October 2007 Thank You Letter to Supporters

Dear Friends,

Blessings to you and to your church family! We pray that you are all healthy and happy in your daily walk with the Lord. As always there is more to report than there is room on the page. We were so happy to host 9 of the eleven Eastern Dominican Board members here in the D.R. We want to especially thank them for their faithfulness and their sacrifice of time and resources to meet with us on the mission field this year. Some of the important decisions made were: property purchase in Punta Cana area, tent purchase to erect on property for time being, detailed time line for church plant in Punta Cana including the national missionary’s input, time line for two more church plants, a church camp/conference center and church plant before 2013 and the selection of elders for the La Romana congregation. We also talked at length about other American missionary couples coming on board to be mentored and to take on more responsibility as we phase ourselves out.

On Sept. 30 the La Romana church hosted an ice cream social for couples’ only which also included small group discussions about marriage and family focused solely on scripture. As a result we have a new family, Edwin and Yokasta Guerrero, visiting the church and beginning the Bible study series. There have been five confessions of faith since our last update; all new believers. Along with a growing congregation come more responsibilities, time commitments and issues that need to be addressed. Please be praying for Victor and Yudermy as they lead and seek to develop the talents of this young church. The recovered church van is in the shop being fixed, painted, tuned and fitted with new tires. There is much to be joyful about!

In Punta Cana Franklin and Ilonka have begun a new Bible study in the area where it was decided to purchase property. He had 15 adults in that study this week. Plus he has other studies in other homes and together they have several backyard Bible schools each week. They have adapted well to their new home and their homesickness has subsided greatly. A group of wonderful men representing the men’s ministry of Russell Christian Church in Russell, KY together with the churches were able to reach into the community by helping with home repair in La Romana and the improving playground conditions in the Verón Primary school in Punta Cana. Thank you Tim Nay and the Russell team!

So much of the evangelism that is done here depends on being able to economically produce Christian literature, Bible studies and children’s Sunday school material. The copier that we purchased in 2003 is giving out. We will be seriously looking for a new one in the next weeks. Pray that the Lord will lead us to just the right machine that will be a blessing to the churches here for years to come. As always we appreciate you so much. Thank you for your emails and notes of encouragement. It means a lot to know that we are lifted up in prayer by such quality people.

In Christ,
Rick and Suzanne York
Missionaries with Eastern Dominican Christian Mission