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 Robert
& June Patenaude and Family
THE CIRCUIT FOR MARCH/APRIL, 2009
For Immediate
Distribution -- Reposting Encouraged (Except into China - Please do NOT reply
with is message attached).
The work here
often settles in to a well oiled machine-type routine, and we often have to just
sit back and ponder before we write our letters to you. It is important that we
write.
First,
the administrative-type things.
We want to
re-iterate that the Home & Abroad Missions office in Milton, Florida often
receives smaller portions of information from us as a course of our dealings
with the staff there, so, at any time you need more details, profiles,
photographs, and so forth, we encourage you to contact Mrs. Marilyn Mayhew at
850-623-8207. If you feel you have not received letters or email from as
frequently as you need to, also contact Mrs. Mayhew. The office keeps
Chinese-language mailing labels for your letters or packages to us, and they
will make them available to you upon request.
Our West Coast
Liaison address is shown at the bottom of this letter. Your letters may be
forwarded to us there, but please keep in mind that it will take longer that
way, as bundles of items are gathered over a period of weeks before being mailed
here.
Because of the
seemingly ever-increasing postage rates, we are hoping that we can use email for
all of you. Many have not sent email addresses for our use. We do realize that
some just do not use email or the Internet, and so we keep our USPS mailing list
as up to date as possible. We use the bulk mail rate simply because first class
mail is too expensive. We are trusting that you will keep your USPS mailing
address updated with the office so that our letters to you won't be discarded by
the post office.
Economics and Missions
The
U.S. Dollar is falling in value the world over, and the current policies in
governments have much to do with this. Missions is affected, of course. We are
not using this to discuss politics, but there may be some who do not fully
realize the connection between what happens in Washington and the missionary
family's ability to remain on the field and continue the labors. Your
missionaries can leave for the field "fully" supported, and within months see
their work cut back drastically. We trust our Lord, and not government. These
are just practical matters that need to be brought up from-time-to-time.
Just last week
the U.S. Treasury Secretary slipped in a statement and emboldened those who want
to create a global currency to replace the U.S. Dollar. You might imagine what
that did when missionaries went to the bank to exchange currency. You might
consider writing to your elected officials insisting that they dismiss any
proposals to endorse a global currency. Well, but all of us who study the
Scriptures and prophesy do know what is coming down the road, don't we. Jesus is
coming soon, and we may fully expect to see these things.
New
Babies
Two of the
ladies in our church here gave birth in the past several weeks, and there is of
course much joy. You might be interested to learn, however, the troubles these
precious Christian sisters face when they have children.
One couple,
Aaron and Helen (Chinese names withheld) had there first child, a little girl.
The couple is in their mid twenties, and they underwent much grief obtaining a
legal "ticket" to have a baby. That is all part of communist-ordered family
planning. The government argued that they had not been married long enough and
should not be having a child so soon. The government would have been just as
happy to intimidate them into having an abortion, you know. Officials want the
birth rate reduced, and so they want couples to wait as long as possible before
they have their "one child" (by national policy). Having the child later will
minimize the desire for subsequent pregnancies---the child-bearing years of the
woman now being reduced in number. Aaron and Helen, though, are Bible-believing
Christians, and they hope for more children, too. Pray for them.
The second
couple, Mike and Jie (Chinese names withheld) had their second child, a sweet
little boy. Well, this is a violation of the "one-child" policy. A fine will
have to be paid, and they are forbidden from applying for any
legal identification of this child. As far as the government is concerned, he
doesn't exist. They will probably have to wait some years before they can obtain
any ID for their son. I don't know how many in the west understand what hassles
this will bring to this family. Please also pray for them.
Philippines Baptist Camp Meeting
We will attend
the camp meeting in Lipa City, Philippines the third week of April. I have been
asked to moderate the meeting. "A People for His Name" Baptist Church hosts this
camp meeting each April. It began in 2001. A large number is expected, including
some American pastors, and we ask that you pray for the effectiveness of this
meeting, which is the yearly highlight of that indigenous church. We have seen
souls saved and young men called to preach from those meetings, as well as many
families helped over the years. If any want to make a missions trip to the
Philippines, we highly recommend that you consider the third full week of April
in Lipa City, Batangas Province, Philippines (two hours south of Manila).
Bible
Institute
Classes
continue five mornings per week. We are in theology and Baptist history
currently. Training men for the Gospel ministry is our first objective (2
Timothy 2:1, 2). We also have young ladies who are learning to be more effective
in their witness and teaching other women. Please pray for these efforts.
Sundays
& Wednesdays
We have regular
services on Sundays and Wednesdays much like all of you do. Please pray for the
safety and security of our work, and the security of all who attend. We would
love to see more souls come to Jesus Christ, just like you would. We preach the
Gospel to that end. There is a special Gospel meeting held on Saturday evenings
for many who are hearing the Gospel for the first time. That is conducted in a
separate location.
Health
June and I are
approaching our mid-fifties, and we keep a schedule more active than ever, and
the burdens don't get lighter. The Lord has abundantly blessed us with good
health and strength, and we believe that has much to do with your prayers for
us. Would you please continue to pray for our health.
Our children,
Abram (17), Bethany (soon 13), and Abigail (soon 8) are all very well, and they
are as important to our labors as anyone. Abram has been mastering photo
processing on his computer, and is already becoming be a great help to the
labors. I have asked him to work on a video presentation that can have delivered
to all of you, hopefully before long.
Our
Current Term
We began the
third year of our current term this past September. Is that possible (?) Already
2-1/2 years gone out of this term? Yes, that's right! We hardly notice it
passing. We keep commenting on how the weeks just fly. We finish one Sunday, and
it's suddenly Sunday again! A local New Testament church is being established,
and we thank the Lord for confirming His word and bringing glory to Himself in
His Church (Ephesians 3:21). We are praying for a national pastor to be raised
up in the work. We have two national men preaching now, and we shall see how the
Lord develops them for the Church offices. Please pray for them, Aaron and
Gideon.
Our
Children at Home
Danielle is
still in Millbrook, Alabama serving at the Victory Baptist Church School. We are
grateful for Pastor Steve Sanders and the Church there taking so good care of
her. Danielle still writes some lovely Christian poetry based on preaching she
hears and books she reads. I'm sure she would love to add you to her mailing
list for her poetry, much of which has been published, and much is used in
sermons around the country these days.
Amos and
Liberty Pranger (our son-in-law and daughter) are at Fellowship Baptist Church
and Fellowship Tract League in Lebanon, Ohio. Please continue to pray for them,
and for their daughter Annabeth who lives with NKH (Non-ketotic hyperglycenemia).
Liberty is expecting their second child in the summer.
Your
Faithfulness in Prayer and Giving
What can we say
but THANK YOU. We are grateful. Our core of supporters over the last twenty
years have been so faithful and so kind. We appreciate all of the extra cards
and letters as well, and the packages of simple useful things are always a touch
of love and joy from home.
Your
Email
Once again we
ask for your email addresses, if you have not recently updated yours with us. If
the church does not have email capability, somebody in the church might have,
and be willing to forward our email communications to the church for posting.
Ours is
pamphleteer@earthlink.net
Until we hear
from you, or until our next edition of THE CIRCUIT, know that we are praying for
the churches and pastors. We encourage your soul-winning evangelism and your
strengthening of the Church of God where you are, for Christ's Glory and for His
witness in this ever-darkening world.
In the Surety
of His Blood,
Robert & June
Patenaude and Family
Philippians
1:6; 2:13
USA
West Coast Liaison Address:
2535 Big Nugget Trail
Cool, CA 95614
Tel: 530-886-8413
THE ROBERT E. & JUNE PATENAUDE FAMILY
Forward USPS Mail through:
2535 Big Nugget Trail
Cool, CA 95614
Shanghai-China Mobile:
+86-21-5414-9914 (Home)
+86-135-6496-2648 (Bob)
+86-137-9534-3239 (June)
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