February, 2026
“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night.” Psalm 92:1-2
Thanking the Lord with Abraham’s Dad
Dear Friends,
We praise the Lord with and for you all! The photo above is a late Thanksgiving celebration with Luis, who is also pictured below with his son Abraham and Pastor Paul. Luis has been coming regularly to our morning service and now that Abraham is here for the summer, we are praying they both will keep coming. Our son, Josiah, has been friends with Abraham for years and is constantly praying for his salvation. Faith comes by hearing, so we were very glad to see Abraham at the morning worship service with his dad. Many of the young people here in Chile are stuck in the public school system and addicted to their cell phones when not in school. The Lord is able to reach and save them.
As for Luis, he lost his leg through a series of four operations, his wife left him and took his daughter, yet he is praising the Lord and looking to Christ as he never did before in his life. This is a remarkable change.
There is great spiritual need for this father and son.
WON’T YOU PRAY FOR LUIS AND ABRAHAM?
GUATEMALA
Anna and Sarah arrived a week early in Guatemala and helped the Rickers hand out invitations throughout the two communities, as well as organize and clean out the top story of the Los Angeles church in preparation for the classes to be held there. Geneva arrived on Saturday and helped prepare the crafts for the following week.
Fifty or so children attended each VBS. Sarah was blessed to teach a class of little girls in Montserrat who were constant in their attendance and listened attentively to the Gospel every day as well as lessons on Christian growth and Christ’s offices as Prophet, Priest, and King. Geneva taught the boys, who were attentive, both in Montserrat and in Los Angeles. Anna, pictured at right with some of her students, rejoiced to have many of the girls that came last year return older and better able to read, which was a help and blessing. During the VBS, the children’s catechism from Who made you? to atonement and Christ’s three offices was taught to the children.
WON’T YOU PRAY FOR THESE DEAR CHILDREN?
PRAY THEY WOULD ATTEND CHURCH EVERY WEEK AND READ THE BIBLE ON THEIR OWN.
KENYA
Josiah is doing well in Kenya, both studying and visiting with others in the countryside. He estimates that he has been able to speak to about three thousand people over the last ten months, sometimes at a school, sometimes at a church, and once at a funeral.
PLEASE PRAY FOR JOSIAH
AND THOSE HE IS MEETING IN KENYA.
CHILE
Elections were held here in Chile on Dec. 14th, and we thank the Lord that the Communist party candidate was not elected.
Paul is preaching most of the Lord’s Days, having two weekly Bible studies with different men, and leading prayer meetings each week. Julio and Paul give Bible catechism classes on the Lord’s Days in the afternoon. We are thankful that Victor and Connie have been faithfully attending worship, and for Julio’s continued studies for the ministry.
PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY.
The ladies had a teatime one Saturday in January with ladies from the church and with neighbors. After an icebreaker, during which we tried to show how important it is to trust in the Lord with all your heart, Soledad (Julio’s Mom) prayed, and then we partook of Anna’s and Katie’s cooking and baking. Below are pictures of the ladies and of the bookmarks that Sarah made with Bible verses in Spanish for each lady to choose.
In February, we plan to hold DVBS here following the same basic plan which the girls and our colleagues used in Guatemala using the Scriptures from our Children’s catechism. There are many children that attend our Bible classes and also from Taekwondo class that we hope will participate.
WON’T YOU PRAY FOR OUR NEIGHBORS’ SALVATION
AND FOR THE CHILDREN WHO WILL ATTEND DVBS?
FURLOUGH IN EARLY 2026
We are actively planning for our limited furlough this year, from mid-March to mid-July, as Josiah returns (from Kenya) to Chile and Isaiah keeps him company here until the end of May. We are planning to spend some busy time in the Philadelphia, Greenville, St. Louis, and surrounding areas. If we haven’t already been able to set up something with you, and you would like us to see if we can arrange a time to meet up, please let us know as soon as possible. Although we will not be able to visit with all of you, we would love to see you if it should be possible and are thankful for this opportunity to see some of you face to face, Lord-willing.
PLEASE PRAY FOR SAFE AND BLESSED TRAVELS. Thank you!
Yours in Christ’s Service,
The Durand family