For the past 14+ years Kim & I and our 3 boys have been serving with SIM in Benin, West Africa. Our main area of interest lies in training national leaders so that they in turn can train others.

However, for the past 6 years we have also been working in our SIM business office and overseeing the proper function of our guesthouse. This has taught us much patience as we deal daily with corrupt and crooked government officials. God has opened the door on many occasions to share the liberating message of Christ to those in positions of influence.

Thursday, June 15, 2006 4:06 PM
"No man is a failure who has friends."

Of course one needs friends ... and the Lord most of all! But consider that thought for a moment. In 1993 the US Blackhawk helicopter was shot down in Mogadishu, Somalia. Hundreds of US soldiers encircled the downed "chopper" in order to retrieve the dead pilot's body. It was said that difficult assignments like this requires a friend. As friends you will stick together, walk together, run together, eat together, sleep together, talk together ... and if need be carry each other.

Two weekends ago I embarked, along 4 other "friends", on a similar type of mission! No I didn't go to Somalia and no I don't fly choppers either! My mission was to inform folks of the darkness that they live in and to come away with "survivors" ... new believers that is! Along the way our team found many "wounded" troops (believers) and prayed healing into their hearts and lives. Tears were shed ... relationships were restored ... homes were once again prayed over and given over to the Lamb ... the liberating Gospel message was delivered ... and lives were changed FOREVER!! What a weekend!! You folks prayed and God definitely intervened. ALL GLORY goes to Him who is able to set the captives free. :) Doesn't it just make you want to give up all you have to join Kim & I in Benin to give to those what they need most ... God that is!

Back to our trip. Friends ... Jesus said "Greater love has NO one then this, that one lay down his life for his friends." Jesus goes on to say that "I call you friends because I have shared with you what I heard from the father." That weekend our team was surrounded, like the US soldiers, by a whole troop of friends. Our friends greeted us after our 4 hour trip. They fed us, they prayed for and with us, they led us to the needy, they introduced us to the unsaved village chief, they laughed with us, they shared their burdens, they took us to a village 15 kms deep in the bush. Oh how good it is to have friends!

As we left the Sunday morning after having preached, and then leading in a baby dedication and communion, our greatest joy was in knowing that we made "new friends" ... according to John 15:14. Check it out!

How To Best Pray:

• Pray for a lady called Deli. When she was born her parents dedicated her to be a sorcerer. She is 24 years old and just sits in a house doing nothing. She needs a real friend ...she needs Jesus!
  
  
• Pray for the village of Djgaballo as most people there drink a strong drink ... much like our Indian reserves. Pray that their friend ... an alcoholic drink ... will be replaced by Him who can satisfy their thirst FOREVER!
  
  
• Pray that the series of messages given on tithing will fall on open hearts and that the churches we visited will take care of their shepherd.
  
  
• On July 02 Kim & I head to Toronto for my parents 50th wedding anniversary. Pray for the kids as they stay back with friends. Pray that Kim & I will be a source of encouragement to my mom and dad and others whom we will visit.

For the months of July & August we have about 82 short termers coming to Benin to do evangelism and health ministries in a village called Dassa. Pray that God will use these teams to challenge the people of Dassa that God cares for and loves them!

Thank you for praying. Thank you for being there!

Maranatha!

Partnering Together By His Power,

Brian, Kim, Jonathan, Eric & Nicholas