September Prayer letter

Dear Pastors, Churches, and Friends,                    September 2024 

​ Greetings from the Bequia Express ferry! As I write this letter, I’m sitting on the ferry heading down through the Grenadine Islands, delivering relief supplies. If you had told me when I was a young man that I would be doing this, I never would have believed you. But God’s will is far better and more exciting than anything I could have ever imagined.

Hurricane Relief Update:
It has been nearly two months since the passing of Hurricane Beryl, and the opportunity to assist and minister to people is tremendous. Thanks to the support of a few of our partners and the local church here, we’ve been able to deliver around $10,000 worth of food and supplies, including fresh bread, water, Bibles, canned meats, rice, and candy for the kids on a weekly basis. Each trip has opened doors to share the Gospel with people. I’ve even had the opportunity to teach the Bible, engage in discussions, and instruct pastors and laymen while on the ferry. Pastor Mitchell, Gospel Light Baptist Church, and Counting the Cost Ministries have a 40-foot container of supplies arriving this week. Several churches have also contributed to this effort. The plan is to distribute these supplies throughout the islands, helping those in need. We are also planning for more containers in the future, so if you have supplies that could be useful here, please reach out.

Every Village Project Update:
The Every Village project has slowed slightly due to our busy schedule, but we have teams lined up for October and December, with an opening for a small group in November. If you're interested, please reach out. These teams will help in new villages and areas where we’re planning to start a new church. We're also looking to rent a house on the mainland for $600 per month to accommodate teams, and any monthly support would be greatly appreciated.

Church Update:
This year, we’ve seen four people come to faith, and we’re beginning discipleship to help them grow in the Lord. We’ve been teaching on God’s design for the church and encouraging our congregation to evangelize. We’ve had new attendees, and our prayer is to see continued spiritual growth as well as growth in numbers. Our First Intern:
Brother Noah Bickmore, a young preacher from one of our supporting churches, has been working with me over the past month. Trained by his pastor and having attended the "Who Will Go" camp to prepare for missions, he has a special heart for children with special needs, particularly those with autism. He has been a tremendous help, preaching, teaching, laboring, assisting with VBS, and much more. His dedication and work ethic have been a blessing. We look forward to his return on future trips. If you're interested in interning with us, please reach out.

Family Update:
Please continue to pray for our family. My wife and the girls have traveled back to the States and were able to see her grandmother before she passed away. Malachi and I will be flying back on the 21st of this month, and we’ll remain stateside until after the birth of our new baby in October. We won’t be in the States for long—just until we can get the baby’s passport. I plan to return here in November and December, and Lord willing, the whole family will be back at the start of January. I will be available for some meetings, so please feel free to reach out to me.
David Ballinger Family