L to R--Danielle, April, Donato, Grayson)

            We have also started implementing some activities in the church, such as Wednesday night Bible study and Friday evening vespers. The church members are excited about ministry, and we look forward to sharing spiritual blessings with them. Pray for us as we continue to reach out to the community of Kane’ohe! 

*names changed