Harvest Baptist Temple

Harvest Baptist Temple

Dear Brother Gass and partners in Christ,

As you would probably guess, this newsletter is a very unusual for us after sending one out only one month ago. Many things have happened in the past month for us, our family, and the country of Chile. Kathy and I are both awaiting referrals to see specialists in the health issues that we are facing and of which we have tried to make you folks aware. Many of you have inquired also as to my father’s situation after his heart attack and subsequent 4-way bypass surgery. He is recovering slowly at the present in a skilled nursing rehab clinic after also having a pacemaker inserted near his left collarbone to stabilize his heartbeat and blood pressure. We are hoping that he will be able to finally return home at the end of March. However, he and my mother will definitely need home health care since neither one of them will be completely able to take care of each other even if they could each take care of themselves. Once again, we ask for your prayers for the difficult decisions we will be facing as a family, and grace for my folks as they will have to adapt to the changes.

However, our main reason for writing this letter a month sooner than normal has to do with the current situation that Chile is going through at this time. I’m sure that each of you has heard and seen the news and the images of the devastating 8.8 earthquake that hit Chile on Februrary 27th, and the horrific tsunami that hit part of the coast there soon after the initial quake multiplying the damage and death-toll. After trying for days to contact many of our Chilean people by phone or email, we finally were able to talk to many of them and get a overall assesment of how they are and what the needs are down there.

First of all, we are glad to report that no one died nor was seriously injured in all the believing community that we know of! That in itself is a miracle of God’s grace and protection! I have heard it reported on TV that the Chilean earthquake was 500 times more powerful than the one that struck Haiti the month before, but because of the better building codes and construction in Chile, the loss of life was much less. Still, they are saying it will take between 7 to 10 years to repair the physical damages and infrastructure, and the cost will be in the neighborhood of 30 billion dollars. Santiago did have a good deal of damage, but nowhere near as bad as the south-central zone of the country including Concepciòn, Constitución, Talca, and Curicó. In those areas, three of our national pastors lost their houses, and two of them lost their church buildings as well. Most of our other congregations have already begun rescue efforts to get food, water, tents, and other supplies to our affected brethren that live in those particular areas. Many families are camped out on hillsides in those cities without sanitary facilities or running water including the believers we mentioned above. With many looters circulating in those areas, they need whatever help they can get. We have promised to help by passing this information on to you folks and the churches you represent with the sincere prayer that God will enable you to have a part in this great need. Whatever you can do can be sent to us marked “Chilean quake relief”, and we will send it through Bro. Dave Disney who is coordinating the relief effort there using funds and offerings from outside the country.

Kathy and I thank you in advance for your prayers and involvement in helping your Chilean brothers and sisters and ours in their hour of need as the apostle Paul put it in II Cor.8:13-15, “that your abundance might supply what they need at the present  time” even in difficult financial circumstances here in the USA. Once again, may God bless and prosper each of your for your investment of $100.00  this past month for His work at the bottom of the world!

Yours in Christ for Chile,                 

“Not  because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.” Phil.4:17