Volume 5, Issue 2

Dear Family & Friends,

When we heard the news of our dear missionary friend Gerlinde Skaggs’ traumatic bicycle accident we could hardly believe it. The girls and Barb, staying with the McGrath family in Blantyre, immediately huddled for prayer. They had a sense of what you did when you heard of Barb’s accident. When Doug, Seth, Steven, Nathanael Fickett and Nathan McGrath heard, on their way up Mt. Mulanje, they cried, prayed and sang “It Is Well With My Soul.”

Thank you so much for your prayers on our behalf continually, and especially for Gerlinde and her family as they wait for her to wake up and face the uncertainty of the future. Please also pray for the Lord to help Doug’s Uncle Joel who is recovering from hip surgery and a stroke, and his Aunt Marie who goes for hernia surgery on June 16 and for Terry Banner, a faithful friend and supporter, who was recently hospitalized.

Love,
Doug, Barb, Seth, Steven, Sara, Susanna and Sharon

Please Note: Change of cell phone no. back to +265-9-953-700. We realized that our original provider, though more expensive, gives us better coverage in the "bush".

Please Pray for Gerlinde
Please pray for Gerlinde Skaggs who remains in a coma after surviving a near fatal bicycle accident in Germany on May 28.

Gerlinde and her husband Ben and their adult children, Joshua and Heike, are dear friends. They served with us in Malawi under SIM. Ben rode with Doug from Mangochi to the hospital in Blantyre after Barb's paralyzing fall in 2001. Gerlinde lost her balance rounding a curve, fell on asphalt full force and lost consciousness. She arrived at the hospital by airlift and God brought her through a five hour emergency surgery. She suffered massive trauma to the brain and the surgeons removed part of her skull to stop the bleeding and to keep the swelling to a minimum.

At this writing, the doctors have performed a tracheotomy and she has started breathing on her own. They stopped the medicine that kept her comatose. Her brain pressure has now stabilized. She has coughed, yawned, moved her legs and opened her eyes a bit. They think that she will live but she will need rehabilitation in Germany. The verse "Lord, the one you love is sick" (Jn 11:3), and Jesus’ raising of Lazarus has brought great comfort.

Ben wrote: We are praying that our girl will survive, and that she will be totally restored. At the same time, we are praying that our God's perfect will would be done, and that He would be glorified through all of this. Thanks for all of your love and support. As you probably know, this has not been very easy. Yet, through all of the tears, we remain one hundred and one million percent committed to our God and our girl. Our God has given us life, and now even eternal life, and there is absolutely nothing in or outside of this world that will cause us to believe any less in Him. And even if we are unfaithful at times, He will never abandon us, for He has totally and irreversibly committed Himself to us, for which we deeply, deeply say, “Thank you, Father."

She remains in our thoughts and prayers daily, from when we wake up until we go to sleep. Thank you for joining us in prayer.

Gospel Presentation Nears Conclusion
We plan to conclude the chronological presentation of the Gospel in one study group the end of June. We thank God that the group members have understood the deity of Christ and the futility of trusting in good works for salvation. They have remained committed to the study of God’s Word even though others have falsely accused us.

Please pray that they would understand the finished work of Christ and believe.

"...This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." (John 6:29, NASU)

Lloyds Arrive—Nathanael Departs
Jonathan, Erica and Anna Lloyd arrived on April 2. They have settled into the Mpalume Village mission house, six miles outside of Mangochi, and have begun language acquisition with local language helpers. We thank God for colleagues who have volunteered their time to conduct language workshops and regular grammar sessions for them and other new and experienced missionaries.

After eight months of helping at Grace Farm and Children’s Home, Nathanael Fickett will leave Malawi on June 12. He joins his mom, Toni, for two weeks of training and outreach in London before returning to the U.S.

Please pray for continued smooth transitions for both the Lloyds and Nathanael.

Launch of Genesis—Exodus
Yao Translation Project Coordinator Winfried Steiner (center) at the Genesis-Exodus launch on April 29

Global Day of Prayer—Mangochi
On May 15 about nine hundred people from many different denominations gathered in Mangochi township for the Global Day of Prayer. With encouragement from missionary Jaco Leeuwner, the Pastors’ Fraternal organized this and four other local prayer meetings in the district to humbly seek God’s blessing on the community, nation and world.

Please pray that we would maintain a spirit of unity and prayer.

Sights from 2005 BIC Retreat

Character Corner: Diligence

Diligence vs. Disrespect

Visualizing each task as a special assignment from the Lord and using all my energies to accomplish it. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. (Colossians 3:23, NIV)

In April we meditated on “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)

We thank God for the diligence which Seth and Steven have demonstrated in maintaining consistent disciplines of Scripture reading, meditation, prayer, journaling, and early rising. We particularly honor Steven for 12 years of excellence in homeschooling and doing well on his recent SATs. While Seth has already begun a Distance Learning (DL) degree program in Computer Science through Troy University, Steven plans to begin pursuing a DL degree in Bible in August through Liberty University.

Please pray that all of our children will follow hard after Jesus. (See Psalms 63:8)

Dive deep into His heart….All the problems that crash around you like huge waves, will seem somehow distant.
(Joni Eareckson Tada)

Upcoming Events:
June 12: Nathanael Fickett leaves Malawi for ministry in London en route home to the U.S.
June 28, 30: Presentation of the Crucifixion & Resurrection of Jesus at one Bible Study group
June 29: Doug's Birthday
July 8: Sara's 16^th Birthday
July 30: Doug & Barb’s 22nd Anniversary
Aug. 2-4: BICC Youth Conference, Maone
June 28, 30: Aug. 4-7: BICC General Conference, Maone

It has always been my ambition to preach
the gospel
where Christ was not known...
(Rom 15:20a) NIV