M&T Update: Back Closet Ministries!!

The joy of family and ministry!

Back Closet Ministries!!

After spending January thru May in Mexico to produce 62 radio podcasts, we have now been back Canada for a few weeks. Since the need is great for teaching God’s word to the P people, and the radio broadcast doors are wide open, our desire has been to continue producing radio podcasts here in the north as well. And that meant we needed another recording studio. But then the question arose, where should we put it? What room would be best acoustically for producing podcasts? And the answer came quickly! And so we purchased a nice desk on FB Marketplace, plus the needed recording equipment and voila, we had our recording studio! And where did we put it? In our walk-in closet!!!!! Kind of weird, eh….but it works perfect! With all the hanging clothes everywhere, there is no echo and the production quality is excellent! And so “Back Closet Ministries” has officially launched! As a matter of fact, I’ve already put out ten new programs in this new office! It works like a charm! So thanks much for your prayers as we continue to produce programming for the beloved P nation.

Some Items of Praise to our Lord:

1. PTL that we continue to be on the air each and every day teaching Bible truths to the P believers.
2. PTL that even though the government of our Host Country is doing an investigation on the radio station, they haven’t been able to shut it down to date.
3. PTL that we were able to get 62 more radio podcasts done during our recent stint in Mexico! We have about 150 more to go to complete our Genesis to Revelation Overview so thanks much for praying with us about that.
4. PTL that we have successfully done a reprint of the P Bible, and that Lord willing it will be safely in the hands of the P believers during this next Dry Season, which is Dec – May.
5. PTL that we were able to purchase more solar-powered, pre-tuned, shortwave radios for the P believers to receive the daily programs. We hope to distribute all 600 of them during this next Dry Season to reach a much larger audience.
6. PTL that we were able to have printed and delivered two more books of Bible Curriculum to the P believers, which is about 450 pages of teaching.
7. PTL that He continues to give us health and oomph to push forward in this exciting ministry. We keep thanking God for the huge privilege of partnering together with Him to see mature churches planted in the P nation of South America.
8. PTL that the P church continues to gather for teaching, and growth in the Lord. Thx for praying too for several disgruntled believers who appear to be controlled by their flesh instead of the Holy Spirit, and who feel it is their mission in life to straighten everyone else out. They have made life difficult for some of the other saints.

Family Time

We had the great joy of connecting with family and celebrating several things in the last couple of months. Here below are some pictures and explanations:

In the above photos, you can see us together with our son Josh, his wife Josie, their daughter Julia, their son Spencer with his wife Rebekah, along with the youngest daughter Katrina. It was great to see them all again. Not long after our visit, Spencer and Rebekah welcomed their first child, Micah William, on June 26. (below) So wow, now we are officially great grandparents…although we always knew we were “GREAT” grandparents!!!

God also allowed us to spend some time in Santa Barbara, California, as I needed to have another hernia surgery. And that gave us the joy of hanging with Teresa’s twin brother Steve, and his wife Pam. And Teresa and her brother even got in some boogie-board time at the beach! Yeah, was a great time of hanging out together and encouraging one another in the Lord.

A month after our return to Salmon Arm, we were blessed by a week-long visit from our daughter Jodi, her husband Brent, and their three kids. We had a great week together and enjoyed everything from water slides, go-carts, the water park, picking cherries, and times at the beach. And as their departure drew near, we had yet another thing to celebrate.

Photos below of the big celebration of my mom’s 99th birthday!! My oldest brother Wes and his new wife Sue were also here for the celebration along with Wes’s three children and grandchildren. It was quite the party!

My older brother Wes is facing another challenge. Four years ago he endured the trial of losing his first wife, Brenda. The Lord graciously brought Sue into his life, and they were married last September. (see below) Well Wes is now facing another challenge. He has melanoma stage 4 and is in a fight for his life. Wes and I have always been close. We entered Ethnos Bible School (New Tribes Bible Institute) together back in 1971, were in missionary training together with him and his first wife Brenda, and have enjoyed many times of fun and fellowship down through the years as we served our Lord together, he and his family in Indonesia, and ours in South America. Anyway, please pray for Wes and Sue as they face this tough challenge.

Further below: Two old men together, Wes and I, still thankful for times to hang out!!

And Thanks Again…..

….for your partnership with us, for your prayers, for your encouragement, for your notes, and for your fellowship in the Gospel. God is working and is building His church among the Unreached People Groups of the world. Thanks so much for being a part of the team!

Weak, but strong in His strength,
Merrill and Teresa