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We have been in pandemic mode for about a year and a half now. Many thought we would have seen the worst of it by now, but who knows? So, what are we to do? Since the idea of MTI is to train and teach pastors and leaders in other countries, that has been nearly impossible since I returned from India in March of 2020. In the meantime, we have been able to financially assist churches and individuals and communities in foreign nations and will continue to do so until I am able to travel again. Recently we saw that the earthquake in Haiti was devastating, with thousands now injured and homeless. I have a friend who runs a charitable organization and, trough her organization, we were able to donate for supplies and relief in Haiti.

I also am also nearly daily in communication with leaders in other nations and we are still talking about plans for when travel is safer again.

Almost as devastating as the pandemic and earthquake is the ugly division I see among Christians here in the US. We are called to LOVE one another. We will not see eye to eye with each other on all the issues. But I see Christians demonizing each other and being cruel and dismissive of those who think differently. Church, we are called to rise above all of that nonsense. The GOSPEL has remained unchanged for 2,000 years. Nations change, ideas change, the world is always in a state of change. But the Gospel remains the hope for all mankind. Do you hate those Christians who think differently than you regarding the pandemic? Regarding politics? Have you written them off and do you refuse to worship with them? Think about it: what has Jesus called us do? LOVE ONE ANOTHER. That is the single and sole evidence of our faith in Christ. Jesus said that “Men will know that you are my disciples by the love you have toward one another”. We cannot escape that. Are we his disciples? Is he your Lord? If ever the church needs to display the love of Christ, it is now. Let’s repent of hatred and division and finger-pointing. May we love others as He has loved each of us.

Well, it has actually been over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic has begun. I have been unable to travel to conduct ministry abroad since that time. What have I been doing in the meantime? I have been in pretty much constant communication with leaders in Africa, Asia, India, and Nepal for the past year. I receive prayer requests, I make tentative plans to go and help train their leaders, and, in some cases, have been able to provide desperately needed financial support. The financial needs abroad among those I know are well beyond my ability to help. But, we prayerfully consider what to do. I look forward to being able once again to travel and resume the work of MTI.

Here back home, I continue to meet with my church community group via Zoom each Tuesday evening. Because it is Zoom, others who do not live in this area have been able to join us each week. I also am involved at our church as Missions Pastor. I will be preaching on Sunday, April 25. Ministry hasn’t stopped because of COVID, but it has taken a different form. We continue to ask God to have mercy on this planet and lift this hideous pandemic.

Personally, we also welcomed a new grandson in June of 2020. What a great joy he is!

May the Lord bless and keep you all in His loving care. Thank you for your prayers and support. It means a great deal to us.

David

Well, I haven’t written any blogs on this trip, as I did not want to jeopardize any of our Christian friends and ministries in India or Nepal. After meeting with the leader of HMU in Delhi, I traveled on to Nepal, where I conducted 2 days of seminars with a group that I had not previously worked with. There were about 50 pastors and leaders in attendance, and I presented a new curriculum I am working on, “10 Things I Want to Say to Every Pastor”. It is a series that was born out of my 30 years as a pastor and things I have experienced and observed during those years, both in my own ministry and in the ways pastors handle various things. Anyway, I think it went well, although it is not as smooth when using a translator. I tried some of the curriculum out last summer in Uganda and did not need a translator, as they all spoke English. In listening to the recordings, I saw that it was more cohesive. So, I need to adapt some of it, do some tweaking. At the seminars, I got to speak to a number of pastors, some from the mountain areas of Nepal, and they had some great stories.

After those 2 days, I went to the orphanage in Kathmandu, where I preached at their Saturday worship service (churches meet on Saturday in Nepal, as it is the day off for everyone). I also spent time talking with Dev and Maya, who run the orphanage, and many of the children. It is amazing to see how they have all grown. Many of them were here when I first visited the orphanage in 2011. Others have graduated high school and have gone on to university, some have married. They all are well and very thankful for the financial support many of you give.

Later that evening, I was joined by Pastor Ed Hickey from London, Ontario, Canada. He and I then went to a place in the hills outside the city of Kathmandu in order to conduct 2 day of seminars for HMU pastors. There was talk that Qatar Airlines would be ceasing service to Nepal, and Pastor Ed had flown in on Qatar. So, in order to not be stuck in Nepal, we cut the seminars short and had only one day with the pastors. It went very well but we needed to get out of Nepal.

Upon arriving into Delhi yesterday, Wednesday, we had to fill out medical forms. Then, there was a special line at Immigration for those arriving from Nepal and about 7 other countries. It turned out to be OK, since the normal Immigration lines were very long. I had no waiting and got through right away.

So, now, I am in Delhi and will fly home tomorrow, Friday. I am praying that I stay healthy. There is little else on the news beside the corona virus story. I thank you for your prayers and look forward to being home again! I have a trip scheduled for Tanzania next month but I believe that I’ll postpone it until later in the year. That’s fine with me.

May God bless you all!

David