After visiting nine churches in November and eight in December, we find our year-end support goal in the rear-view mirror and looking towards the finish line heading into 2022. We cannot understate the hand that God has had in filling our schedule. December and January are traditionally slower months, however we have a full amount of meetings for both months, in addition to the opportunity to spend time with family throughout the Christmas holiday.
We had the unique opportunity in early December to be in Arizona and meet the retired missionary who started our future home church in New Zealand. Bro. Mike Rigney helped start multiple churches throughout New Zealand and discipled the pastor we will initially be working alongside. It was a special meeting for them to see the fruit of their ministry come full-circle, and it was special for us to get to know him and his wife as well as share a common vision and burden for the people of New Zealand.
In addition to presenting at several churches in Arizona, we were also with churches in Maryland, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. In Maryland, we had the opportunity to visit a young man who returned again the next day for church. Also, while soul-winning at our home church, we saw a young lady trust Christ after following up on her brother who recently had trusted Christ as well.
Many churches we visit are seeing guests come through regularly, increased offerings, and the spirit of their church becoming healthier than before. There are most likely exceptions to this out there, but it is encouraging to see growth in the overwhelming majority of churches we visit (big and small!) at a time when it would be easy to use circumstance or spiritual condition of our country as an excuse to relax from what we’ve been called to do.
Thank you for praying for our family and our ministry. Several answers to prayer we have seen recently is our remaining schedule fill up and our year-end support goal reached. Our priority request right now is that the visa applications would re-open that we would be able to submit our paperwork and enter the country in God’s timing.
God Bless,
Josh, Alyse, and Bentlee Szwarga
