This past month was filled with joy and sadness.

There was joy as we welcomed new missionaries into our family.  We have just finished the first month of our partnership with EMM.  Joint meetings were held at the end of January in Pharr, TX with both EMM and FBM personnel.  These meetings were marked by unity, mutual encouragement, and unique fellowship.  They were a time of celebrating all that God has done and is still doing. 

There was also deep sadness.  Just days before the EMM meetings began, I received word that Cristy Roberts, wife of EMM missionary David Roberts, suddenly passed away in a car accident in Mexico.  While we rejoice that Cristy is with Christ, we also mourn with David.  I had the privilege of traveling to Mexico with Paul Unruh for the funeral service.  It was such a joy to hear the Gospel preached to the hundreds of people who attended the service.  Please pray for David Roberts and his family. 

There are several other prayer requests that I would like to share with you this month.

• Pray for some significant health needs.  One missionary is facing major surgery.  Another missionary’s children are struggling with severe back pain.  Another missionary is recovering from surgery.  Another missionary is suffering from Typhoid.  Pray for good health. 
• Pray for one church’s land dispute with the Muslims.  Pray that God will provide the funds needed to settle this dispute.  Pray that God will stop the Muslims in their attempt to build a mosque directly next to the church.  Land disputes are quite common on some of our fields.  They are always stressful.  Please pray. 
• Pray for our missionaries and their adult children.  When we ask our missionaries for prayer requests, the most often request we receive is “pray for my children.”  Often, their children have great spiritual needs that weigh heavily on their parents.  Pray for our missionaries and their children. 

This past month has been filled with heavy burdens and significant needs.  Please remember to pray for our missionaries.  Our board sets aside roughly 1 hour of each monthly board meeting to corporately pray for all of our missionaries.  Please join us in praying fervently for our missionaries and their needs. 

May God richly bless you as you pray.

Stephen Simpson
President