July 13

We are in the thick of summer and so many things are happening in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Let’s give you the details.

Since our last letter we have had two missions’ teams from KY visit with us. The first was from Harrodsburg, KY. This was a group of men who came down in March to paint a church for a congregation in need of assistance; a congregation whose history stretches back one hundred years. Then, this past June, a team of six from the Shelbyville Christian Church worked with us here in Aguadilla. They did a street VBS, painted at a local, private Christian school, helped with a summer children’s ministry in which eighty children were involved, and participated in a women’s congress.

Speaking of the women’s congress, this year was our first ever attempt to host such an event.  If attendance is a fair measure of success then it was a definite thumbs up. We had an overflow crowd of one hundred-forty plus women present for the event. It started at 7:00 PM and went till 10:30 PM.

Attendance has been good these past few months. Like all churches, we have had a few off Sundays. But overall, the attendance has been very good, up into the nineties and over into the hundreds many Sundays.  

Our church’s mission’s team just got back from its mission’s trip. Eight of us, along with five from the Farragut Christian Church in Knoxville, TN, made the trip to the Dominican Republic. While there we led four nights of marriage enrichment seminars, preached, taught Sunday school for all ages, carried out a puppet ministry, partially painted a building,  did four days of VBS’s, and gifted toys and school supplies to nearly three-hundred kids. In spite of minor illnesses, we made the trip without a hitch.

Starting last Saturday we began hosting three straight weeks of missions’ teams from Harrodsburg, KY. These are large groups of thirty-five people. I suppose at the end of July, I will want to sit down and do nothing for a couple of daysJ.

Please accept our sincere thanks for your interest and support. This August I will finish my fortieth year in Puerto Rico. Mary will finish forty-two. So much has been done in Puerto Rico throughout the years because of your continued and faithful support. Space doesn’t allow us to review the details but the years have been very productive. Looking forward, we want to work on and work hard for the Kingdom. We trust we will continue to merit your trust and favor. May God bless you and your congregation.

Johnathan and Mary Reece,

Cross-cultural ministers to Puerto Rico