On May 29th, Bethel Baptist Church of Ayat will be having her first service and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Of course, this is happening because by God’s grace many of you have prayed and given toward this church plant, specifically by helping raise the rent on a small villa here in our area. Thankfully we have been able to pay two years up front for the house and were able to purchase some chairs, nursery and children’s items and also some Amharic Bibles. There is still a long list of things to do and more expenses that need to be taken care of, so we would appreciate your prayers regarding this. It can be a daunting task with any church plant, but even more so here in Ethiopia. Thank you so much for your willingness to help out and be a part of this! We can’t even begin to show our appreciation for your generosity and support of our ministry here. And for those who are considering helping us financially, we very much appreciate your willingness and consideration. We simply couldn’t be here without the support of so many churches and individuals who God has used.
In regards to long-term plans, in order for Amanda and me to stay in Ethiopia we ultimately must get a work permit and residency. This can be a time consuming experience that is filled with specific details and endless paper work. Amanda and I have sent off for the official documents needed in the United States and are praying that we can receive a work permit in the near future. Please join us in prayer for this situation, as it is the only way we can stay long term in Ethiopia.
It is hard to believe, but the tentative date of our first furlough will be in the Spring-Summer of 2012. Our desire is to visit and share our vision with churches that are supporting our ministry here as well as join with new churches that seek to see the gospel brought to Ethiopia. If you would like us to be with you during this time, please email me and we will work out a date!
As mentioned earlier, May 29th at 10 a.m. (3 a.m. E.S.T) we will be having our first service at Bethel Baptist Church of Ayat. It will be a time of celebration as well as an opportunity to present the gospel and the desire that Team Ethiopia has for this church plant in Ayat. Please pray for those we have invited and for the Shadles and ourselves to live out the grace and love of Jesus Christ. We are very excited for what God is doing, and for what He is going to do in the future!
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