Kasalehlie!
Greetings from Pohnpei! We’re well into 2016 now and God is doing great things here on Pohnpei. A quick update on the drought situation here ~ as many of you already know, our island and the surrounding area have been facing drought conditions that are predicted to continue through summer. We were completely out of water in our area for about 2 weeks. It was definitely a trying time but God always provides. We currently have water turned back on and have had some rain, but please continue to pray as limited water could occur off and on for the next several months. We do have a water catchment that is full at the moment and praise God for that blessing!
BIBLE INSTITUTE
We are drawing near the end of another year of our Bible Institute. We have had fewer students this year but are thankful for their faithfulness and vision for ministry. Our son Kaleo is also taking classes in the Bible Institute this year and has willingly taken on the job of picking up students needing rides.
CHURCH MINISTRY
The church has continued to thrive since the revival meetings with Evangelist Jim Cook that we had in the fall. This coming Sunday, March 13, is a special day for Ambassador Baptist Church as it is not only our church’s 12th Anniversary, but will also be our Charter Service. Missionary John Boylston has worked hard to get all the paperwork done and passed through the court system to officially charter the church and we are so thankful for his commitment to this project. We will be holding special services both in the morning and afternoon along with a church meal between services. Please continue praying for the various ministries of the church ~ Sunday school, Wednesday kids Bible Club, Jail Ministry, and Youth Ministry.
I was recently able to take a trip to the island of Nukuoro to visit and help our missionaries there, Jack & Melinda Peeler, and our Bible Institute graduate Ray Ezekias and his family. The only way to get there is by ship, and I don’t mean a luxury cruise by any means! The work there is still in it’s baby stages and needs your prayers. They are desperately in need of building a living structure as they are currently living in tents. They've been able to begin Bible studies with some on the islands and I am so glad I had the opportunity to see our Institute graduate doing what God has called him to.
FAMILY
We’re also coming to the close of another homeschool year. Kaleo will be finishing out his junior year, Kestra in 6th grade, Kyler in 5th, Katy in 3rd, and little Kaylinn working her way through K5. The kids are all a very active part of our ministry as well as music and sports activities. Kaylinn just turned 6 this past month and is our little social butterfly. She loves to meet new people and will talk to anyone and everyone. She does not really enjoy schoolwork but would rather be out playing. Katy is our crafty/artistic child and is always creating something. She loves playing the piano and has also taken up raising chickens, though each chicken become her beloved pet. Her pet rooster follows her everywhere and crows loudly when she leaves him too long. Kyler is enthusiastic about life and spends a lot of his time just trying to figure out how things work. He’s our deep thinker and can often ask difficult questions. He loves swimming and will be competing in his first international swim competition next week. Kestra is growing into a beautiful young lady practically overnight! She loves hanging out with her cousins and reading. She will also be competing next week in the swim competition and hopes to do well. Kaleo is a typical busy teenager with barely a minute of spare time. In addition to school and taking Bible Institute classes, he is giving guitar lessons, helping mom run the Bible Club on Wednesdays, lifeguarding several times a week, active in the church youth group, plus daily swim practice. He will also be competing next week and will also be traveling to Fiji this summer to compete in the Oceania Swimming Championships and would appreciate your prayers as he trains in preparation and for traveling safety. He is thankful for the travel opportunities his swimming has given him. The FSM NOC has sent him on several trips now which have allowed him to visit Qatar, Manila, South Korea, Moscow, and Kazan all by the age of 15!
VEHICLE UPDATE
A huge thank you to those of you that were able to help with our car purchase! The car we had intended to purchase had sold quickly so we began the search for another vehicle that would work for us. Unfortunately, there were very few available in the size we need as most vehicles shipped in are just small cars. With the revival meetings just ahead, we desperately needed something and were finally able to find one, though it was considerably more than we had intended to pay. We thank each of you that gave to this project!
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support. God is working here in Micronesia and we are truly blessed to be a part of His plan for these islands!
Because of Calvary,
Rickson & Susan, Kaleo, Kestra, Kyler, Katrianne, & Kaylinn
