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 30th 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
