Thank you for your faithfulness in praying for our family as we serve here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Your prayers have been greatly needed and appreciated. These past two months have been filled with many challenges and blessings. We are thankful that God provided us with a new van just in time. Within two hours of receiving the new van, we had it loaded with sound equipment, chairs, and other essentials, heading to preach in a village that night. Thank you for each person that gave to this need.
We recently finished a 5-day tent meeting here in Bequia, with an attendance of around 60-80 people each night. Pastors Chris Hewett and Philip Kuykendall brought a group to assist us, and we are grateful for their support. One lady, whom we have been praying for and talking with for several years, left under conviction and came back the next day to tell us she repented and believed the Gospel at home. Another lady informed me that although she had been trusting in her baptism, she has now repented and believed the Gospel. A total of 5 people made professions during the week, some from Bequia and some from other places.
With school out for the Easter holiday, we decided to hold a 4-day VBS under the tent. We had about 80 kids in attendance each day, and a total of 104 kids for the week. Pastor Mitchell joined us to assist with songs and games, and the team worked on lessons, crafts, and activities. It was a wonderful week. On Thursday night after the meeting, we took down the tent, and on Friday, the team loaded the 20x20 tents on the ferry, heading to Richland Park where we held two nights of meetings. We had a decent turnout, distributed tracts, and engaged with many different people. Several people asked if we were starting a church in the area, which we would love to do one day, so help us pray concerning that.
We’ve now preached in three more villages: Bridgetown, Choppins, and Richland Park. The two nights in Bridgetown were exciting, with a good turnout for the preaching. One night, there were at least 30 people listening. Pastor Mitchell preached a powerful message on “come unto me,” and a lady got up, came across the road, and stood right next to him wanting to be saved. The next night, the lady who allowed us to use the space in front of her shop to preach came and wanted to be saved. So far, Pastor Wilson, Pastor Mitchell, and myself have together preached 21 times in 6 different areas.
We still have over 70+ villages where we need to preach, and we are in need of assistance. Many have inquired about the costs associated with the Every Village Project and how they can help. The average cost of two nights of meetings has been about $300-$500, covering our fuel, ferry, and accommodation. A one-time gift or monthly support can be sent to Macedonia World Baptist Missions, marked "Every Village Project" or David Ballinger, sub-account #10. This would ensure that all funds are used for this project over the next two years. Additionally, if your church or a small team would like to come and assist with a specific area, we could certainly use your help. As a team, we would canvas a village, inviting folks and engaging with them during the day, and hold several nightly meetings. We are also planning to have interns come and work with us for longer periods of time, assisting with the Every Village Project and working alongside several pastors here. Please make this a matter of prayer.
Regarding Bible Baptist Church, shortly after our last letter, I resumed all responsibilities for the church as plans to transition the work to a national had to be abandoned. Despite some difficulties, God has continued to bless us. We have seen a steady increase in visitors and new faces. Please continue to pray for us as we seek to rebuild the church spiritually, and pray about the need for land to build a church building. Thank you once again for your prayers and support.