Author name: Lois Gillespie

I can only say thanks, over and over again, to those of you who prayed for me this week. My hip replacement was Monday morning at 7:30, and I came ‘home’ yesterday (to my parents house in WV). One time in the hospital, I remember wondering why I seemed to be doing so much better than others. Some suggested my age, but I remembered your prayers. Most of the time I am amazed at how little pain I’m actually having, but then there are those other times…

But that’s only about the last week, and it’s time to move on; Bob is back in Ohio working on our house. He hopes to have the carpet laid sometime within the next few weeks so he can bring me home. Since my therapy consists of an exercise routine I do on my own, I can do it anywhere. 

It’s really been a very busy summer with meetings continuing up through the evening before my surgery, combined with the work on our house, going to our church missions conference, and attending to the needs of our elderly parents. Our schedule will pick up again at the end of September with meetings in Michigan. My goal is to be ready to go to these meetings with Bob.

Thanks again for your prayers. We have really felt your love this week.

As I look back over my past updates, I realize with embarrassment and apologies that it has been almost 2 months since I last wrote. We thank all of you who prayed for us during this busy time of meetings. We’ve made lots of new friends and reconnected with many other friends. It’s been so rewarding to share what God is doing in West Africa; we hope always to be a reminder of His faithfulness, both here and there. We trust that God will use these special times together in directing us all as to who will become partners in our new ministry in Niger.

Causes for Praise: Some fun things are happening in our family:

1. Our daughter and her husband will present us with our first grandbaby in November;
2. Our son graduated from law school last week; and
3. We will close on our very own, very small, bank foreclosure, fix-me-up house this Friday. Finally, a place of our own even though we have lots of work to do to make it liveable for us for the next 6 months, and then for renters as we return to Niger.

Concerns for Prayer:

1. Support Needs – we want to return to Niger in January, but need about 40% more of our support. Remember that our previous school ministry subsidized our support; our new ministry will not.
2. Health of Lois’ mom – Mrs. Matheny underwent an emergency appendectomy this past Saturday. Lois and her sister are in West Virginia helping out as they can. They had hoped to bring ‘mommy’ home from the hospital today, but now doctors are saying ‘maybe tomorrow’.

We are sending you our April schedule so that you can be in prayer as we minister in so many places this month – our busiest so far!  Our prayer is that we would minister to others more than we are ministered to, and that something we might say or do would make an eternal difference in someone’s life. And of course, we would like to add to our team of faithful supporters as God leads

-Apr. 3 am – Faith Baptist, Bolivar, OH
-Apr. 3 pm – Youngs Corners Fellowship Baptist, Wadsworth, OH
-Apr. 6 pm – PHBC AWANAS
-Apr. 9-10 – Bible Baptist, Bedford, OH – 2 day missions conference
-Apr. 12 – Pastor’s Fellowship, Massillon, OH
-Apr. 13 pm – Elkview Baptist, Charleston, WV
-Apr. 15-16 – WV State Meeting, Parkersburg, WV 
-Apr. 17-20 – First Baptist, Wauseon, OH – 4-day missions conference
-Apr. 24 am – Cottageville Evans Baptist, Cottageville, WV
-Apr. 24 pm – Bible Baptist, Parkersburg, WV
-Apr. 30-May 1 – Open Door Baptist, New Woodstock, NY – 2 day meeting