Bangladesh Mission Update 3

Update 3
Good morning to you brothers and sisters in VA and beyond. Wanted to let you know we arrived back from Noakhali late yesterday, and are preparing to leave by launch (big boat traveling overnight) in a couple of hours to Barisal for a 2 day medical clinic. We will most likely be unable to send any correspondance over the internet during that time. We'll be flying back via a float plane on Tuesday, a few hours before our flight back home, so it is likely that this will be our last email.
Here's a report on what happened in Noakhali.

We arrived late in the day on Thursday and after much prayer and creative directions we found the village we were showing the J-Film in (more appropriate to say - the pastor found us). We set up with headlamps alongside our company worker. About 200 Hindu's showed up to view the film. (I don't know that they know the word for "hundreds"...if you were to do the conversion of $200 American to Taka - it would be 1,400 taka...maybe that's what the local meant by thousands would show up - but it doesn't matter the number...the message was heard by many who had never heard the message before).

Afterwards people were given the opportunity to receive the gospel and some did. God be praised. The translater "Matthew" was amazing. Please, be praying for the Pastor of this small and now growing church in Noakhali. He faces much opposition. During the last Hindu festival, the Hindu leaders set up a small Hindu temple right beside his house, where he would have to walk through it to get to and from home. This pastor loves his community and his people, but he is one of less than 20 believers compared to 2.6 Million Hindus. These new believers are in need of discipling and for people to come and teach them the Word. Won't you pray about coming to Noakhali to teach them the truth.

The blessing of being there was more than seeing people come into the family of God, it was seeing the look on the Pastor's face and another believer's face and their encouragement to meet believers who were willing to come. They were so encouraged.

Be praying for the next two days of medical missions. Thanks guys. Ben, Steve, Daniel and Derek appreciate your payers.
Also, please continue to encourage people to give to the Global Missions offering so that we can support our workers in the field and also the projects that Parkway is partnering with the field to do.

Bless you all.

Derek & Team