Dear Friends and Supporters,

God bless each of you and give you a wonderful 2008!  We continue to thank God and you, our faithful supporters, for allowing us to serve Him another year here in the Dominican Republic.  The Christmas season in Latin America lasts until Jan. 6th which is Three Kings Day (traditionally the day the Wise Men visited Mary Joseph and Jesus).  It is then that the children receive their Christmas gifts and school begins shortly thereafter.  The ministers and congregations in the eastern Dominican Republic have been very active during the Christmas season.  The youth of the La Romana congregation started off the month of December with Talent Night.  Two other evangelical congregations in La Romana also participated and our youth had a wonderful program which included singing, pantomime, puppets, instrumentals and choreography.

 On the 12th of December the ladies of the church  purchased food stuffs and prepared 15 baskets for families in need.  With a generous donation from the ladies of New Hope Christian Church in Roanoke, VA, we were able to do more than we had originally planned   We prepared over 100 pounds of rice and 30 pounds of beans and included other necessary items like oil, tomato paste and coffee.  The ladies also sponsored an “Afternoon Makeover” for the women of the church and their visitors, on December 16th.  There were transformations galore, haircuts, manicures, etc. in addition to lots of fun and laughter. 

On December 18th, those in the Punta Cana area who are involved in the Network Bible Studies got together for a Christmas activity and worship service in the home of Franklin and Ilonka. There were 25 people there in a very small space, but Lord willing there will be more space for worship activities before the year 2008 is over.  This month we will break ground at the new property to begin the construction of a parsonage for Franklin and Ilonka Francisco and their family.  When that construction is realized then the EDCM will be able to dedicate the funds allotted for rent to the construction of the multi-purpose building. 

During this Christmas season we received news that the Agape mail service plane that operates out of Venice, FL went down in twenty feet water off the coast of Haiti.  No one was injured and the pilots were picked up by a sailboat that was nearby.  They are desperately trying to secure the use of another plane and exploring the options of how to raise the one in the water.  In the mean time we will not have mail service.  We will continue to send things out with work teams or American friends who are going to the U.S., but we will not be able to receive anything for awhile.  Please understand if there is a longer than usual delay in receiving mailings and updates from us.  There is always e-mail J. 

We love to see people who are self-starters get involved in the church.  Many of you know Gregory Stephens.  He took it upon himself to work on the plumbing in the building during his Christmas vacation from his teaching job.  The plumbing system in the Centro Mutualista is old and has been “temporarily” repaired many times.  Stephen has repaired most of the leaks and repaired the showers in both the men’s and women’s bathrooms.  He was able to use items from the church storage room so he didn’t even have to buy pieces.   Initiative and creativity!  Praise the Lord. 

We are pleased to announce that the La Romana congregation will soon be led by an official board of elders.  Four men who meet the requirements for elder according to I Timothy 3 and the minister, Victor Jimenez, will make up the board.  We have had several opportunities to teach about eldership since the founding of the congregation in 2003, so the congregation is aware of the function and the responsibilities of an eldership.  The time has finally come that we can select elders with confidence.  In the next few weeks there will be study and workshops involving the membership as a whole, as well as teaching specifically aimed at the men and their wives who have accepted the responsibility to be elders.  Larry Travis from Cincinnati Christian University and Adumn Allen, pastor in Cincinnati will be doing some teaching from Alexander Strauch’s book Biblical Leadership of Elders during their visit this month.  It is very satisfying to reach this phase in church planting.  Please pray for the La Romana leadership and congregation.  Also pray that the plans that God has for EDCM and the Dominican Republic in 2008 will be realized and that we will be sensitive to His leading.  God bless you all and we send our thanks for your faithful support as well as the many Christmas greetings that we received from you.     

In Christ,

Rick and Suzanne York                                                                     
Missionaries with Eastern Dominican Christian Mission