ENW recently returned from a fruitful ministry trip to Uruguay, South America. The Lord allowed us to be there for two full weekends with our pastoral conference in between, and He blessed every moment invested among these dear people. Our first weekend of ministry was in the city of Pando with Pastor Carlo and his wife, Mabel. We have visited this church many times over the years, and it is always a joy to see how God continues to work in their congregation. This visit was no exception. We enjoyed rich fellowship with familiar faces as well as several new ones. Pastor Carlo is currently mentoring a young man who shows great promise as a future pastor—an especially encouraging development.

The Pastor’s Conference began Monday morning at Camp Emmanuel. Pedro, the camp director and our primary coordinator for international logistics, did an excellent job organizing and preparing for the week. Much of the material is now distributed digitally, so only a few printed copies were needed; most pastors prefer to follow along on their computers. We were blessed
with three translators throughout the week, each serving with skill and a willing heart.

This year’s conference focused on an expositional study of the book of James. My teaching partner, Dr. Rein Allwell, and I alternated through the twelve preaching portions of the book. Preparing for these sessions was a joy, and presenting these rich, practical truths from one of the earliest New Testament writings was an even greater privilege. By the end of the week, we were deeply encouraged by the pastors’ feedback and by their plans to teach James in their own congregations.
Some are even forming teams to teach the material in future conferences for other Uruguayan pastors and churches.

Our final weekend took us to two familiar churches where we have ministered many times. Seeing the faithfulness of these pastors, the stability of their congregations, and the growth of young people—marrying, raising families, and preparing for “next generation” ministry—was a true “II Timothy 2:2 cherry on top of the ecclesiastical hot fudge sundae.”

Another blessing from this trip deserves mention. A family in our newly planted church in Pisgah Forest, North Carolina has two daughters who were hoping to meet Spanish‐speaking penpals. We were delighted to connect them with friends in Uruguay, and the girls have already begun corresponding and building sweet new friendships.

As always, a simple “thank you” hardly seems adequate to express our gratitude for your continued prayers, support, and interest in the ministry of equipping nationals worldwide. By His grace and for His glory, we press on.