A Word from Williamsons

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A Word from Williamsons
March 2019

Sooooo, it’s time to start packing my suitcase again and get ready for another trip to southeast Asia. As you may remember, my last trip (in January) was to Malaysia as part of a team working on a plan to begin a new venture in that part of the world. Tentatively it will be known as Equip Asia. The details are still in flux, but the concept is now taking shape. The goal is to provide a somewhat mobile training program to equip those who want to serve in Church Planting ministries among marginalized peoples. Some of those we will train may be in limited access countries. Some may already be in a ministry context but not prepared for the kind of work needed. Still others may have a desire to begin such a work but lack skills or materials that would assist them. All we can say for sure is that the Lord is opening great doors of opportunity which we are going through!

It was a joy to spend some time with a few of the NTM-Singapore board members who joined with us for these meetings. We had worked with (and did a lot of eating with!) these men while we served in Singapore.

l leave Sunday for a three week long trip which will take me first to Thailand for our quarterly Southeast Asia Leadership team meetings, and then on to another country in that region. There I (and others) will be doing Foundational Bible Teaching to over thirty church leaders from the major language group with whom we have been working for almost two years. This time, we will do the regular teaching program and at the same time also be making video presentations in the V and H languages. These will be made available on YouTube for easy access to those in distant places. The four volume printed series is at the point where picture illustrations are ready to be added and then it will be ready to go to press – something we hope to finalize if we can while we are there.

From Cherri --

Many of you have been praying for my dad, so I want to update you. Two days after Barrie left for Malaysia, my Dad and I met with his cardiologist. We were surprised when the doctor said that he wanted Dad to be admitted to the hospital immediately because Dad’s lungs were full of fluid. Though we knew Dad needed a new aortic valve, we learned that Dad also has congestive heart failure, most likely as a result of the bad valve causing his heart to work so hard. We also learned that the abdominal discomfort and lack of appetite Dad was experiencing was from the fluid buildup in his lungs and heart. On Jan. 17 Dad had his aortic valve replaced, and lost 30 pounds of fluid over the next two days in the hospital (due to IV diuretics)! The first few weeks after the surgery he was still quite weak but now he’s feeing much better. He can breath much easier now and is eating better. Thank you so much for all your prayers!

So good to see Dad feeing better!

Can't have a photo of Dad without one of Mom! On her 89th birthday last week:

We can’t thank you enough for your prayers, encouragement and support. Please also uphold Cherri while she is at home taking care of things. It is not easy for me to be gone so often and be so far away. Of course, she would love to accompany me but that is not possible.

Let us know how we can pray for you!

--- Barrie and Cherri

Prayer needed for:

— Safety for Barrie as he does a lot of flying over the next three weeks

— Good health, strength and stamina for Barrie while he’s ministering

— God’s power to work through Barrie and the team as they teach

— Cherri as she “holds down the fort”

— For Dad’s heart to continue to get stronger, and that he won’t fall