~ Separated to the work in Colombia, South America ~
Henry and Grace Sullivan
Burns, Oregon
Dear family in Christ,
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. 2 Pe 1:2
July 1st, we arrived back in the US. As mentioned in the last update, we could not get a new visa and so had to leave Colombia. In the end of August, we moved to Burns, OR where we have found a house to rent and Henry has work that is both sustainable and flexible as we sort through the changes that have come so suddenly. Now that we have a functional homebase we can also begin our new form of involvement with connections in Colombia. At this point we have three primary connections and opportunities for ministry from a distance.
First, in Nuquí: we have a number of ongoing connections there. A primary one is J who was baptized in May. He continues to reach out both in Nuquí and recently in his hometown of Quibdó, the capital of the Chocó department. I had left him with a sizable assortment of bibles, but he recently contacted me to say he is out and needs a shipment for Quibdó as well. I will be working on that and also look forward to continuing our time together in the Word as we get our systems up and running here.
Second, believers on the river Chorí. We have an opportunity to encourage and minister remotely to a small group of believers on the Chorí and through them to a few other communities as well. We did not have freedom to enter these areas while in Nuquí but were able to establish the relationships with them while there and now have the welcome and connections to minister to them remotely, even from here. This is another involvement that has been on hold due to our unsettled living situation over the summer. I have been in communication with a brother there but minimally.
Third, in the Baudó. In 2022 and 2023 we got to know and were involved with sending out a Colombian couple as missionaries to the Baudó (Baudó is the name of the principal river where they are and the dialect of Embera that live there). Until very recently there were no known believers in the Baudó people. Through the ministry of this couple, JJ and V, several have come to Christ, four were baptized this year and there is now a very small congregation formed. There is much opposition as well but the Lord is working and the believers are both emboldened by the opposition and having opportunities to share with their family members. Unfortunately, JJ and V have very little support of any kind and no one encouraging them on a regular basis, they have been very isolated. This is an area of need that we feel keenly the Lord has for us to fill as much as we are able.
Please pray:
For J in Nuquí. For his faithfulness, growth in the Lord and ministry.
For the believers on the Chorí.
For JJ and V and their family and the new believers on the Baudó. For their protection from the opposers and that they would continue in faith.
That the Lord would direct in the ministry from this end and His will would be accomplished in it.
Henry, for: Henry, Grace, David, Noah, Joseph and Julia