December 3, 2004

Dear Friends and Family,

In our last letter we told you that a group from the Outreach Foundation, a validated mission support group of the PC(USA), would be visiting us to share our Christian experiences and become familiar with the ministries of our students. It was a wonderful visit. Together we traveled to several towns close by and visited several ministries of compassion and church planting. We heard stirring stories of recent breakthroughs: religion classes in local schools, church partnerships with municipal libraries, and the personal witness of one evangelist’s wife through her ministry as a nurse among other nurses. We praise God for His work through our students. We are including pictures and a short description of some of them for your prayers.

That evening we had supper with a support group for people this ministry reaches, which is led by a psychologist, Sonia, who is Nídia’s sister, and Paula, who will soon be graduating from the Missionary Training Center. Participants in the support group spoke powerfully about the importance of friends and how friendship helps bring God’s peace in their lives.

Finally, the group came to our house for a cookout and presentations by our graduates who came from three states to share with us the challenges and joys that are a part of their recent experiences in full-time ministry.

It is hard to believe that 2004 is almost over. Tomorrow two intensive courses will be finished and soon we’ll celebrate another graduation and send out more missionaries. God blessed us and we are grateful! We are also grateful to you for your support and pray God’s blessings upon each and every one. We want to wish you an Advent season full of celebration of God’s love for us, the love that sent Jesus, the light of the world, the same love that brightens our darkness even today. May God turn each of us into beams of His love for the world.

Yours,

Tim & Marta

The 2004 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 146