Greetings and Salutations!!

So I officially apologize for the lack of "blog posts" recently. I have been super busy with the Ministry here and just running around doing stuff with the Pastor and Gwen. So in light of that, I am going to take this time to update you on how this week has unfolded and just some of the great things that have happened. :)


Well first, Tuesday we had the usual bible study at MUN, it was great! We are now studying chapter by chapter the book of Romans. Tuesday night we spent our time understanding and reading Romans 1. I am so encouraged and amazed at the same time by the eagerness that the Chinese Students here have for the Scriptures. I can say this with honesty that the majority of Bible Studies back home in the States are not this deep and the people do not, in a general sense, have the passion and desire to have a DEEP understanding of God, the Scriptures, Doctrine, and Theology. It is truly awesome to see that, and I am thankful that their spirits are in such hunger for it.

Wednesday Rolly, Yang, and I went to the field house to play basketball when I ended up having the awesome opportunity to meet one of Yang's co-workers Chris Ryan. This guy is a freshman here at MUN and thinks he is a Christian because of the family in which he grew up in. He and I got the chance to have some great and meaningful conversations about salvation and what that looks like according to the Gospel. Also he will be joining us Sunday for worship, which for me and Yang is super exciting and just awesome that he is curious and wants to know more about this 'Gospel" stuff. So I ask that who ever is reading this please pray for him and for his soul, that it would become broken by the Holy Spirit and that he would then cling to the Gospel message and embrace the gift of salvation. Also we then went to the MUNCF (Memorial University Christian Fellowship) international bible study which was awesome. They are doing manuscript studies on the book of Acts, this past night we studied Acts 2.

Thursday was an interesting day for me and Gwen. We, for the first, well at least for me, went downtown and did some public witnessing and some open air preaching. It was a different experience, but it was an amazing experience in which I began to understand what it might have felt like to be like Peter or Paul preaching the Gospel on the corner of streets in the "downtowns" of the cities that they were in. We got a lot of negative feedback but we also got a lot of awesome opportunities to witness to individuals and share with them the love of Christ and the Good News which is offered from Christ. Lately, since I have been here, I have started to get a whole other perspective on missionary work and the "sharing of the Gospel". Here in St. John's only 6.6% of the people are evangelical Christians...6.6%!!!!!! There are not even 5 Baptist Churches here on the entire island, and apparently this area could be considered an "evangelical christian" area of Newfoundland and Labrador. Steve mentioned to me the other day that there are parts of the province where someone could drive for hours with out seeing a church...any kind of church! While back in the states and especially in the South there is a church on every corner. It has just really made me realize the importance and the just burden for missions and the sharing and spreading of the Gospel to areas where it hasn't been spread.

Well, now that I am done preaching lol...Today we spent with Rolly traveling around town on the City Buses so that we can get to know them and be familiar with them, we took the bus to the Village Mall then to Dominion and then to Eric and Tina's house. Oh my goodness!!!!! Tonight Gwen and I had dinner with Rolly at Eric and Tina's house...IT WAS AMAZING! AND AMAZINGLY HOT!! Apparently Eric and Tina are from the province where food is the hottest in all of China. Well, despite the spiciness it was still amazing and it was fun to fellowship and to just talk about Scripture and Doctrine over an awesome authentic Chinese dinner.

Tomorrow, I am doing laundry, practicing music for worship on Sunday and then I believe eating with Rolly again.

I promise to be consecutive in my postings and to give detailed descriptions of our time here in beautiful Newfoundland! Please, continue to pray for the people here of Newfoundland, Steve and Sheena and their amazing kids..please pray for Jeremy and Amanda and their beautiful little girl and pray for Gwen and I as we venture out to areas of the unknown, sharing and proclaiming the Gospel and praying for those who are lost and dying here in St. John's. Thanks for all ya'll's support and know we are praying for you all too!

OOHH and P.S. Stephanie Richey, a student from GU in N.C. is flying out tomorrow for N.Y.C. She will be working for a church there in the city and doing similar to what Gwen and I are doing. So please pray for her and her traveling as she flies tomorrow. Thanks and God Bless!

- Solia Scriptura