Free Christian Audio Books

http://www.freechristianaudiobooks.com/

Richard and Sandra van Dillen in Holland

Richard & Sandra van Dillen        Hindustani Ministry     15 November, 2010

                                                              PRAISES

1.     We praise the Lord for providing so many witnessing opportunities for us since we have been in Holland. We thank God for making this verse so dominant in our lives the past couple of months: 2 Corinthians 2:15

For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

2.     Last week Peter Daniel was able to share Christ with one of his pagan Dutch friends, Rick. Peter Daniel was able to dismiss many of his pagan beliefs with facts. Rick said he would read Meer Christianity by C.S.Lewis in Dutch. I was so impressed by Peter Daniel’s ability to negate every point Rick brought up with Biblical answers. Rick is a self proclaimed Buddist.

3.     Manisha and Vikash’s kitchen came in last week and Richard and Duffy were able to help Vikash pick up the kitchen and deliver it to their new house. The kitchen, the light fixtures, and the bathroom still need to be assembled and installed. We are praising God that the kitchen finally arrived. Manisha told me yesterday that Vikash worked all weekend with his Hindu freinds to assemble the kitchen!

4.     Ten days ago Friday 5 November was a Hindu holiday, Diwali. Last Tuesday I was able to share the gospel with my Hindu friend and neighbor, Bea, by contrasting her Hindu beliefs and her Hindu gods with the one true God revealed in the Bible. Bea listened but her daughter-in-law, Manisha, really enjoyed what I shared. Bea goes through the rituals of Hinduism without even knowing what they mean, and Manisha thinks the not eating of meat for the entire week of Diwali and the other Hindu rituals involved with Diwali are ridiculous. She always urges me to pray to Jesus for her marriage.  Manisha is also really struggling to continue to live in the same house with her mother-in-law, Bea. She has lived with Bea for the past 2.5 years, and they were supposed to move to their new house more than a month ago, but the house is still not ready to move into. Viskash works on his new house every evening after work, but he is working very slowly!

5.       We praise the Lord for our celebration with Peter and Margre Hays (church planters & missionaries among the Dutch in North Holland) on 11 November or Saint Maartin’s Day. The Dutch kids in North Holland sing songs at the door and receive candy for their efforts. One little Dutch boy about 4 years old insisted that he sing a solo so he could get his candy! We really missed having their four grown kids and our four grown PD’s involved in the celebration last week. It was a very quiet Saint Maartin!

6.      Moncef (raised Muslim) spent the entire weekend with us. He is a break dancing friend of Peter Daniel’s. We had many opportunities to share Christ with Moncef this weekend.  He trained with Peter Daniel and Daan on Friday evening and spent Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening with us. He doesn’t feel that God loves him since he lost both parents within three months to cancer when he was only 13 years old.

7.     Papa Perry would be 89 today. I know that Daddy is celebrating in heaven with Jesus, but Stevie and I still miss our daddy very much. We feel so blessed to have been raised by two godly parents who loved the Lord!

                                                 PRAYER

1.     Seventeen years ago we met Zari through a Hindustani friend of ours. She was a Muslim from Iran. We had the privilege of leading Zari to the Lord and having opportunities to witness to her family members who live in Holland. Zari was baptized by Richard and I had the joy of teaching Zari God’s Word.  Unfortunately Zari has fallen away from the Lord but through our faithful prayers her sister, Parvin, trusted Christ about 5 years ago. Parvin is a member of our Dutch supporting church, a CAMA church in Delft. Tomorrow she is having an examination of her large intestine. She was too sick to go to church yesterday. Please pray for total healing of Parvin. Pray for her continual witness to her Muslim family members and to Zari. She prays daily for the salvation of her family members and for Zari to return to her first love, Jesus Christ. Please pray for the salvation of Parvin’s family and for Zari the lost sheep to return to the Good Shepherd.  

2.     Please continue to pray for the salvation of Peter Daniel’s Dutch and Muslim unsaved friends: Moncef, Shah, Psiertje (Muslims) Rick, Dominique, Danny, & Nicky (Dutch).  Pray for Rick, Moncef, & Nicky to read the books we have given them: More than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell & Meer Christianity by C.S.Lewis.

3.     Manisha came to me in a panic yesterday. She said that her mother-in-law was so mean and hateful to her this past weekend because Bea does not want them to move. She treats Manisha like she is her servant. Manisha’s delicious good cooking and her constant cleaning are going to be greatly missed by Bea. Manisha told me yesterday that she was afraid that Bea had put a hex on their marriage. She begged me to pray to Jesus for her marriage. Vikash was extremely spoiled by Bea and Rudi. His two older sisters are 11 and 10 years older than him. Fortunately, Sandia and Anita (Vikash’s sisters) are very kind to Manisha. They have taken her side every time and they have told Manisha several times that they know their own mother much too well. Please pray for Manisha & Vikash’s marriage. Pray for the salvation of Manisha, Vikash, Sandia, Anita, Bea and their family members.    

4.     Many missionaries in Europe are struggling financially do to the drop of the dollar to the euro. Please pray for the individuals who have promised to support our ministry financially to start supporting our work. Pray for our financial monthly support to be at 100% by the end of this year!

5.     Thank you for your prayers for Stevie’s knee surgery. He is walking much better now. Please continue to pray for complete healing of his knee. Pray for Stevie & I since we still really miss our Papa Perry. I really missed not being able to call Daddy this past Veteran’s Day. Pray also or the renter, Teresa, to keep the renter contract that she signed. Last month her electric bill was 3 times as much as when Daddy lived in his small house. Please pray that Teresa (a nice lady) would pay her electric bill and not expect Stevie to bail her out when she uses too much electricity.

6.     Thanks to your prayers Peter Daniel’s right shoulder and right ankle are healing. He was able to work on some flips last week. Please continue to pray for the Lord to totally heal Peter Daniel’s injuries and for his body to stay healthy! 

7.     Paul-Duffy failed his philosophy test. The professor told him the only way he can pass is to make a B on the final in 4 weeks. Paul-Duffy promised to study every weekend for the next 4 weeks. Please pray for Paul-Duffy to study the necessary material for his philosophy class and to make a good B or A on the final in December. 

Invitation

I invite all missionaries to post anything they'd like us in the States to know and pray about.  I understand that some of you are concerned about security and may have to communicate via pseudonyms, but we want to get to know you better and how we may support you better.  Conversely, I invite all Christians in the US to share their questions, concerns, and prayers with the missionaries.  Lets reach out to one another, support one another and love one another.

Lets Talk

We Christians in the United States tend to have a poor appreciation of missions.  I am creating this blog to allow everyday people in the United States and on the mission field all over the world to talk to one another, to share with one another, to communicate our pains and our joys so we may help and support one another in our growth in Christ and in the spread of the gospel.  May God shine through all of us to His glory.