I want to thank all of you (pastors and church members) for your faithfulness in praying for me and the team from Georgia who ministered at the Olympics.  I am convinced that God used your prayers to do a work in me and through me there in China .  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!    I struggled to find my ministry “niche” there and God showed me that I could make a balloon dog.  As a result of that I had the privilege of seeing a smile come to many children, parents, teenagers, and even some senior citizens who received a balloon.    Giving a balloon dog or sword or hat to a child, teenager, or adult was what God let me do to show that there was a Christian American who loves the Chinese people.   We had more opportunities than we thought we would have to have meaningful conversations with the Chinese.  It is amazing what smiling at a person will do to impact them! 

            Needless to say I had a great time interacting with the Chinese.  Of course, you understand that I do love them because of our two adopted Chinese granddaughters.  I received many thumbs up when I showed their pictures.   So, for me, this trip was a special time that I could be used to show the love of God. 

            I would request that you continue to pray for “Joe” (not his real name).  Joe is a university student not from Beijing whot seemed to attach himself to me.  He initially observed what we were doing and soon asked if he could blow the balloons up.  He turned out to be a tremendous help.  After this initial time he showed up every time I went to the Plaza to do the balloons, even though he did not know what time we were planning to be there.  Joe is not a believer, but is very open to the Gospel.  He asked more than once why I was doing this.  On the last day he brought his mom and so I got to meet her also.  Please pray that God will bring Joe to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

            This mission trip reaffirmed for me the importance of prayer in our lives as well as the need we all have to improve the quality (and quantity) of prayer.  We have a marvelous opportunity to be challenged in the spiritual discipline of prayer October 4-5 when we will have Dr. Greg Frizzell, Prayer and Spiritual Awakening Specialist, Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma , to lead us in a Prayer Conference and a Prayer Rally.  The Prayer Conference will be Saturday, October 4, from 9 am to noon at Sunnyside Baptist Church (childcare for up to 3 years old will be provided).  On Saturday evening at 6 pm at Calvary Baptist Church the pastors and staff and their wives will have a meal and time of fellowship with Dr. Frizzell.   Sunday evening, October 5, is a special time for all churches to gather together at 6 pm at Byne Memorial Baptist Church for a Prayer Rally.  We are requesting that all churches in the association transfer their evening services to Byne for this special time with Dr. Frizzell.  I believe that God is going to do a great work in our hearts, minds, and lives these two days.  Please make your plans to participate and pray for God to meet us in a special way.

            The Annual Church Profiles (ACPs) have been distributed and we need your church’s cooperation to complete the forms in a timely manner.  We depend on each church to complete the form on line or a paper copy turned in to the office by September 18.   This makes it possible for us to be able to use the information provided in the ACPs to do the Book of Reports for Annual Meeting.  Alisa and I want to thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.   

                                                         -Tom