Late Fall 2017 Prayer & Praise Report

November, 2017

Greetings from the mission field of Norttheast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania! We have been kept busy throughout the Fall months with travel to Connecticut to help celebrate the 30^th Anniversary of the church we planted in 1987 and a missions conference in Ohio, as well as one in our church in PA. It was great to see River Valley Baptist Church in Ansonia, Connecticut growing and serving in the Naugatuck Valley. One lady, who was part of our first “get-acquainted” meetings before we started the church, is still a faithful member. Others, who joined during the course of our ministry there, are still serving in various capacities. We also met many new folks who have become part of the work since we've been gone. In a day when many churches are closing their doors, it is refreshing to see a faithful congregation, continuing to keep a good testimony for the Lord in a downtown location. While we were there we were able to show a video of our ministry among the nursing homes and the great need there is to reach those “living on the brink of Eternity”.

After returning from Connecticut, we traveled to South Ridge Baptist Church in Conneaut, Ohio, one of our supporting churches, to participate in their missions conference. Although we couldn't be there for the whole conference, we were able to show our latest minstry video. The pastor graciously invited us to come back the following Sunday evening to preach. Again, we enjoyed seeing friends we have made over the years of our association with this church.

Speaking of Ohio, the nursing home in Ashtabula has always been a fruitful field for the gospel. On our last trip there, we had two new residents respond to the invitation to trust Christ as their Saviour. As we left, I looked back to see one of the women reading through the tract I had given here to give her some assurance of her decision.

While the nursing home ministry is a delight to be a part of, we have had to cancel a number of our regular meetings recently. We have enjoyed great health through the years of ministry, but lately it seems age is catching up with us. I had a respiratory problem that affected my throat, and therefore, my voice. In addition, I have been experiencing some painful tendon problems in both hands which have limited my guitar playing as part of our services. On top of that, since I turned 70, I've developed some sort of allergy that is giving me “hives”. I actually ended up in the emergency room at 2 a.m. one morning due to my lip swelling up! This required more antihistimines and steroids. I have an appointment with an allergist later this month to try to figure out what's going on. Through all of this we have had to cancel a number of services while we work through these problems. We would appreciate your prayers about all of this.

But on a good note, the past two times my wife has seen her retinal surgeon he has been excited to report some healing in her eye. As a result of that, he has temporarily stopped the needle injections she has been enduring for the past three years, and will make a decision on an every other month basis. Again, your prayers would be appreciated on this matter.

Praise the Lord we were able to purchase another car (a 2010 Chrysler Town & Country) recently and are looking forward to using it to visit our son and his family at Christmas who are now pastoring in Kentucky.

As always, we are thankful for your faithful support as we seek to reach “America's fastest growing, yet most neglected mission field”. Should the Lord tarry, we look forward to bearing fruit to your account in the coming year!

In His service together,

The Aabyes

Norm & Priscilla Aabye

Moving Forward In The Ministry

Summer/Fall, 2017

As Summer begins to fade, the leaves on the trees in northwest Pennsylvania are already beginning to make their transition from green to the yellows, reds, and oranges of Fall. There's something special about this time of year. It always seems that God provides us with a glimpse of His color palette just before He wipes the canvas clean with the starkness of Winter. Just today, someone asked me why we have an Autumn leaf design on our prayer card. My answer? Because we are ministering to those in the “autumn years of life”!

Last week I had the privilege of sharing our ministry with the new chaplain of a large nursing/retirement home facility in the area. For years people have asked us if we conduct our ministry at this particular place. Because it is a denominationally operated nursing home, with a very full calendar of events, we have never bothered to inquire about getting on their schedule. But, I decided, “Why not?” The chaplain and I spoke for quite some time and he was both amazed and excited at the prospect of us ministering at his facility. We are now waiting, with the chaplain's recommendation, for the official “go ahead” from the administration. This is a very large complex with many elderly who do not necessarily even need nursing care, but live on the campus in more of an assisted-living mode. I believe ministering here will open up a whole new audience for the gospel.

With October quickly approaching, we will be busy traveling to present and provide an update of our ministry in several missions conferences in Pennsylvania and Ohio. In addition, we will be heading back to Connecticut for the 30^th anniversary celebration of River Valley Baptist Church, in Ansonia, the church we planted in 1987. It will be exciting to preach there again, and to report what the Lord has done through the nursing home ministry here since 2006. In addition, one of the nursing homes that we minister in locally will be hosting a public luncheon the middle of September. They have asked me to be the key speaker. Although it is not a “spiritual” event, the facility's activity director, who is a Christian, told me I was free to work in the gospel. Any opportunity to share our ministry and bring the message of Christ to an audience is something I look forward to. We will be praying that the message is well received and fruit will be born for the Kingdom of God.

Priscilla had foot surgery in the Spring that has not turned out well. We have been back and forth to the surgeon and the physical therapist for months and yet she still feels pain and cannot wear shoes. That's not a problem in warm weather, but with Winter coming on, she'll need to be able to get some sort of shoe on. We are comtemplating seeing a podiatrist (the doctor who did the operation was a highly recommended orthopaedic surgeon) to see if he can find out why there is still pain. We would appreciate your prayers on this matter. As for me, recently I took a very bad fall in the parking lot of Walmart while trying to catch a runaway shopping cart heading towards a car. I fell face forward and came down hard on both knees and my left shoulder. Everything seemed to heal up, but I'm having some problems with my left knee and cannot put much pressure on it going up stairs. I probably should have had some x-rays but you know how guys are! I would appreciate your prayers that God would strengthen and heal my knee.

Our ministry continues to affect others in addition to nursing home residents. Several weeks ago, a lady who regularly attends our services, shared with me that her grown son had been standing outside the open door of the room where I was preaching. She told me that her son didn't really believe anything. That day I had been talking about the Old Testament Tabernacle and the High Priest's work on behalf of the people, relating it to Christ's effective work on our behalf. She said that he had been listening and told her afterward that it was the first time what he heard made sense to him. He didn't personally talk to me about this, but it reveals that you never know who is listening when the Gospel goes forth. God may be planting a seed, or watering what they have previously heard, or ready to bring them to salvation. The call of the Gospel is not limited to those listening in the immediate vicinity, but often catches the ear of those who are unsuspecting!

We do not take it lightly that you have partnered with us in prayer and financially to reach those “living on the brink of eternity”. May God continue to bless you as you labor for Him in your field!

In His service together,

The Aabyes

Norm & Priscilla Aabye

Bibles, Blessings, But No "Baloney"!

Spring, 2017

Well, it's been quite a while since I've given an update on what God is doing in the nursing homes. I know that churches that support missionaries love to hear glowing reports of fantastic results of the Gospel reaching mulitudes for Christ, but it often seems as if the ministry in the nursing homes goes in cycles. We'll see a number of folks trust Christ and then there's a “dry spell” where it seems as if nothing is happening. Of course, something is always happening, even when we aren't seeing visible results. The apostle Paul realized this when he wrote to the Corinthian church: 1Cor. 3:6, I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

The past several weeks have seen a number of people profess faith in Christ. It seems as if people are aware of their need and are looking for that answer that has eluded them all their lives. Just the other day we had a lady in our service who was celebrating her 102^nd birthday. It is amazing that no matter the age, the message of God's love and salvation is something folks never tire of hearing.

Recently, as we were leaving one of our more distant facilities, I was stopped by two men outside of the activity room. One was pushing the other in a wheel-chair. They thanked us for taking the time to minister to them and one of them said, “When you come here you tell it like it is, “no baloney”, and when you're finished we know exactly what you said!” I kind of chuckled to myself as we left, but I appreciated their remarks. When we began this ministry ten years ago, I knew that such a work could not have the luxury of entertaining people or offering some feel-good message. Those who are part of “America's fastest growing, yet most neglected mission field” deserve the truth, and they want it!

I'm sure most hearing or reading this letter have their own copy of the Scriptures...or perhaps, several. Living in a nursing home has caused most to forfeit most of their earthly belongings, and many are without a Bible. We are thankful for churches that have supplied us with Bibles for distribution to those who need a copy of the Word of God. Last month we helped a facility in Ohio that has a born-again volunteer whom we have known for a number of years, who wanted to begin a weekly Bible study. Unfortunately, those who wanted to attend didn't have Bibles of their own, and the nursing home was trying to figure out how they could raise the money to purchase them. We were able to supply an entire case of King James Bibles to get their study going. We received a wonderful note, signed by all those in attendance at the first study, thanking us for the Bibles and for our regular services to them. If your church is interested in putting “giant print” KJV Bibles into the hands of those who are “living on the brink of Eternity”, please let me know. Remember: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

Many have expressed concern for Priscilla's eye condition. The retinal surgeon is pleased with the results of the injections designed to save both her vision and her eye, and has extended the time to eight weeks between treatments, but the partial loss of vision in the eye already is troubling at times. Also, our van is getting up there in mileage. Eventually we'll have to think about getting another vehicle. We know the Lord has just the right one for us at the right time. Finally, with some level of retirement looming in the future, and no retirement account or pension, and social security being insufficient, finances become a concern. Although age may hinder effective pastoral ministry, preaching in the nursing homes can continue to be fruitful regardless of age. It would be helpful to have several more churches become interested in supporting our work. But again, the Lord knows what we need and when we need it.

Our continued thanks go to all who pray for souls to be won through this ministry and for faithful churches and individuals that make it possible for us to travel in PA and OH to take the message of gospel to those who are so open to the Saviour.

In His service together,

Norm & Priscilla Aabye