I received a quick call from Pastor R letting me know that, out of the approximately 2,000 House of Blessing missionaries in the field today, about 800 of them are needing to go find some temporary work in order for the basic needs of their families to be met. Many of the missionaries are separated from their families much of the time in order to do the work of evangelism. But, when the circumstances require, they have to take whatever steps necessary to see to the needs of their families. This is something that has of course happened before. Many belonging to the HOB community of believers do not have family left alive.
Pastor R also told me that the remaining 1,200 or so missionaries will oversee a confirmed number of over 700,000 in the underground HOB community of believers who regularly meeting together on a weekly basis all across the Mideast. This is a confirmed number but there are of course many who have moved into other areas during the never ending chaos and civil war since the Arab Spring began. There are also some of the believers who managed to get into Europe. It is amazing what God has done with the House of Blessing since Pastor R went over the border into Jordan in early 2012 and then as the Lord opened the doors, he and HOB missionaries raised up went from one middle east nation to another with the Good News of the Gospel.
In conclusion, please hold these folks and the heavy burden they carry before the Lord in prayer. Only our sovereign God is big enough to meet such great needs. Pastor R told me that he was taking a bit of time to get completely alone with the Lord. He is going to spend some quality time in prayer and fasting. Let’s continue to keep him in our prayers. He has experienced some mighty things from the Lord, but, it is at times like this that the enemy of our souls also attacks the hardest.
The Lord of the Harvest is a God who answers prayer and we will trust Him to do so. And, He gives us the privilege of having a little part in what He is doing on this earth! Praise God!
Forever in His Service,
Jake