Puerto Rico Mission: October 17

Hello everyone. My wife says "Howdy" too (Her Arkansas roots show up at the most unexpected times 😄. Actually I say "howdy" as well but not as much as she.).

We are approaching mid-week and making plans to see some of you soon. Like most ladies, my wife has her suitcase down and mostly loaded. And I, like most men, haven't given a thought about what I will put in mine. That is tomorrow's chore. I pulled out of the closet the suitcase she chose. It was the biggest one we have. Then, she looked at my smaller suitcase with measured suspicion. Her lingering gaze spoke loud and clear, "too small". I wondered if she wanted to use some of my space too 😄😄. Hmmm... Okay, I will be nice. Enough about suitcases! Let me give you a briefly update on the Reeces and the church here.

Attendance has been good. For the past month we have been in the seventies and the last two Sundays, in the mid-eighties with regulars out due to travels and sickness. Mary asked me Sunday evening, "What was the best moment of your day." (Almost daily we ask each other that question. It keeps the thoughts positive, not negative. After all, the Apostle Paul admonishes us to give thanks to God for all things and in all circumstances.) Back to Mary's

question, I answered, "The good attendance." Have you noticed everyone everywhere (including us) seems to measure success with numbers. Certainly, there is merit to that. Yet, Christ rejected many...perhaps dozens if not hundreds of candidates to be his apostles, to begin with only twelve. But then again, numbers are showcased in the book of Acts. The writer, Luke, reveals the church, at Pentecost, saw three thousand converted. Shortly afterwards that number climbed to five thousand. So, numbers are important, but hearts transformed by the Spirit through faith is the bottom line.

I see our congregation seeking after the Lord with greater fervor. Worship seems to be an expression of the heart of most and prayer is practiced with greater intensity by many. This Wednesday we requested that the church fast and pray for a church member who left this past Monday for a one-week mission trip to Cuba along with thirteen other people from different churches along the Christian spectrum here in Aguadilla/Isabela. We decided to take up a love offering to provide money for food and resources for poor families in that country. The church gave $1,800.00. No money came from the general fund. It was a love offering. I have never seen anything like it in this congregation! It says good things about the values and unity of the church.

Three weeks ago, we had a guest evangelist who preached his heart out. Then two weeks ago was Pastors' Day. It is an annual event in many churches in PR. The four elders/pastors of the church were honored with a special program, and afterwards dinner, prepared by the church members, was the crowning touch to a great day.

While we are gone everything is beautifully organized. Our regular speakers (There are five of us.) have their dates assigned. Song leaders and musicians are primed to lead the congregation. I have a sense of peace that all will go well whether we are here or not. That is a constant prayer of ours.

Well, I will close here. Thanks for reading the newsletter/blog. Blessings!

Johnathan and Mary

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(The photographers of the photos below are unlisted)