Word came in December from brother Sunny David that his mother was in a serious condition and was not expected to live. We have known and loved Mama David for the many years we have worked in New Delhi. For some time she has been very thin and weak, having diabetes and other complications. We corresponded with Sunny several times about her condition, but finally word came that she died on December 16. We have extended our sympathy and prayers to the David family. We will miss her very much.

For the past several months brother Wayne Barrier has been making arrangements for Vinay David to come to the States to attend Heritage Christian University. Vinay is the son of Francis and Elsy David. He had already completed his BA and MA degrees in India, and he will be staying for only one year. He arrived on Sunday evening, Dec. 26, in Huntsville, AL. Wayne and Janet picked him up and later got him settled in an apartment at Heritage Christian.

Betty and I spent the holidays with our children. It was so good to be with them even though it was one time when we needed to be at home, as we learned the day after we got there!. As you recall, the tsunami hit the coastlines of Indonesia, Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, and several other countries on Sunday, December 26. As the news has been reported day after day, the death toll continues to rise. As of today, January 20, we are told that the number of deaths has climbed to 221,000, while more than 100,000 are still missing. Naturally with this on everyone’s mind, many of those who have supported us through the years called or sent E-mails, wanting to know where we were, if we were safe, and how they might help. Some of those calls and letters came on through to us and we informed them that we were safe, visiting with our children, and that we would certainly work with our brethren in the affected areas to use any contributions wisely.

We wrote a letter to our supporters, informing them that if they wanted to help they should make their checks out to Liberty Church of Christ, ear-mark them for the Tsunami Relief Fund, and mail them to World Evangelism, Box 72, Winona, MS 38967. We assured them that we will keep track of the amounts given, and that when we go to India and Sri Lanka in February we will visit those affected areas and see what the needs are among our brethren, and others. We will do our very best to use the money wisely to help those who are so desperately in need of help. As a matter of fact, we have heard from various brethren in India and Sri Lanka and so far they all report that they are safe. They have also been visiting those areas where so much destruction and death have taken place and are evaluating the needs and what should be done. Brother Robert Swain and family are now living in Winona, and working with us, and Robert and I will be going to India and Sri Lanka in February to use the funds that have been received here in Winona.

We will later be sending a financial statement listing all of those who have helped, and how much they have given, and we will also be telling of the places we went to, the people who were helped, how they were helped, etc. This is going to be a big undertaking with a lot of responsibility and we ask for your prayers that we may do a good job. Betty will not be going this time because of preparing new issues of The Voice of Truth International and Global Harvest and all of the other work that needs to be done here.

If you have not given to the tsunami fund, and still would like to do so, please send your check as soon as possible. We want to sincerely thank all of you who have already made contributions. Thank you also for the confidence you have placed in us to use the money wisely to help as many as possible with their physical and spiritual needs. Again, we commit ourselves to doing the best job possible, with God’s help.

On Saturday, January 15, Betty and I drove to the Goodman Oaks Church of Christ in the Memphis area to attend a meeting of those involved in the work in Myanmar. Around a dozen were present, for the third annual gathering. We had a good meeting and and expect good things of it in the coming year.

Afterwards we drove to Florence, AL to visit with Wayne and Janet Barrier, who had also attended the Myanmar discussions. Then together we went to the Heritage Christian University Campus to pick up Vinay David and take him out for a southern catfish dinner! It was great to meet Vinay and we enjoyed seeing his apartment and hearing about his experiences since his arrival. He is a fine young man and we have full confidence that he will complete his school work and then return to India, better prepared to serve the Lord.

We spent the night at the Barriers’ place. On Sunday morning we drove to Dennis, MS to worship with our sponsoring congregation, Liberty Church of Christ, where I gave a brief report. I especially wanted to bring them up to date on how our brethren are faring in India and Sri Lanka, and of our plans to return there next month, to visit the various areas that have been hit and to help those who have such great needs.

I will be having another check-up at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL on January 24 and 25 and I ask that you pray that all will go well.

After our return to Winona, brother and sister L. T. Gurganus from Parrish, AL, along with another couple in that area, will be visiting us to talk about the Lord’s work in the Philippines, Myanmar, and East Malaysia, to consider how they may help in these different places. We have known brother Gurganus for many years and look forward to the visit.

At this time we are in the process of bringing out Vol. 45 of The Voice of Truth International, and we are working on another issue of Global Harvest, the mission magazine which we hope will also become a quarterly publication. We also have just reprinted five of our books: Answers in the Bible to Problems in the Church, Jim Massey, You Can Be Just a Christian, Jim Massey, The Gospel of Christ, J. C. Choate, Bible Themes, J. C. Choate, and Gospel Sermonnettes, J. C. Choate.

Our up-coming trip to India will not only be for the purpose of helping the victims of the recent tsunami but it will also serve to introduce Robert to the brethren and the work in India and Sri Lanka. Pray that we will have a safe trip and accomplish the work we are going to do. Also pray for Betty, Barbara, Eulene, Michal, and Jamie as they stay on here at Winona, busy with the work they will be doing.

Thank you for all you mean to us and for your support of these efforts. It is an honor to work with you to help those who are in need, spiritually and physically. Our prayers are with you and, again, please continue to pray for us.

Although we are already into 2005, we want to wish you a Happy New Year and to pray that this may be the greatest year of our lives as we serve the Lord together and do all we can to spread the Gospel throughout the world.