Bill Patterson: July 2017 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends:

Last week, we met a Mongolian lady that I will call Kelly. She is from the state of Inner Mongolia in China, and had come to meet us in Ulaanbaatar for the dedication of the Mongolian New Testament. Risking punishment and imprisonment, she had come to request as many New Testaments as we could give her to smuggle back into her country. For several years, the church she attends has been praying for our work. Her pastor was the first Mongolian to recognize the importance of translating from the Textus Receptus in a formal/literal style of translation. The entire church was awaiting their arrival last Sunday.

MIT 2017 was a huge success! Several of the teens had the opportunity to lead their first soul to Christ. Others, who had been tearfully begging God for one soul, ended the week without that privilege, but with a burning desire that God would use them to reach others with the Gospel. One young man was called to be a Bible translator. Everyone was encouraged by all that God did in our lives. Thank you for praying!

The next few weeks of this summer are packed with exciting opportunities! Ryan and I will travel to Mexico for the annual staff retreat for those in our Mexico office and the Bethesda Children’s homes. Then we will be traveling to meetings here in the US, and preparing to send our two older children back to college. What a privilege to have our family together for the summer for the first time since 2013!

In Christ’s love,
Bill Patterson

PS: During the Mount Abarim Executive Committee meeting three weeks ago, we approved the applications of two new missionaries. On Tuesday, I met with another missionary who is prayerfully considering joining us. We are so excited to see what God is doing through Mount Abarim!