Tuesday, July 7, 2020

July Prayer Letter

 July 2020

 

Dear Praying Friends,

 

“Go to the ant…consider her ways and be wise. Which having no guide, overseer or ruler, provideth her meat in the summer and gathereth her food in the harvest.” Proverbs 6:6-8

 

As of the writing of this letter, Portugal is still closed to foreigners so the normal summer flood of tourists has not happened.  In the southern area of Portugal where we minister, 80% of the economy is based in the tourist industry. Most of our church folks are employed in this area and have already suffered. During the 10 weeks of quarantine, when the entire country was forced to shut down, our folks used their savings to get by. We helped when we could but that was just the prelude to a bigger challenge. The restaurants, hotels and other tourist-based businesses always shut down in the late fall due to lack of customers, so through no fault of their own, our church family is now facing winter with no savings and no way to earn a living. Our dear brothers and sisters are facing a bleak winter, but are striving to trust the Lord in spite of what seems an impossible situation.

 

Following the instructions from Proverbs, Michele and I have been saving everything that we can to help in the hard winter months ahead. You folks have continued to sacrifice and give in spite of the hardships you are enduring there. We are doing our best here to prepare as Joseph did for the famine God told him was coming. Please continue to pray for our growing church family, that their faith in the Lord would deepen in spite of the hardships ahead.

 

Trusting God and thanking you,

 

Mark Hale