Hello all! Thanks for all your prayers during the last few months. God has been good, and we have been very busy. We’re looking forward to a very busy year, and hope you’ll be in prayer for us. We have some details, and a special announcement below!
She’s Finally Married!
I don’t usually share a lot of family details, but this one has been a long time in coming. Our daughter Melody is now married! She met her husband (it’s still weird saying that) at a local homeschool co-op when they were 12 and 13, and after many years of friendship and several years of courtship they are now Mr. and Mrs. Aiden Duran. What a blessing! God has clearly had His hand on this relationship from the beginning, and both Aiden and Melody have both worked very hard preparing for this. Please pray that God will continue to bless and lead them in their new life together.
Christmas in the Park – Another Great Year!
There were too many days, too many great stories, and too many great friends and partners in the Gospel to list them all. Suffice it to say it was another amazing year at Christmas in the Park in San Jose. Thanks to all those who came out and helped!
Though outreach at CITP is always good, there is one area I hope to improve next year, and that is getting more church groups to come out and join me. Every church should have an evangelism team, not only for Christmas time, but for community events throughout the year. After all, God didn’t send His disciples out alone. He sent them two-by-two at least. I can help your church build a team, through training and mentorship. And there is no better time to start preparing than now. Summer is a great time for outreach opportunities, and it will come quickly. I’m also able to help train for local festival outreaches during the summer, but the schedule if filling fast, so please reach out sooner rather than later if you’re interested.
Upcoming Ministry Trips
I have three big ministry trips planned so far this summer. Please pray as we prepare, and consider contributing financially if you can. Being away means more money out for expenses, and less money in, since I won’t be able to do any side work, so any help would be appreciated!
Equador, and Our OAC International Conference
Our fist trip (Becky and I will both be going) will be to Equador. We’ll be heading out to the Open Air Campaigners International Conference, where we’ll be meeting with missionaries from around the world. We’ll be spending time in prayer and worship, hearing reports from other missions, sharing best practices, and reaching out to the local communities in Equador. Becky and I, along with some others, will also be staying past the end of the conference for another week of local outreach.
This is actually the first time Becky or I have ever been off the continent, and we’re very excited! Please pray as we finish preparations. The biggest challenge is learning enough Spanish to be able to share the Gospel effectively. I’ve been taking private lessons for months, and I’m seeing progress, but there is a long way to go. I will also be preaching at a local church in Puyo while we are there, with a translator thankfully, but am praying I will learn enough to be able to introduce myself, and to give a Gospel invitation at the end of the message. Please pray God makes that possible, and gives me the discipline to follow through.
Middle: OAC President David Proaño preaching with the scetchboard.
Bottom: The OAC Equador team.
Alaska and Echo Ranch Bible Camp
I can’t say enough good things about Echo Ranch. If you have been following my newsletters, you know that I was a camp speaker at Echo Ranch last year, and this year they’ve invited me to come back. This camp has a the fun activities any kid would expect, like swimming, laser tag in the woods, archery, crafts, and even horse-back riding. But the real focus is getting the Gospel message to young kids who might not otherwise hear it. Many of the campers are poor and many are unchurched, and they keep the prices so low that it’s cheaper than daycare for a lot of their parents.
Last year I got to teach and spend time with about 85 kids between the ages of 7 and 9, and what a cool group of kids they were! The staff and counselors are great too, and have a real heart for the the kids, and for the message. It was amazing to walk around after giving a message, and to see and hear the counselors gathering their charges, not just for surface level reviews, but to dig deep into the topics we’d discussed. We really saw many kids learn and grow, and several prayed to receive Christ as well. What an amazing blessing!
Not only would I ask you to consider helping with the cost of my trip if you are able, but I would ask you to consider supporting the camp itself. You can see ways to support them at the link below. Or, if you have an older teen or young adult in your life, ask them to consider a summer as a counselor there. It’s a great chance to share the Gospel in one of the most beautiful spots on earth!
https://echoranch.org/
OAC SET Training
This last trip is not only exciting for me, but I hope will be for you too. Every year Open Air Campaigners USA hosts training seminars to teach people how to share their faith. Our SET (Sketchboard Evangelism Training) seminars will teach use of the paintboard of course, but also general evangelism principles, tools for kids ministry and kids Bible clubs, and will give you the opportunity to get out into the local community to practice what you’ve learned. The training will be in the Baltimore, Maryland area, and in case you’re hesitant to head out there alone, I’ll also be going back as one of the instructors this year. So, you’ll know at least one person!
This training really can be life-changing, and I would encourage anyone who thinks God may be calling them to this kind of ministry to consider it. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about what’s involved, or check out the link below.
Prayer Requests
Please pray for our unsaved family members
Pray for Melody as she and Aiden adjust to married life, and Melody adjusts to a new home and and new state.
Please pray for my dad, who is now in a retirement home, and for my brothers and I as we figure out the best ways to support him.
Please pray for our trips to Equador, Alaska and Baltimore, and that God will work powerfully during those times of ministry.
Please pray as I continue to try to balance ministry with side work, and that God will take the need for side work away.
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Dan,
Thanks for the update. Great letter! It will be fun to pray for Aiden and Melody and to follow God’s leading in their lives. I have just prayed that the Holy Spirit will anoint your tongue to become an effective Spanish speaker. Please continue to pray for my atrial fibrillation issues. I have an appointment this Wednesday with my electrophysiologist cardiologist to see what my next steps will be. God bless you as you continue to share His story!