...the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
- Job 1:21
Dear Praying Friends,
The months of August and September have brought both joy and sorrow. We’ve been greatly blessed and also suffered great loss. But we continue faithful, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” (Heb. 12:2), trusting Him alone as circumstances we don’t always understand, happen “according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” (Eph. 1:11).
OUR NEW HOUSE
The entire month of August we spent in the states taking care of personal business and visiting family. The good news is we now have a home in Alabama that we can live in while we do deputation over and raise support for our ministry to the Spanish Speaking people. It’s a modest house in Brewton, Alabama, that needs some fixing up, but we are grateful to have a place to call home and use as a base as we travel and preach throughout the Americas.
BACK TO HONDURAS
We flew back to Honduras the 31st of August, and found things well in order. The two works here are going fine, and Clemente and Hotir are doing a great job of preaching and teaching. We prayed long and hard for some men in the church to mature to this level, and we believe God has answered our prayers. (As afore mentioned, we plan to live here only until January or February, awaiting the other Missionary’s return.)
I’m busy here preaching services on Sunday in both works. I also preach on Thursday night in Quebrada de Lajas (Bible Baptist Church), while Clemente teaches Wednesday evening service in El Tejar (New Hope Baptist Church). On Saturday night I handle the Youth Services. And on Monday nights we’ve started a Bible study in Erick Sanchez’s house.
I’ve also been active as an evangelist traveling and preaching in other areas. On the 7th to the 9th of September I preached at Bible Baptist Church in the island of Utila, Honduras. Hurricane Felix messed up our schedule, and I thought the pastor would surely cancel, but he called at the last minute and told me it was safe to come and preach the youth meeting we had planned. They expected 150 young people, many from juvenile detention halls. But, because the island had been evacuated for the storm, only 40 people showed up. I preached as hard as I could, and gave many evangelistic messages (as Pastor Julio requested), but no one came forward to get saved. There were many lost people present, and I ask your prayers for them, that God use the seed planted there.
OUR HEARTBREAK
I never thought I’d bury a baby on the Mission field. But on September 20th, 2007 we were devastated when our first baby was prematurely stillborn in Hospital Evangelica in Siguatepeque, Honduras (about an hour from where we live). The female child was underweight at only 2 lbs, but looked healthy. This is a hard blow for us, but we are getting through it. We have put it all in God’s hands claiming the promise, “...all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Laura is recuperating well, and I was there holding her hand through the whole ordeal. Sometimes I don’t know how to express my emotions and usually deal with things like this through poetry. I’m enclosing the poem I wrote the day it happened.
So even though the gloominess of September paled in comparison to our joy in the month of August, we are faring well. And though we’ve passed through some trials in the Lord’s service with much tears and prayer, we are encouraged knowing God’s still on the throne. As Psalm 30:5 says, “...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” And it helps to look forward to that Great Celestial Morning in which we can see our baby once more.
Deeply saddened but desirous to serve,
Robert and Laura Beth Breaker
1 Thessalonians 5:13
Oh my Precious Little One
Upon the stillborn birth of our first child in Honduras on September 20th, 2007
By Robert R. Breaker III
Oh my precious little child;
Blessed one with no fame,
I never even got to hold you,
Tiny one with no name.
What made you sick, what made you die,
What was it you could not tame?
How, oh, how could you leave me,
With no one to place blame?
At least now you are at peace,
In heaven, my cherished dame.
And, I long so much to see you soon,
And ask you why you came.
Your life so short, soon passed away.
You never laughed or played a game.
But God is still in control,
He’s on His throne just the same.
And, into His hands I place you now,
Where sin and death can’t maim.
And trust the Lord will permit me soon,
To see you once again.
