Troy & Oksana Manning

The Lord has greatly blessed my deputation travels.  I attended my first missions conference as a full-time missionary.  It was held at Calvary Baptist Church in Findlay, OH.  I spoke 5 different times and showed my DVD during another session.  The Lord really helped me to communicate the great need of Bible translation.  In Sunday school, I tried to give the men (it was a combined men’s SS class) a feel for what it’s like not to have the Bible.  I told them to keep their Bibles closed while I taught from my French Bible.  I would read the verses in French, give a translation on the spot, and then teach in English.  The men were quite struck by this experienced, and it helped them to see what many believers, to whom we are supplying Bibles, experience all the time. I wasn’t very successful in establishing new relationships with pastors in OH, IN, and MI, after that missions conference, but I think I might get a couple meetings from that group. On Nov. 11, I had the great privilege of going back to “my neck of the woods”–Chicago.  I’ve been “accused” of being a southerner and of having a slight southern accent.  Though I have fallen into the habit of saying “y’all” (I’m trying to revert back to “you guys” now), I am far from being a southern (no offence to my southern friends).  I’m a true-blue Midwesterner.  When people ask, “Where are you from?”, I say, I’m from the Midwest, and more precisely, Chicago.  So, it was a joy to be back in Bulls/Bears country.  I was overwhelmed at the opportunity to be back at Bethel Baptist Church in Schaumburg, IL.  And the people received me warmly.  They showed me more interest and took more literature than any other church I’ve been to.  Of course, that’s partly because Bibles International is not as familiar to them as other churches, and it’s also because I’ve been away for 10 years.  I thorougly enjoyed ministering to them and fellowshipping with them for the day.At the pastors’ conference on Nov. 12-13, I made at least 15 different contacts with pastors.  I hope to follow up on those contacts next week. 

I also enjoyed being with Paul Carlson at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Huntley, IL.  It’s a small church plant, but it was such a joy to see a former Bethel layman now pastoring a church. 

It was during this week in Chicago that I slept in 6 different houses in 8 days.  And I greatly enjoyed each family that I stayed with, and I slept very well in all the new beds.  Praise the Lord!

I connected with a few more pastors in IL and IN before heading back to Grand Rapids. 

After being back for 2 days, I headed to eastern MI.  Originally, I was going to go to a deputation meeting, but that got cancelled.  I decided to go anyway so that I could connect with more pastors in eastern MI.  The Lord has graciously granted another deputation meeting through those labors. 

Thanks so much for your prayers through this time of deputation labors.  God is answering!

Check out some of my pictures at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=21342&l=c82fe&id=613716245.