Author name: Bob Gillespie

First of all, we wish to thank all those who have already partnered with us in our ministries. Most of all we cherish the prayers of our friends. We can do nothing without them.

This has been an eventful year for us here in the states. We have been here to see both sets of parents through some serious illnesses. Lois is now good as new with the new joint in her hip. We have been privileged to enjoy our first grandchild, Summer Dawn, who is now four months old. We also have greatly enjoyed sharing our story of God’s protection and blessings while in Africa. We trust that it has been an encouragement to you to realize how God has answered your prayers.

We all know that it is better to give than to receive. While we are ‘on the field’, our concentration is on what we can give and how we can serve. There are needs from the missionary kids that we are called to serve. There are needs from the missionary families that we serve. There are needs in the local African churches that we help. There are many opportunities to give and serve and God gives us a real joy in doing just that.

However, while we are here in the states, our focus has had to change. Much of our time and energy has been on raising the support that we need to get back to our ministries. It is a strange transition to switch to the receiving end. There have been so many who have caught our burden and have come along side us with support. Our home church has increased our support substantially; they now supply 29% of our support. Not only churches, but individuals have pledged to provide monthly support. With such a cloud of witnesses, we are spurred on all the more to return to Africa. Our goal is to leave in May in order to connect with our colleagues on the field who are leaving in June as their help in getting settled will make a big difference in our adapting to a new field. That added pressure makes us pull out all the stops to raise that last bit that we need.

We long to be back to the joy of giving again. We encourage you to consider coming along side us and give us that last push to get us back to the field. Even a small pledge or increase is tremendously helpful at this time.

Soon it will be time to say those tearful goodbyes to our friends and loved ones. We know that the joy of ministry will help to off set the parting sorrows. Please consider your part in helping us return.

Many of you, our faithful friends and supporters, will be praying for Lois today, as she was supposed to be undergoing hip replacement surgery. We appreciate your prayers and suggest that you keep praying, even though her surgery has been put off for now. She is following the well-recommended advice of getting another opinion, this from a doctor who does a much less invasive hip replacement, making her recovery much quicker. We’ll keep you posted on when that surgery will happen (assuming it will work for her).

The month of June was very different for us in many ways. I spent almost all my waking hours at our new fix-me-up home in Loudonville, Ohio. Lois spent a lot of her time with her parents, taking care of the mundane chores of living while they each recuperated from hospital stays. Both are doing much better and we thank you for your inquiries and prayers on their behalf.

Today, if all goes as planned, we will spend our first night in our new home – NOT that everything is done. We have the bathroom, kitchen and one bedroom liveable, so we’re moving in! We’ll work on the rest as we go. It will be fun to finally go through our stored stuff and see what we have…now we can better choose from all those wonderful things you ladies have in those missionary cupboards. 

This move seems to have been a long time in coming, but as we look back over the past month and see how God has so wonderfully provided all our furnishings, we’re reminded again that He does all things beautifully in His time.

 We want to say a special thank you to those of you who have ‘visited’ us in our new home, working hard in this ‘Africa-like’ heat to help us get things done. It has been a big encouragement to us, and makes today possible.

This next Sunday, we will start another round of meetings, including a week of vacation Bible school. Please pray that God will lead us to new faithful friends and supporters as we are still hoping to return to Africa in January 2005.

Causes for Praise:

• “Brother Bob, I’m calling to tell you that our church voted to support your ministry…” What wonderful, welcome news received this week from a Pastor in West Virginia. Praise the Lord for this answered prayer.
• The month of June finds us very busy fixing up our new home. We want to thank those of you who have helped us out. There’s a lot to do, but we’re thankful to have a new home to work on! Isn’t it interesting that we have no meetings in June – God knew we would need this time to focus on a different project.

Concerns for Prayer:

• Support Needs Speedy work on our house so we can move in!
• Surgery – Lois will be having a hip replacement July 5th. Please pray that her recovery goes well. Also pray for me as I present our ministry without her help.