While we were visiting Canada this summer, the work in the Gospel continued here in Holland. The brethren from the Schoonoord assembly pitched the tent on the front lawn of one of the believers, and brother Hans Bouwman preached with the help of some local brethren. Good numbers visited the tent during the meetings.
We have rented a community center to hold a Gospel meeting once a week. We are planning to begin the second week of January, 1996 in the will of the Lord. Trudi and I have started covering the city with gospel tracts, and others will be joining in this effort.
We have been in contact with a group of believers in the north of Holland, and have been preaching the Gospel and have sought to teach them assembly truths and principles through the tabernacle teaching. Some are receptive to these precious truths, and others are learning. Do pray for us that these believers, who have different backgrounds, may see where the Lord dwells in the midst of His people and that they may have a desire to gather unto Him.
A daughter of one these believers, who has only been saved about two years, is now coming to the Bible readings of the assembly in Amsterdam and has expressed her desire to come more often. Her husband, who hates the Gospel, makes it difficult for her. This young woman would like to be baptized but is not allowed to do so. Please pray for her.
A young man who was saved last fall will be baptized this Saturday (Oct 12). He is going on well. His father was saved some weeks ago. We do trust he also may go on with, and for the Lord.
We have gone through the Epistle of 1 Peter in the Zutphen assembly and have spent about ten nights with the saints, and we believe it has been very profitable to see the blessings and responsibilities of the pilgrims who had to suffer so much in this wilderness scene. The assembly in Ridderkerk is small, and needs our prayers. In Dedemsvaart, things are as usual, though many of the saints are too busy, which seems to be a sign of these last days.
Brother Bouwman seeks to help the little assembly in Zeist and visits the surrounding assemblies.
The great need at the present time is to have some who are exercised about the work in Holland and would be sent by the Lord to “come over and help us!” Both brother Bouwman and myself are gray-haired and over 65 years of age, and up till now there has been no one to help us in the work. Although we are very happy and thankful that the local assemblies are able to take care of their own meetings, we are looking to the Lord for His continual help and care over His assemblies.
Do pray for the work in the Netherlands, that the workers may be physically fit to do their work and enjoy the things of God.