July 2007

Sydney Bible Baptist College is winding down the first semester of study with only two weeks left to go. Two new student applications are in the pipeline for the new semester which excites us. We don’t usually see many new students coming in the middle of the year.

Thank you for praying for the college. I believe we are at an important point with the new pastor couple soon to be on campus for the second semester. That will give us leeway to restructure the overall curriculum of the college for perhaps a better and wider impact. Everyone is excited at what God is doing. A large special gift was given that will meet the financial commitment of the college to the new staff for the remainder of the year. That was a great blessing of God upon the college ministry that is not dependent upon any support outside Australia.

Please pray for Pastor Mario Schiavone who is doing a wonderful job leading the college as the pastor of the sponsoring church. Pastor Sam Joukhadar is the executive assistant to the principal and is so productive and efficient in his many labours for the college. Now with Pastor Trevor Ringwaldt and his wife coming to the campus, the teaching staff will be enhanced, the dorm students will be well looked after, and there will be an expansion of the college ministry among the churches with Pastor Ringwaldt’s travelling ministry on weekends and special occasions.

My place in all of this is to be of any help and counsel I can be to the overall thrust of the ministry and to encourage these faithful men and the other pastors who teach in the college. I don’t have a lot of physical strength to give to the principal’s position, but I still have a good head of grey hair and 53 dedicated years of experience for whatever that may or may not be worth!

Recently my left eye haemorrhaged breaking into the inner part filling it with blood. This caused a lot of floaties and goop though I don’t have but a bit of peripheral sight in that nearly blind eye. It also strongly influences my total sight with the other eye as well as causing nausea and lack of balance. The specialist was alarmed at the very high pressure in the haemorrhaged eye and planned a surgical procedure to remove the blood if the eye didn’t respond to medication to bring the pressure down. Thankfully the eye did respond almost immediately, and we are praying for that continued response. If the pressure stays under control, the eye can be left, and the blood will gradually be absorbed and dissipate, though that could take months to happen.

The first great blessing is that it was in the bad eye and not in the good one. I pray for God to preserve that one good eye even with its limited vision. Its 25% of normal vision along with the aid of computers and big screens allow me a fruitful connection with the world of sight for which I am so grateful to God. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and encouragement to us. God has been so gracious!