Well, as you can see in the picture above, we are back in Asia. Can you find me in the picture? 🙂 After getting a health clearance from the vascular surgeon and the neurologist, we immediately headed back “home” to Asia. And, may I say, “It’s good to be back!”

The past three months have been “trying” to say the least. Between our granddaughter going to heaven in September and my having a mini-stroke in October, we have been busy dealing with unexpected and unpleasant circumstances. Denise and I are both grateful for the many prayers, emails, phone calls, and text messages during these trials. As always, God has been good and gracious during the trials and so have God’s people, both in the United States, in Southeast Asia (Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand) and China!

Of course, it’s been good to be “back in the saddle” again. God is doing some amazing things here in China. It was a blessing to be back in our services, our Monday evening Men’s Leadership Meeting, and our Tuesday time of teaching the men who are leading the ministry here. PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH AND OUR ATTEMPT TO PLANT MORE CHURCHES IN THIS CITY AND THROUGHOUT THE PROVINCE!

While I was not able to go, a team of nationals from our church here went to the southern part of our province and spent a week teaching and training some believers from four different rural churches. Five days of teaching (8 hours per day) and two days of practical ministry.  Most of the people they were training were from the Miao and the Yao people groups. Both people groups are considered Unreached People Groups (less than 2 percent professing any form of Christianity). From what I hear, God moved in a very special way. PLEASE PRAY FOR THESE DEAR MIAO AND YAO PEOPLE AS THEY ATTEMPT TO REACH THEIR PEOPLE FOR CHRIST!

It has been a blessing to have a few folks over our house for food and fellowship. We try to do this once or twice a week. Sometimes our guests are unbelievers and at other times believers, but we use the tool of hospitality to reach and teach people. Leo (pictured below) is meeting with me on a weekly basis. It’s a time of accountability, Bible study, and we always give him a good meal. PLEASE PRAY FOR LEO AS HE IS GETTING READY TO START A NEW HOUSE GROUP IN A FEW WEEKS!

Barry and Joy (both doctors) are dear friends of ours. They were a tremendous help when I had my mini-stroke. I have no idea what we would have done without them. They are fairly new Christians. They have a heart for God and desire to use medicine as a tool to reach the rural people of this country. PLEASE PRAY FOR BARRY AND JOY AS THEY PURSUE CHRIST AND THE PURPOSE OF CHRIST FOR THEIR LIVES!

Of course, while we were in the States to deal with my medical issues, I had the opportunity to preach a few times for our church, teach in Sunday school, and preach for the college. As always it was a blessing PLEASE PRAY THAT THE MESSAGES WE PREACHED AND THE LESSONS WE TAUGHT WHILE IN THE STATES WILL BRING FORTH FRUIT!

Just before my wife and I headed back to China, our co-laborer in China, Dick Baucum (pictured above) arrived in the States for a short furlough. He had a chance to meet my brother Pastor Joe for the first time. PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR PASTOR JOE AND HIS WIFE MARY!

A FEW ADDITIONAL PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Pray for God to bless our five present house groups (potential future churches) and the new group Leo will be leading soon.
• Pray for our time of transition here as a church.
• Pray for those in leadership here at the church as we are beginning to train our folks – including our leaders – to disciple others.
• Pray for Zhang Lun, Li, Richard, and Peter (and their wives), as God continues to mold them into the men and “leaders” He wants them to be.
• Pray for Jack, Maggie, and Hu Ying’s salvation!
• Please pray for our teams in Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia. 
• Pray for my upcoming trips to Laos (December) and Thailand (January) to be with our teams for a time of ministry and fellowship.
• Pray for Dick and Trish Baucum to have a fruitful furlough.
• Pray for our ministry in Laos, as we consider assisting them in starting a Bible Institute.

Again, my wife and I want to thank you for your continual and consistent prayer and financial support. We also want to thank many of you for being a tremendous blessing during our time of need. We love and thank God for you all!

For HIS Glory in the Nations,

Johnny and Denise Esposito