October, 2024
Dear Supporters, Family, and Friends,
Please accept our apology for being late with this prayer letter. We realized though, that this letter is often the only way you can keep up with us as you pray for us. Thank you so much for those prayers and thanks to you who have given to us and His work over many years. You have been faithful even since September 1965, when Gary went to Kenya for the first time. The Lord has been faithful!
Thank you for praying about the electricity coming into the mission station in Isovya. As we are writing, the electricians are working on the wiring in the Team House and running the wire underground between there and the Bible School. Praise the Lord that the government has seen fit to bring the electricity near, and for those of you who have helped us pay for the installation. It will be of great benefit when teams go to help in the mission. Who knows, maybe the Clinics of Care may be able to open again someday, only the Lord knows.
Some years ago, the Bible Presbyterian Church of Apollo started a ministry to honor those who died in Shanksville, PA on 9/11. They gave Gospels, tracts, and tee shirts. It has been wonderful to be able to join them for a number of years now. This year, Randy Heller from Apollo brought the materials that had been at their church. Keith McCoy (Collingswood), Stephen Zimmerman (Eastern PA), Cathy Kelso (Western PA), Dave Romanko (West Virginia), and Pat and I were all there to help. Tables were set up with literature, booklets, tracts, and I LOVE AMERICA tee shirts. There were approximately 850 people who came by our table to get the tee shirts, after they had stood in line and talked with one of our men, who gave them the tracts and Gospels, and gave a word of testimony for the Lord. What a privilege we had to come in contact with so many people. Some gave witness of knowing the Lord, but others just thanked us for the literature. Our prayer is that each one will read the materials, and come to know Christ as their Saviour.
The little Bible Club at our house continues, with four-year-old twins and their eight-year-old brother. We read a Bible story and see a DVD almost every week. It has been wonderful to be able to teach them. Now, do they learn? Yes, they do, as just a couple of weeks ago they told me a story they had learned……when they threw Daniel into the lions’ den, Adam and Eve were there, and God took care of them and closed the mouth of the lions. Well, maybe they need a few more Bible lessons!
About nine months ago, a friend called and asked if there was something he could do for our IPC pastors in the Kitui area? We settled on hybrid seed corn and split pea seeds for planting. A farmer friend advised to always use hybrid seed to get more harvest instead of planting corn harvested last season. We have an African brother who sells seeds in his shop and he has prepared the bags of seeds to deliver to the 14 pastors and two elders. Also, there will be an extra bag for each pastor to give to a widow or poor family in their church. Praise the Lord for this project! Do pray with us that the rains, due in mid-October, will be sufficient to produce an abundant crop for each one.
In the last few months, we have had some wonderful family, friends, supporters, or missionary friends who have gone Home to Glory. One missionary friend, Ruth Andersen, who had served most of her life in Kenya, is one example. Please pray for her husband, Herbert (always called Dilly), whose health is failing, and has recently been in the hospital. We all do realize the older we get, the more this happens. Sometimes it makes us homesick for Heaven.
Thank you for the gifts, monthly support, prayer, and love that you show to us, His servants.
In His Service,
Gary and Pat Johnson
I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:3-6