Home At Last...Sorta

We’re here!! During the last week of May, Noma and I made several trips to Edmond, Oklahoma to move our household goods to our new address. On Sunday, May 31, we spent our last Sunday with the good brethren of the 4th & Jackson St. church of Christ in Hugo. It was a very moving day, in more ways than one. It was hard to say “Good-bye” to so many people we have come to love so dearly. Over the almost ten years we worked with the 4th & Jackson St. congregation, I tried, as often as I could, to tell people in other places about these good and faithful brethren. I don’t intend to stop doing that. It meant so much to my family and me to hear our names mentioned in public prayer almost every service. I know that we continue to be in their prayers as they are in ours.

As I mentioned in last month’s newsletter, our current home is a temporary one in that we are still looking for a house to buy in the Oklahoma City area. We were very blessed to find this house to rent in the meantime.

Since our move, we have remained busy. Noma began teaching Summer School in the Oklahoma City School District this week. On June 3, I spoke to the congregation in Wapanucka, Oklahoma about the Bear Valley extension work. On June 7, Noma and I traveled to Pryor, Oklahoma to give a report on the school in Honduras, which they help support. On June 10, I spoke to the 7th & Beech congregation in Durant, Oklahoma as part of their Wednesday Night Summer Series. I have been blessed to be a speaker on that program for several years and I very much enjoy returning to visit with those good brethren. On June 14 I will be making the presentation about the extension work to the brethren in Cave Springs, Arkansas. The following is an updated listing of my schedule for the rest of the year as it stands now: August 14-18 - Honduras; August 22-25 - Bear Valley faculty retreat; August 26 - September 14 - Chimala, Tanzania; October 26-30 - Guatemala City.

I would also like to repeat that all checks for our work should be made out to the 4th & Jackson St. church of Christ, with a note on the memo line that it is for the Donnie Bates Mission Fund, and sent to:
4th & Jackson St. Church of Christ
P.O. Drawer 549
Hugo, OK 74743

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all (2 Thessalonians 3:16). Thank you and God bless you all.

Donnie Bates