Dear Supporting Church Families & Friends,
March and April were very busy and exciting months for us here in Arizona! We are thankful for all the Lord has allowed us to be involved in. Here are a few of the highlights.
March wrapped up one of the most wet winters we have experienced here in the desert! Because of the rain (and flooding & mud that follows), we were forced to cancel two services in Ak-Chin and one in Cockleburr. We are thankful for the rain, and thankful for the road work that has been done since, to help alleviate the problem. On a sad note from Ak-Chin, in April, a 30 year old young man hung himself. It is so sad to see this same story play out time after time – the drugs and alcohol lead to such a hopeless and dim life. Pray for us as we try to point them to the “Difference-maker!” We are thankful for the opportunity we had during April to take part in the Gu-Achi District Day festival, where we handed out over 400 tracts and other information from the church! Please pray that it will be used by the Lord! One of the ladies from the church in Ak-Chin has had recent back and neck surgery, and is also dealing with problems at home. Please pray for Mrs. Mary.
During the end of March, we were blessed with a wonderful camp meeting! We are so thankful for the many preachers and church family and friends who made the journey to AZ to take part in this meeting with us. The singing, preaching and fellowship were all exactly what was needed! We were blessed to have an extra visit before the meeting from our pastor, Bobby Leonard, and several families from his church. After the meeting we were also blessed with a visit by Missionary Tommy Baucom!
During April we were blessed to take several teens to two different youth conferences – one at West Coast Baptist College in Lancaster, CA, and one at Desert Baptist Bible College in Gilbert, AZ. Many decisions were made at these wonderful meetings. Please continue to pray for the teens here on the reservation. We recently took a trip for a Bible study to the top of a mountain that overlooks Phoenix. As we could see so much of the city laid out before us, we were reminded that God has such a great future for each of them if they would only give Him their all!
It has been exciting to see the attendance at the Cockleburr Bible clubs starting to grow again. Please pray for the children there. Pray for this work in Cockleburr, and for open doors (according to the Lord’s will) in other areas as well.
Mrs. Mabel was VERY sick during the month of April. We had to cancel CASA, but are looking forward to returning very soon! Pray for her health, and for the meetings there in her house as well.
Our family is continually blessed. I cannot believe we celebrated Rebecca’s 5th birthday during the month of April! Where has all of that time gone?!? I’m amazed to watch her (and all of the kids) grow! It reminds me of the verse that says our lives are a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away! Latanya is 16 (and in no hurry to get her drivers license, praise the Lord!) ☺ She and Lilly will be finishing up their home schooling for the year in the next few months. Pray for them as they finish their work. They are so faithful to help out in many of the day-to-day tasks involved in the ministry, and I am so thankful for them! Brandon and Benjamin are doing great as well! Benjamin will grow up quickly too, if Mom, Grandma & Sisters can leave him alone long enough! Ha-ha. My grandmother has also been living with my parents here in AZ for several months now. Pray for the three of them as they seek healing for my grandmother after a hard fall on the ice in WV earlier this winter! Thank you again for all you do for us and the ministry here!
Working together with you for HIM,
Brian & Louann, Latanya, Lilly, Rebecca, Brandon & Benjamin Shannon
