Feb 2009 Newsletter

DEAR FRIENDS, I’M EXCITED ABOUT THIS NEW YEAR AND WHAT GOD HAS IN STORE FOR HIS PEOPLE. I believe it will prove to be a year of many challenges as God calls His Church apart from the world, and a year of many opportunities to see the faithfulness of God. Personally, I’m excited about the new opportunities God is opening for VBB to become more involved in the work of the Gospel around the world. I’m especially excited to see doors opening to the Islamic world. After many years of traveling in Asia, I welcome the challenge to see God’s power and victory manifested in Islamic countries. Twenty-five years ago I started traveling. I went to Israel and worked as a missionary there for six months, and I experienced much persecution from some people who were opposed to the Gospel. It was exciting but also scary to travel overseas and live in places where I was a minority. My anticipation is building as I find myself heading into new areas once again.

I’M EAGER TO RETURN TO TURKEY, PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN, IRAN, IRAQ AND OTHER ISLAMIC COUNTRIES PREPARED WITH THE GOSPEL. I hope to find ways to get more Bibles to the persecuted Church in these countries, to give them more tools so that they can become more effective in their ministries, and also reach out to those who have never heard the Gospel. I’ve been learning more about effectively sharing the Gospel with Muslims. I have shared with many in the past, but now the burden to reach Muslims with the truth of Jesus Christ has increased. I’ve been studying Ray Comfort’s teaching on how to use the Law of God in evangelism and am excited to see the Holy Spirit using God’s Law to bring conviction in people’s lives. The Lord confirmed this to me as I sat with a brother in Waco, Texas who is working to bring the Gospel

Muslim woman reading to the Turkish people. He explained how he uses the Law of God to bring conviction to the hearts of Muslims. This brother has been having good fruit as he shares the Gospel with the Turkish people. Turkey is one of the countries for which my heart is burdened: a country of over 70 million people but only 3,000 - 4,000 Turks are Christians. They say that to be Turkish is to be Muslim. Nationalism is very strong, and the people take great pride in being Turkish. Our brother who is

purchased through funds donated to VBB. Afterwards he had lunch with the village chief and asked him what he understood from what he had heard. He answered, “We don’t need to sacrifice goats anymore. God sent His son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins, and his blood is enough to pay for our sins.”

AS WE TRAVEL WE HEAR MORE REPORTS ABOUT HOW GOD IS AT WORK IN THE ISLAMIC WORLD TO BRING PEOPLE TO HIMSELF. Just as we heard reports of drug dealers and gang leaders coming to faith in Jesus Christ in the 50s and 60s, I believe that now we are going to see terrorists come to faith in Jesus! Already we are hearing reports of this happening. Please pray that God will give us the boldness to share the Gospel without fear. A Turkish man

“…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 6:18-20 Muslim woman with boy

Patrick and young Turks working in Turkey has given out a lot of Bibles, and he is requesting more. Another brother we are partnering with in Pakistan is truly committed to helping reach the Pakistani people with the Gospel. He related a story which I believe needs to be shared, as it demonstrates the great need for Bibles in Pakistan. He went to a village along the Afghan border to share the Gospel with a people group who had never heard it before. To get to the village, they traveled four hours by pick-up truck and passed 26 Al-Qaeda training camps in 20 miles. Our brother was able to share the Gospel in a village with Jewish ancestry, where the people have been sacrificing goats for forgiveness of sins. The Muslims are trying to convert them to Islam, but our brother was able to preach, telling the villagers that the blood of bulls and goats cannot wash away sins, but that God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for their sins. As the people heard about God sending His Son to pay for their sins, they began to weep, and they repented and put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Our brother was able to give them Bibles

Vision Beyond Borders • P.O. Box 6770 • Sheridan, WY 82801 • Phone: 307-672-5995 • vbbonline.org CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

NON PROFIT ORG PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #5 SHERIDAN, WY 82801

Praise God for successful trips to China and SE Asia last month. Please pray for upcoming trips: • Cuba – the end of February • SE Asia – March 10 – 25 • Romania/ Turkey – April 5 – 21 We are so thankful that funds have come in to build two more orphanages in Burma. Our goal is to help 6,000 children. Please pray as we desire to send containers full of supplies into Burma to help the people as they are still recovering from Cyclone Nargis. Finally, please pray about helping us to purchase more Bibles for the Islamic world: particularly in Arabic, Turkish, Farsi, and Urdu. If every person on our mailing list would purchase one Bible, we could help reach over 4,000 Turks with the Gospel. Each Turkish Bible costs $11.50, while a Bible for Pakistan is $5.50. God Bless You! Patrick and Staff

Arabic Bible

Please pray about helping us to purchase more Bibles for Turkey and Pakistan.