Newsletter

September  2012

         Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.   2 Samuel 22:49-51

Dear Praying Friends,

     We have wonderful news to share but it certainly has taken us a long time to get to it. We are safely back in West Virginia and have already been in two missionary conferences in the little more than three weeks we have been here. Let me fill you in on our trip to Las Vegas first.

     We traveled to Las Vegas to participate in the Deaf/Nation World Expo and saw absolutely wonderful results. The attendance was a smaller number than originally anticipated by the organizers, but it gave us more exposure to a greater number, one on one. During the week, we were able to chat, share the Gospel and give out tracts to the majority of deaf and hearing at the meeting. Registered participants were slightly more than 16,000. Thirty-six of us gave out about 16,000 tracts which also contained two DVD’s for the deaf with multiple presentations of the Gospel in many forms to help us to reach all. We also had individualized tracts for about a hundred different countries in their own language. In all, there were 36 individual decisions for salvation, all of which were carefully dealt with and often had a second team member check the decision for understanding. It was absolutely a life changing experience. Several of the 72 countries represented would be impossible to visit with the purpose of reaching them for Christ, yet we were able to do so in the “sin city.” We are praying that “what happens in Vegas, WON’T stay in Vegas.” A special thank you goes to those who gave to make the trip possible.

     We returned to Texas, made some repairs to our trailer, packed and started eastward. It took three days to arrive, but we are happy to be back “home” and ready to start reporting to our churches. We traveled all the way back to within 20 miles of home before a tire blew out and took the fender off the cargo trailer. We were just happy we were close to home and it wasn’t something major.

     Casey, Ann’s mother, is doing well after her fall. She had a concussion, but no broken bones after falling down the full flight of basement stairs. She is quickly returning to full operating mode, but still feels it is taking too long. It is amazing that she didn’t do any lasting damage, except for some flexibility in her neck. We feel assured that it would have killed any of the rest of us.

     Shortly after arriving, Cheyenne wrote saying that they were burning private cars in Guadalajara. Previously, the attacks had centered on public buses and commercial trucks. The government had captured 3 or 4 of the leaders, so this was a way that the bad guys could protest. The city was scared because of the personal touch, but all calmed down after a couple of days. Please continue to pray for the safety of our families, friends and church members as they can easily be caught in the middle of such actions.

     We continue to ask your prayers for the church in Guadalajara as they decide how serious they will be about putting Christ first. We definitely believe the Lord closed the doors to our going into other areas of Mexico, because He knew the trials that were coming to the church. They have suffered greatly at the hands of one of their own and seen the horrible results when one turns against God’s will. We have been able once again to point them the right direction and are praying they will continue in what they know to be right. Please pray that they will walk with God and learn to solve all problems through the Word of God and by the direction of the Holy Spirit.

     Thank you for your faithfulness to the work of the Lord. Our desire is to remain faithful to Him and His Word and to continue in the outreach of souls that He lays before us.

For DEAF souls in Mexico,

Gary & Ann Layne