As hard as it is to imagine, 2010 is almost gone. It seems like just yesterday when the new year was ushered in, but now another year has almost passed into eternity. Under the Levitical system, with the work of the harvest completed but before the planting and work of the new agricultural cycle began, there was the blowing of trumpets and then the Day of Atonement, days designed for solemn meditation and reflection upon the previous year. As the trumpets blew and the days counted off to the Day of Atonement, it was to be a time of heart searching. What better activity could we engage in as the current year is ending? “Try it in every church. Have special meetings when you can,—meetings of humiliation, of afflicting the soul,—meetings where the rubbish shall be cleared away from the door of the heart, that the blessed Saviour may enter. What a wonderful time the dying of the old year and the birth of the new might be!” Review & Herald, December 16, 1884. “Let the remnant of this year be improved in destroying every fiber of the root of bitterness, burying them in the grave with the old year. Begin the new year with more tender regard, with deeper love, for every member of the Lord’s family. Press together. ‘United, we stand; divided, we fall.’ Take a higher, nobler stand than you ever have before.” Our High Calling, 370. As we contemplate the passing of 2010, may we make thorough work and determine for 2011 to be a new birth in our religious experience!

As I think of how the Lord has blessed and led in the mission work of this past year, I praise His name for how the Lord has used this small ministry to reach souls for eternity! As I write, Mike Bauler is in Togo conducting evangelism, training workers and overseeing the rapidly expanding work in this predominantly heathen country. In just a couple of days, I will be headed to Brazil, where I will be ministering for a graduating class of missionaries, sharing and planning with a mission family near the Amazon, then working with the radio team in São Paulo. But the work that we do while we are overseas sharing, evaluating and planning is miniscule (our trips are by no means vacations, but very intense ministry with constant preaching, visiting, counseling, planning, sharing, evaluating, etc.) in comparison to the daily labors of the dozens of missionaries around the world that we are attempting to help fulfill the gospel commission. This year we will have made trips to three African countries: Congo, Angola and Togo, as well as to El Salvador, Brazil and the Philippines, in addition to our evangelistic programs here in this country. In each of these countries and more there is ongoing work that we are coordinating and assisting in. In Congo there are around forty Bible workers/church planters out in the remote grasslands and jungles seeking to awaken entire villages and regions to the before-unknown truths of the Three Angels’ Messages, and the Lord is abundantly blessing their labors. Churches and schools are being raised up by the dozen! This year hundreds of Bibles have been purchased and thousands of Bible studies have been printed in their own language. In Togo, a group of faithful workers are visiting villages with literature, starting Bible studies and churches, too—the light of truth is penetrating this dark land. In Brazil, the radio outreach is going forward with greater and greater success. Thousands are hearing the message of truth through the radio program, online radio broadcasts, Bible correspondence courses, personal studies and more. People are making decisions on what they hear and preparing for baptism! In the Philippines our team of faithful workers is growing as more dedicated workers unite with the evangelistic team and entire churches come into the message for this time. In Panama, the Acosta family is using the entering wedge of medical ministry, Dorcas work and vocational classes to reach the local people, and hearts are being turned to the truth for this time. The Lord is truly working around the world. He is inspiring men and women from common vocations with a burden for lost souls around them; and as unseen angels minister to the individuals that they are sharing the message with, souls are being won for the Master—praise the Lord! We would like to thank you so much for your prayers and support that have made it possible to sponsor these evangelistic activities and so much more possible. We ask for your continued prayers and support as we conclude 2010 and look forward to further advances in the Lord’s work in 2011. Maranatha!

Yours for a finished work,

PS – We hope you enjoy the enclosed mission calendar throughout the entire year of 2011. If you would like to request the free 2011 mission calendar, click here and please ask for the calendar in the message.