Dear Praying Friends,
Well, 2013 has slipped away and we are faced with a new year and new opportunities for service to the King! Let me give you an update of the closing months of 2013:
During the month of October we had the opportunity to show our new video at a missions
The generation that gave us all that we have and enjoy today has been largely forgotten. They are living out their final days away from family, friends, and the familiar home life they enjoyed for so long. They have lost most of their possessions and virtually all of their independence. They are literally living on the edge of Eternity. Someone must go to them and tell them of God's love and plan of redemption through His Son, Jesus Christ. We are thankful that God has entrusted us with such a task, and we are thankful for all those churches and individuals who faithfully support our work among the elderly. We are committed to bringing the life-changing Gospel to them repeatedly, week after week, so that many can be saved.
While in that missions conference we were exposed to the world-wide need for the Good News. But the need is great, right here in our own backyard. You might be surprised to know that only 10% of all nursing home residents have been born again and have a genuine relationship with the Saviour. That means that 90% are simply religious, and are trusting in their good works to get them to Heaven some day. Because of this, they struggle with fear and a lack of assurance about what awaits them after this life. Hardly a week goes by that we don't hear of someone who has sat in our services at a particular nursing home facility who has slipped off into eternity since the last time we were there. The need is urgent to reach these dear souls while they are still reachable. We covet your prayers for power, safety, and fruitfulness in the preaching of the Gospel.
In November I had the privilege of performing the funeral for a relative of a nursing home staff member. We have gained the trust of administration and staff at the facilities in which we minister. That is never more apparent than when they ask us to be involved in the crisis moments of their lives. The worker told me that she had known for 2 years, when her relative had first become sick, that she wanted me to perform the funeral one day. When the opportunity came I had tremendous freedom to preach the gospel and give an open invitation for souls to be saved.
Just
before Thanksgiving, we traveled to Missouri (in our newer car
that the Lord provided; a 2007 Chrysler Town & Country with a lot less miles than our 2003!...Thanks
for your prayers) to see our oldest granddaughter married. We stayed
for Thanksgiving dinner at Agape Ranch, a facility for troubled boys,
where our son is on staff, and ate dinner with about 200 folks in the
dining hall! We then had an “early” Christmas with the family and
headed home the first week of December, just ahead of an ice storm.
In
December, I brought a series of messages to the nursing homes on the
incarnation of the Saviour, which was received well. A dear Christian
man, Pete, whom we have known through the years in several nursing
homes, went to be with the Lord in the early morning hours before we
got to the home. He loved to sit and talk with me after our services
about the Bible and wanted me to come more often to tell others about
Jesus. I encouraged him to start a Bible study among the residents,
which he did. We had a good friendship and I know I'll see him in
Glory one day. Another man, whom we have known for quite a while,
confiding in me that when he passed he wanted me to take care of his
funeral. I told him it would be my privilege. Many in the homes have
allowed us into their private lives and are willing to entrust to us
a most important aspect of their time on this earth.
Many
of you are aware that I accepted the temporary position of interim-pastor at
the church from which we operate our nursing home ministry, Open Door
Baptist in Venango, PA, with the provision that we would be able to
continue our nursing home ministry schedule. The church is on track,
growing, and becoming financially stable. In fact, the church just
paid off its mortgage! Pray that when the time comes for them to seek
a permanent pastor, God will supply the right one. Over the past year we have seen several nursing home staff members attend the church, and bring others. God is connecting our position at the church with our ministry in the nursing homes, which is just what we hoped would happen. Many pastors probably think that the nursing home ministry will never benefit their local church. But the ministry at the homes is not just about reaching the elderly, but their families, and the staff members who have served them.
Thank
you again, to all who make it possible for us to be full-time on this
necessary mission field that is continually "white unto
harvest". May we labor together in 2014 to see many come to know
the Saviour before He returns.Serving Together,
Norm
Aabye
Norm
& Priscilla Aabye