47 Wonderful Years Together
August 24
God says in Isaiah 55:10-11that His WORD is like RAIN, which causes the earth to bear fruit before it returns to the heavens. So His WORD will accomplish His purpose. During the last many weeks of ministering in the beautiful South Pacific islands of FIJI and SAMOA, we experienced much heavy RAIN, both NATURALLY and SPIRITUALLY.
South Pacific Bible College campus in Fiji is carved out of jungle, set on hills, and overlooking the ocean.
Evelyn taught a class on the importance of intimacy with God and feeding on His Word, which ignites supernatural faith to believe for God to do amazing miraculous things in situations which are hopeless in the natural. In Everett's Missions Perspectives class (Asia Pacific Theological Seminary M.A. extension), he challenged students and pastors to reach the unreached, in Fiji and beyond. We were so blessed to know that Fiji is sending missionaries to a number of the island nations. One student said: "I have never heard our responsibility to be involved in fulfilling the Great Commission taught so clearly. I will never lead my church the same."
Spiritual and Physical Refreshing
It takes a lot of taro root (substitute for potato), rice, and tea to feed the hungry students at SPBC.
All of the students of Harvest Bible College in Samoa are mature and involved in ministry. Some who work full-time in secular jobs took two weeks leave from work so they can be better lay ministers, teachers, and personal witnesses. All are eager to learn and to put the lessons into practice in their lives and ministries. In Everett's class, the school librarian, who sat in the course for a second time, testified to "healing rain" as she spent time with the Lord in the evenings. She had not been able to read easily, but found herself reading without her glasses.
We celebrated two Father's Days — ours in June and Samoa's in August. What a blessing to see altars of two churches lined with fathers rededicating to God and their responsibilities. Two years ago, we pictured the ground where this church (right) was to be built. Here the fathers are served a banquet by ladies and honored by the children with special numbers and poems.
Dr. Tavita was our student 30 years ago at Far East Advanced School of Theology in Manila. The first to finish a doctorate at Asia Pacific Theological Seminary, he is now General Superintendent of the Samoan A/G and pastors the thriving missions-minded church above. They support us and several Samoan missionaries!
The principal and academic dean of Harvest Bible College were our students at Asia Pacific Theological Seminary as were several other faculty members. The heavenly rains are falling as they guide students both academically< and spiritually.
Please remember us in your prayers as we continue the work of reaching and teaching for the Kingdom.