By Dr. James Kennard

In October of 2003 I was traveling from a meeting in Memphis when by cell phone I got the news that Billy Aulds was in a bad accident. Billy is one of our missionaries working with the church and school in Puerto Rico. Billy was walking to the church that morning to pick up a car when a large crane truck approached from behind and a wheel came off the truck striking Billy in the back, knocking his head against a concrete wall. Immediately after it happened the doctors did not give much hope of his recovery. They also said if he did recover they did not give much hope of his memory returning. Billy was in a coma for several weeks and while in this critical stage they almost lost him a couple of times. Shock treatment was used in order to restart his heart. All we could do was pray and ask the Lord to give the doctors wisdom to know what to do; all the while believing that if it was God’s will He could raise Billy up from this bed of affliction. His family went through a very difficult time in not knowing what the outcome would be. Miraculously Billy did regain consciousness and gradually began getting some memory back. There are many things he cannot remember, however, he also does remember some of the things in the past very well.

I had to go to Puerto Rico in February to be in the meetings in the churches there and while I was in Puerto Rico I had the privilege of going to the hospital room and visit with Brother Aulds. This was a great blessing to me. I walked into the room wondering if he would know me. He looked at me and said, "Kadena Air Force Base." He and his family had served a number of years in Okinawa as missionaries with our military church and this Air Force base was one of the larger bases on the island so I know he has immediately connected me with Okinawa. I used to be a missionary there in Okinawa and had made a number of trips there while he was working in that place. Then he said, "Brother Kennard" and this was great blessing to me that he did remember me when I came in.

I was also able to visit with Billy on other occasions while I was there and it was always a blessing to be able to talk with him. His family was a real encouragement to me as well while I was there on the island. God has answered many prayers for Billy and his family. I want to quote some excerpts from a recent letter received from his wife. Linda Aulds writes, "Things are going very well in Puerto Rico. We continue to see improvement with Billy. His mind is better even though there are still moments when his short term memory is lacking. He still does not remember the accident or even quite a few events that have recently occurred in his life. Most of the people he will recognize, and it is amazing how he will tell you a student’s last name as soon as you say their first name. Of course Billy has enjoyed the trips out of rehab with the family and has especially enjoyed going to church and to Stephanie’s graduation and to Rachel and Michael’s school awards program.

"We saw an orthopedic surgeon on Tuesday and they said surgery on his hips will be feasible at the proper time. He will have a three phase bone scan and an SMA20 test done the first of September. He will take the test with him to a September 28th appointment to see if the doctors feel that his bones are ready for surgery. The doctor cannot assure that the surgery will help him to walk but they do feel it will help with range of motion and relieve some of the pain.

"I will be once again teaching the third and fourth grades. I feel as though the Lord want us to continue in the ministry and even though there are many questions about our future plans we know that He has the answers. All of the family wants to be used of God and to serve Him. It is such a blessing to hear Billy talking about our Lord and we are thankful for the opportunities God has given us to witness for Him because of Billy’s accident. I know Billy’s needs must be met, and I also know that I will need an outlet from the 24 hour continued care and I am looking to what might be available while still allowing me to continue in the ministry. Billy will be coming home in the next three to four weeks and I ask that you pray as they continue his home care. He is still not able to stay by himself and I need guidance to know what is best.

Stephanie will be leaving to go to Pensacola Christian College in June. She is going for the summer work program and this will help to meet her needs for college next year. Rachel and Michael will be going to be spend a month in South Carolina with friends from our sending church which is Grace Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina. I will be flying to Pensacola for three days to register Stephanie in college and then I will return to Puerto Rico to be with Billy."

Continue to pray for Billy Aulds and also for his wife, Linda, and the children during this difficult time. The picture of him in his wheelchair with his family was a great blessing to know that he can at least move around in a wheelchair. E-Mail Just an email message would be an encouragement. They may not be able to answer all of their emails because of their schedule of taking care of Billy. Their phone number is 787-863-1247 and their address is c/o Maranatha Baptist Church, HC 55 Box 26361, Ceiba Puerto Rico 00735-9801. Most of all please pray for them.

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Zane Abbott recently wrote, "I had another first time experience in the past few weeks. I had the joy of baptizing a Chinese convert. This young man was such a blessing to me personally and to the church’s ministry. He was so excited about knowing Christ as his Savior and walking with him each day! Because of his radiant testimony, he was able to invite many to church and to share his faith in Christ by his life. But, as the military ministry would have it, he soon rotated out to another duty station to serve God somewhere else."

Editor’s note: Zane and Burma Abbott have been missionaries with BIMI since 1978. They faithfully serve the military community at Iwakuni, Japan, through the Faith Baptist Church.

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Harold Pierce wrote recently that his wife, Karin was doing well and that he would never make it without her. She is his friend and a big reason why they were able to accomplish so much on the field.

Mark Sage also commented that his wife, Stephanie, was a big help in their ministry. She makes common activities fun and makes visitors feel welcome. She takes care of the nursery most of the time, teaches a Sunday School class, and helps clean the church besides her activities as a housewife. The wives of our Military Missionaries often cook Sunday dinner for the single and unaccompanied service personnel who attend their churches, never really knowing for how many they are cooking. They are substitute Moms to the many lonely single men and women they are reaching.

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The prayer support of many friends and family members have been evident through out the time of this deployment. I left Schweinfurt Germany on February 8th in support of the 1st Infantry Division and Operation Iraqi Freedom. We crossed the border into Iraq on the 28th of February and we have been involved in operations ever since. I am located 50 miles NW of Baghdad at Mac Kenzie Base in the middle of the Sunni Triangle. As Chaplain I am responsible for about 1300 souls who are divided between two camps. I conduct a number of services each week including Bible Studies—a lot of time is spent on the road between the camps. The soldiers have been very sensitive to the message of the Gospel and the services have been well attended. We conducted a Memorial Service for one of our own who was killed in action last week. It was a tremendous opportunity to minister to the entire squadron. It was a very demanding time for me. The recovery from those events has been tough. I find myself emotionally tired a lot of the time.

I have to work to keep my daily personal study going, it is tough in this environment to find time to read the Bible and spend time in prayer. However I love to spend time with Him. It is so easy to lose track of time. Every day is a work day with more to do than we have daylight.

Pray for our soldiers. There are very few in this unit that have not been shot at or attacked by the enemy in some way. They have given their all in this country to bring about change. They need to know the peace that comes from knowing who Christ is.

Those of us who experience family separations because of our jobs in the military either have it together or we don’t. Military spouses are making great sacrifices also. But Christians are learning to trust God’s truth, mercy and faithfulness.

Editor’s note: Gary Fisher is an Independent Baptist Chaplain endorsed by The Fundamental Baptist Fellowship and is a member of Liberty Baptist Church, Schweinfurt, Germany, pastored by BIMI missionary, Roy Smith.

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"It’s not easy over here" writes one soldier from Iraq, "but it is necessary that we be here." This is the attitude of the vast majority of our military serving in the war zones. No one enjoys being away from their loved ones and exposed to constant dangers but our military folks always rise to the occasion. Pray also for our military missionaries who are ministering to the families of those deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. One can readily imagine the anxiety and stress the families of those deployed to dangerous places must be going through, especially among the unsaved. In some of the military communities depression, anger and fear are very evident. Some are becoming angry with our government, our military and even with God. Our military missionaries are ministering not only to their church members but when possible to the community at large. The Military missionary has a difficult job working to keep family members encouraged as their loved ones are serving in the war zones.

Please pray for them as they continue this important ministry.

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The balancing of ones responsibilities between the ministry and one’s family can at times be difficult. Tammy Monteith’s folks are both in their 90’s and some serious needs in their lives has necessitated plans for furlough. Many questions needed to be answered. Would Tammy go to the States alone or would the whole family be able to go together? Would they be able to find someone to carry on the work while they were gone?

The Aulds family had to take their daughter, Stephanie, to college, leave her there and return to the ministry in Puerto Rico. This is a common problem with many missionaries. Brother Alverson’s wife, Jenny, is fighting cancer but he has many responsibilities as the assistant Military Ministry Director. Please pray for wisdom in this balancing act.

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BIMI missionary John Hornbeck heads the ministry to the military prison through the Rhine River Baptist Church in Manheim Germany. Recently he sent this article that was a real blessing. "In April we had a special blessing. One of the inmates, Tony, told me he was caught committing a crime, arrested and sent to a confinement center and he had no place for God and he was too busy doing his own thing. There at the center God began getting his attention through some of the inmates sharing with him that they had gotten saved and their lives were transformed. He started attending the preaching services on Thursday. Then on one Monday evening while I was teaching on the assurance of salvation, and explaining salvation, the Holy Spirit convicted him of his need to be saved. That night he prayed and accepted Christ as his Savior. His wife in Tennessee got saved a week later. He was faithful to all the services including my discipleship classes. One of the other inmates told me that Tony surrendered his life to God for whatever God wanted. The next day he found out that all charges were dropped. He was released from jail and was being sent back home to his unit in the states. I just happened to run into him as he was leaving the church and we were able to spend a day together the day before he went home. Pray for him and his wife as they try to set up a Christian home. Please continue to pray that we not just reach the inmates for the Lord but that we would reach the guards and the other military working there, including the facility commander."

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New Military Missionaries at Candidate School with the Kennards and Alversons

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Wednesday, February 8, 2012

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Scot C & Katie Daku -  AMERICAN SAMOA
Paul J & Wendy Daku Jr -  FIJI ISLANDS
James & Dawn Daley -  INDONESIA