Dear friends of the ministry,
 
During the past few months, I have sensed on my heart a heavy emphasis for souls, and it has grown exceedingly. In the United States it seems that the hearts of many people are waxing worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. Meanwhile, during my travels abroad to other nations, I have noticed that the same old deceptions used by the devil here in the U.S. are now being embraced by others around the world. We are living in perilous times, and the hearts of many people are increasingly growing cold toward one another and toward a desire to even know God.

Nevertheless, I am greatly encouraged that there still are souls to be sought! The harvest of the earth is ripe because our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ soon is to come as a thief in the night and rapture His church. Meanwhile, today, while there is still light, we Christians ought to be about our Father's business: The harvest of souls! The harvest truly is plenteous, but the sad reality is that the labourers are so few.
 
I just returned to the States from two international trips. My first trip was to a Restricted Access Nation--meaning that human authorities create difficulties and challenges for their people to have access to the Gospel. It truly is a beautiful nation. The people are bountiful in relationships, hospitality, and a beautiful culture. However, their lives are suppressed by superior entities beyond their control. They yearn for hope yet do not know where to find it.
 
I have the HOPE and His name is the Lord Jesus Christ! I was greatly privileged to go and serve some wonderful people for a short time. Many restrictions were put upon me, yet God did open doors for me to peacefully serve the people in deed and in the Word. I do believe the church will continue to grow in quantity as well as maturity because the people have a great opportunity. When human authorities take away people's false hopes in riches and leadership, then the true HOPE can become easier to see! Jesus Christ is that only hope.
 
Christians in Restricted Access Nations seem to have a better awareness of this truth than most of us in "free" nations where everything is readily accessible. Hope needs to be announced to these people; however, the laborers are few. It is grievous to report that a great number of people who want Hope and are ripe to receive Hope do not know about the true Hope. And the blame is ours. Romans 10:14 poses these questions: "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?"
 
How shall people believe on the Lord Jesus Christ if there is no one to tell them about Him?
 
My friend, have you ever considered becoming a missionary on a foreign field? Have you ever seriously fasted and asked the Lord if He would have you leave your comforts and go to serve a people group that does not know about our wonderful Savior? I am seriously begging you to prayerfully consider such an endeavor. Yes, there must be preparation, and it is true that the personal costs are high. However, the rewards are priceless and beyond your greatest imaginations!
 
For example, during my other trip, to the nation of the Dominican Republic, I encountered many divine appointments. And because of these divine meetings with people in common places, I had the privilege of spending time explaining the gospel to individuals who are searching for truth. One such time was when I was waiting for a friend in a boring hospital waiting room. I gave a gospel tract to a young man sitting next to me. He then began to read the whole tract. After he read it, I asked him if he understood what he read. We then discussed it, and about an hour later he asked me, "Can I receive Christ right here right now?"
 
I was so happy to hear him ask that. I joyously answered, "Absolutely!" And right there in a waiting room, he called upon the Savior for salvation.
 
This is just one of many joys that God gave me during my service in the Dominican Republic. God opened many doors for me to preach at many churches to exhort the people in matters soulwinning and discipleship.
 
God also provided some other opportunities for me to speak to needy kids at some schools. I was allowed to speak before a group of elementary school students as well as at the junior level school. During my talks, I shared my personal testimony and told how the Lord and the Bible have been helping me in life. In addition, I was asked to speak about an important topic that affects too many children: molestation and sexual abuse. Many times when children are being sexually abused they do not say or do anything because they are confused or frightened. So during my time before these students, I discussed important topics that will be a big help to them and their loved ones. For example, I explained to these youngsters what molestation and abuse are, and I emphasized the importance of going to a "good" person, such a teacher, and talking about what's on their minds.
 
Lastly, in the Dominican Republic, I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with certain leaders of a local church and discuss their plans to open a rescue boys home. I was greatly encouraged to hear about all the preparations they have made. And it's just a matter of time until some needy boys will have a safe place to call home!
 
I sincerely want to thank those of you who pray for this ministry and who faithfully financially invest in our work. Various challenges have arisen during the past three months, yet God has sustained.
 
Orphan Frontier has the privilege of partaking in helping orphanages, children's homes, and ministries in India, Israel, Malawi, Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines. You can learn more in detail about these ministries on our website at www.OrphanFrontier.org. Christmas will soon be here! If you might desire to give a financial Christmas gift to help an orphanage somewhere in the world, would you please earmark your special gift to note which children's home you desire to help?
 
Thank you!
 
And Merry Christmas! 

                   Dear friends of the ministry,
             The need to serve and help children grows more urgent with each passing day. Soon Christ Jesus will rapture His church and there will be no more need to help abused and abandoned children, for all children of God will be safe in Heaven. But before that great day of our Lord, evil shall continually wax worse and worse.
            Who would have ever imagined the assaults we publicly see on children with society accepting these abuses as natural? Some recent child abuse reports that have occurred with so few standing in the gap for righteousness are: Recent new laws allow babies to be murdered right up before birth; The Governor of Virginia and other Senators publicly support allowing doctors to kill newborn babies after birth; Homosexuality is being taught in many public schools; Many parents and doctors are denying the sex of babies and labeling them as born "gender free"; an 11-year-old boy was permitted to sensually dance before half-naked men at a gay bar; a 10-year-old boy was photographed with a naked man for a magazine, and the list goes on.
            The devil knows his days are numbered; they are quickly counting down. Each new day is one day closer to his approaching doom, and evil is being unleashed publicly as never before. The worst thing is that so many Christians are sitting down doing nothing about these assaults. Although the Bible makes known that evil will reveal itself in worsening ways, this does not give us Christians an excuse to do and say nothing. On the contrary! We are to fight the good fight. The Bible calls Christians soldiers. We soldiers are to be engaged in the battles. God commands us in 2 Timothy 2:3-5 to be good soldiers. Sadly, many Christians are not good soldiers. They are not serving God in the lives of people. They are entangled with the affairs of this life. They are consumed with their own lusts instead of zealously getting involved in the ministry of Jesus Christ to help others and deter wickedness.
            Nevertheless, we at Orphan Frontier take great comfort in the promises of God. Where evil abounds, grace does much more abound. And we certainly see the grace of God in our ministry. God calls people to get involved; and we are so deeply appreciative of those individuals who partner with us. We certainly cannot do our work without our supporters who have been so generous and faithful. The need is great, and the time is urgent. To our supporters, we truly thank you for your prayers, donations, and dedication to serving and helping needy children.
            This previous autumn you may recall that Mr. Bowman had the opportunity to travel to the Philippines to serve various orphanages. We wanted to give you a quick update about one small item. Before leaving the Philippines, Mr. Bowman was able to use your financial donations to purchase a large, sturdy washing machine for one of the orphanages. We are happy to say that the washing machine finally was delivered to the children's home before Christmas. We are sure that the house mother is very happy to now be using a large washing machine to wash so many clothes rather than having to do it the slow, painstaking way. Thank you!
            God sometimes will impress upon you and me a need to get involved in things that we do not know how to do. It is our responsibility to follow Him in obedience and watch Him put together all the details. For example, at the beginning of this past December, God pressed upon Mr. Bowman's heart that we should help a local family in need for Christmas. So we began to pray for God's guidance. We put the word out in the community about our plans, and soon many names of families came before our desk. However, we prayerfully felt that none of the names set before us were the ones whom we were to suppose to help. So we continued to pray and asked God to reveal who He wanted us to help.
            Then a week before Christmas, we learned of another family. As we prayed, God gave us His peace. Mr. Bowman and a friend scheduled a time to go and meet the family. God's leading was perfect. The family whom we got to minister to is a devout Muslim family. We learned that the man and his wife previously have taken part in various Bible studies, and the wife clearly wants to be assured that Jesus Christ really is God, as the Bible states. Not only did we get to provide this couple with a bunch of Christmas gifts, two car seats, and two booster seats for the many children, we also have had opportunities on a number of occasions to sit down and testify to the family members from the Scriptures that Jesus is the true and living God. They have heard and have seen with their own eyes through us that Jesus loves them very much. I'm afraid that most American Christians do not understand what that first step means for Muslims--to forsake religion and rest in the salvation of Jesus is a serious courageous step. So whether you understand or not, please keep this family in prayer that they will turn their eyes upon Jesus and place all their confidence in Him.
            All of Orphan Frontier's endeavors to help needy children are inspired from God's heartbeat to see children and families come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not simply a humanitarian charity; we are first a spiritual ministry with a focus on giving relief to needy children so that they can know God, enjoy God, and be all that God wills for them to be in this life.
            We have been praying for a long time about how we can serve more of our own local children and help reach families for Christ here in Columbus. There are several neighborhoods here where many abuses upon children are common daily occurrences. Although the media speaks little about these troubles, the reality is that many kids are growing up without a father and with a mother who is waywardly involved in illicit activities.
            We want to be as 1 John 3:18: "...let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." We desire to verbally declare as well as demonstrate Jesus Christ. We seek to share Christ in ways that might establish in the hearts of needy families that Christ cares for them and offers safety.
            One new opportunity that has arisen for us to get involved with local needy children is to give them and their families a wonderful birthday. Imagine how you would feel as a child if your birthday were soon approaching and there wasn't going to be any celebration: No presents, no cake, not even a cute card. Sadly, many children in our community do not get to celebrate their birthdays. Families all around us are going through unforeseen circumstances caused by violence, medical illness, unemployment, and other emergencies. We want to bring a little relief so that for one day children and their loved ones can enjoy celebrating and making wonderful birthday memories in a Christian environment.
            Bible Baptist Church here in the Columbus area has agreed to allow us to use their fellowship hall for these "Birthdays For Kids" celebrations. This will give Orphan Frontier the opportunity to serve needy families and introduce them to a loving church. Please keep us in prayer as we seek to reach out in a new way locally while continuing to help needy kids all around the world. You can visit our website at OrphanFrontier.org/birthday to learn more about "Birthdays For Kids."
            If you ever want to know more about what we do or have an interest to help, please feel free to reach out to us anytime.  Thank you!