November 2009

Dear Praying Friends,

What a joy and privilege to serve the Lord in Nicaragua! It is so wonderful to have praying, giving, and sacrificing co-laborers in the States that make this work possible. Since our last letter, three churches have sent us money for our building project. This has enabled us to put up another Sunday school room that seats 50. It’s a good thing, too, because we have seen a wonderful increase in souls this year. Last year we saw 10 saved all year. So far in 2009 we have seen 26 saved and 20 baptized. Friday Krista and I had the pleasure of leading Marta to the Lord, a mother of 9 kids. Another was a mother of a little girl who was suffering from a serious case of dengue fever. She had the hemorrhagic kind, and as she lay in the hospital covered in blood, her aunt who is active in our church came in to visit her, which in itself is almost miraculous because of the strict visitation rules in the hospitals here. After praying with her, the child said, “Jesus is going to make me better now.” By that evening her condition was so improved the doctors were denying that she had the hemorrhagic variety, but there was no other explanation for the blood. Upon seeing her improvement her mother immediately called for Pastor Ken, and Krista and I went to her home and led her to the Lord. The following week her husband also accepted Christ.

Sunday the 25th of October we had a very special day. It was 3 years ago that we began Iglesia Bautista Amistad in a little house. Within 1-½ years we had purchased property, put up a security wall, a little house for a future pastor, and a church building. On our 3rd anniversary there were 160 people that came out to hear the Word of God. We are seeing the Nicaraguan people actively praying, witnessing, giving, and leading others to the Lord.

With the Nicaraguans doing more of the work of the ministry, we are seeking the Lord’s direction for branching out into other areas of Nicaragua for ministry. We will continue with an active ministry in Nejapa, but also will have the time and ability to begin works elsewhere. Krista and I are very much interested in the cowboy town of Boaco . It is the capital city of the department (State) of Boaco and has about 30,000 people living there. We hope to begin a work there upon our return in April. One thing that will help us immensely will be the paying off of the property in Nejapa. We still owe $38,000 on it. Once that is paid off, we will have money freed up that would help towards renting a building to begin meetings.

I’m typing this letter on a plane to Chicago. My mother is to have heart surgery soon and I feel it is important to be there. Krista will meet up with me in the middle of December. After having Christmas with our son and his family, we will hit the road reporting to some of our supporting churches and also presenting the work in Nicaragua to new churches that do not yet support us. Please pray with us that more will see what their support can do in changed lives, literally from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God ’s dear Son.

Thank you for your love for the souls of the Nicaraguan people,

Ken and Krista Dowell