Family Radio Mission to Kingston Jamaica
December 3rd - 14th, 2009
LETTER #1
"He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." (Deuteronomy 32:4))
Saturday, October 17, 2009. A Family Radio group of 16 “Ambassadors for Christ” (8 men and 8 women) from various parts of the US arrived in Kingston, Jamaica on another tract distribution trip.
We plan to proclaim the Gospel of Christ to the people here during the next nine days by distributing thousands of Family Radio tracts and hundreds of Bibles in the English language. The tracts were printed locally and contain the current Family Radio broadcasting schedules for this area and a reference to the multilingual website. The Bibles have been purchased here as well.
We currently have 100,000 Does God Love You? and 25,000 Judgment Day tracts and 300 Bibles (King James Version) in our hotel, and we can order more as needed. We also have many booklets and CDs of Family Radio’s Bible teaching materials.
Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean Sea, and it is located 90 miles south of Cuba and 120 west of Haiti. With a population of about 2.8 million, it is the third largest English speaking country in North America after the US and Canada. Kingston is its capital and largest city with an official population of about 600,000, but over 800,000 are estimated to live in the greater metropolitan area.
Approximately 92% of the population are of black African descent of which around 76% are pure blooded and 16% are Mulattoes, who are of mixed white and black descent. Other ethnic minorities make up the total. English is the primary language, and an English Africa Creole dialect called Jamaica Patois (PAT wah) is commonly spoken.
About 66% of Jamaicans identify with the Christian religion. The five largest tdenominations are: Church of God, Seventh Day Adventist, Baptist, Pentecostal, and Anglican. Rastafarians, Jews, and Hindus are minority religions.
We are looking forward to sharing the “Good News” of the Gospel of Christ with the people of Jamaica, and we are praying that God will perform a mighty work of grace in the hearts of many in this part of the world.
"For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." (Psalm 100:5)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Kingston Jamaica
LETTER #2
"Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth forever." (Psalm 119:160)
Sunday, October 18, 2009. Today is the Sabbath day and we thank Him for the wonderful opportunity to spread His precious word to the people of Jamaica.
After our customary meeting where teams and team leaders are assigned, we went out to various churches. Jamaica has the distinction of being in the Guinness Book of Records as having the most churches within a square foot of land space, and this proved to be quite true as three teams visited churches during the course of the day. Our desire was to get to these churches when the members were leaving and with the Lord's perfect timing we arrived at most of these locations while the people were either walking out or driving out. Many of them graciously received the tracts. The Judgment Day tracts, as well as our tee shirts evoked the customary question as to how could anyone know that May 21, 2011 is Judgment Day, when the Bible says "no man knows the day or the hour". At this point we respond by providing them with the "No Man Knows The Day Or The Hour?" tract, and encourage them to read it with their Bible.
While waiting for the parishioners one church to exit, the driver of a vehicle perhaps passed by and read the message on our tee shirt of one ambassador. This got his attention and he had driven about 500 feet and then backed up his vehicle and said, seemingly incredulously, "Is Judgment Day really May 21, 2011? How do you know that? The team leader witnessed with him and his friend for a little and he requested additional tracts and the Family Radio teaching booklets for his family. What a blessing! May the Lord have mercy on many of these dear people.
Our visits to the churches proved quite productive, except for one Pentecostal Church where they shooed us away, claiming that they do not want the false gospel that we are bringing to them, and even instructed their members over the public address system not to accept anything that we offer them. The team left the location, telling whoever was listening to read the Bible and beseech God for mercy, because He is indeed returning in judgment on 5/21/2011.
Sunday in Jamaica is a relatively quiet day, in observance of the Sabbath Day, so except for those who attend church, or are traveling to the beach or some other place of relaxation, the stores, markets and shops are tightly shut. One team had arrived at their church location after the services concluded for the day, so they drove around for a little bit and, by God's mercy, they came to a very busy intersection, where there was sufficient pedestrian and vehicular traffic to sustain a very good distribution of the tracts. Here again the people graciously accepted the tracts and other material, many of them thanking us for bringing the words of eternal life to their people.
One team worked at the Half Way Tree Bus Terminus and they also reported a very productive day there, as well as at the large park across the street from the terminus, sharing with the passengers and vendors. The great advantage of sharing the gospel at the bus terminus is that this message of warning will be spread to distant locations of Jamaica where we may not have the opportunity to visit.
Another team went to the Hellshire Beach, and though tomorrow is expected to be a crowded day at this location for the holiday celebration, nevertheless, there was enough people there to keep the team busy for about 90 minutes, and this was after they had finished their assignment with the local churches. Even with the people busy with the customary beach activity, they still warmly accepted the tracts and many were inquisitive about the date and were provided additional information in answer to their queries.
Altogether, it was a productive day of testing the waters and the Lord has prepared for us a warm and friendly people, that has provided for a 90 95% acceptance of the true gospel of the Bible. All praise and thanks to God for His wonderful provision.
"He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true." (John 3:33)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Kingston Jamaica
LETTER #3
"Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield." (Psalms 33:20)
Monday, October 19, 2009. Today is the National Heroes Day in Jamaica, a holiday where they celebrate past heroes of the country (including Marcus Garvey). In addition to the commemoration of the heroes, other festivities include road races, sea food competition, and other competitive events involving the whole family. People also converge at the parks, the beach, the Botanical Gardens and other locations to participate in fun and games, and other forms of relaxation. The teams visited most of these locations in and around Kingston, with one team visiting a small beach town called Port Royal which is about 45 minutes away from our hotel in New Kingston.
One team worked at the ceremony to celebrate the Heroes which was held at the Emancipation Park and reports as follows: "When we arrived at the venue around 10.00 am, we were told that the ceremony would not take place until 3.00 pm. With prayers for wisdom, and the guidance of the Lord, we asked the cab driver to drive us to the downtown area and we found a park, adjacent to a bus depot and many open street markets. The tract distribution went very well, and there were several meaningful one on one discussions with people who are very inquisitive about this seemingly radical message of the hope of salvation in the midst of a time of judgment."
The team leader encountered a young man who was rubbing his back against a wall and he appeared to be mentally and physically distressed. When he was offered the tract and was told that it was a message from the Bible, he said he was blind and would not be able to read the tract. When asked if he had someone who could read to him, he replied affirmatively, and then took the tract, folded it and put it in the pocket of his pants. Could it be that God would grant this man spiritual eyes towards repentance unto salvation, in accordance with His will. We returned to the Emancipation Park and concluded our distribution there, with great reception, by God's grace."
Another team visited the Botanical Gardens and they were blessed with a wonderful day of sharing with people who were out with their entire family for a day of fun specifically geared to the Heroes Day Commemoration. By God's provision, the entrance to the celebration was via two narrow gateways, and with the ambassadors stationed right behind the ticket collector, there were very few people that could be missed. They worked with the steady flow of people into this location, and by God's mercy they depleted their entire tract load within about four hours, thankful for the Lord's blessings for the day.
Another team went to Port Royal, a small town, but which attracts many visitors and residents from other towns and parishes of Jamaica, because of its secluded beach. The town also had its own ceremonies for Heroes Day, which was another reason that many people gravitated to this area. Though most of the activities was nocturnal, nonetheless, two of the team's members shared the words of life with people that came in for the celebration in cars and buses, while the remaining two ambassadors walked the whole town and shared door to door with the town's residents, as well as the folks at the beach.
Again there were many opportunities to witness with the residents, as well as the visitors and to respond to questions concerning Judgment Day. Two ladies, Jamaican by birth, were visiting from New York and they stopped by our table at one of the eateries, inquiring about our presence there. When we told them that it was about sounding the warning about Christ's impending return in judgment, they indicated that they lived in New York for many years and have never heard this message, or about Family Radio. We gave them the teaching booklets and they requested some for friends and family and we encouraged them to tune in to WFME Radio Station to learn more. These ladies had to return to their homeland in order to receive the true gospel. May the Lord have mercy on them and bless them with His salvation.
Later in the afternoon this team went to the Lime Cay beach, about a 25 minute speed boat ride from Port Royal. This was a small beach with only about 300 people there. In about fifteen minutes the team had placed tracts and booklets in the hands of the people who graciously accepted, none too perturbed by the interruption of their day's activities.
Today's distribution included a return visit to the Half Way Tree Bus Terminus. Here again the 90 95% reception rate was maintained, and even with more people. There was a steady flow of passengers, so the team concentrated its efforts on the street traffic and the vendors, and this made for a very productive day of distribution of the gospel of grace and the warning of judgment, at this location. On the way back to the hotel the team passed through Emancipation Park, and though they were prevented from distributing in the park at that time of the afternoon, nevertheless, as the team walked through the park, many, being interested in the Judgment Day message, asked for, and received the tracts.
We praise our dear Lord for a wonderful day of sharing the words of life at the various locations and we continue to seek the prayers of the listening audience, for the people of Jamaica. Thanks be to God.
"Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." (1 Corinthians 4:2)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Kingston Jamaica
LETTER #4
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)
Tuesday, October 20, 2009. We continue to be blessed with glorious reception of the tracts, FR teaching booklets and the Bibles that we shared with people at colleges and universities, hospital staff, patients and visitors, and passengers at the Half Way Tree and Orange Street Bus Terminus, and office workers on their way home from work in the busy office district not too far from our hotel. This wonderful reception, together with the people thanking us for bringing the true gospel to their island, are great sources of encouragement as we labor in the over 90 degree weather.
Distribution at the General Hospital and the UWI University Hospital was very productive with the hundreds of people entering and exiting, and in the case of the University Hospital, we had unfettered access to the wards and waiting rooms, clinics and cafeteria and all around the grounds. There were similar responses at the University of Technology and the University of the West Indies. Though there were a few scoffers regarding the time of judgment, there was a greater number that showed keen interest in this warning, seriously and sincerely asking: "Is this really true? What should we do?" The ambassadors would respond, "Read the Bible and pray, beseeching God for mercy, because He is merciful."
We note that the message is getting around the city like rapid fire. Early this morning a few ambassadors went to the Supermarket, which is the largest on the island, and is directly across from our hotel. While in the check out line, three of the employees, after having received the tracts, called one of the ambassadors over seeking an explanation and more information. After sharing some scriptures with them the ambassador promised to give them more materials. Immediately upon returning to the hotel, the ambassador gathered a few of the four tracts and the FR teaching materials and delivered it to these three employees and they were very appreciative.
Another missionary met a young man (Devon) late yesterday in the Emancipation Park by which time he had only a tract to share with him. But today, the young man showed up at the hotel seeking a better understanding of the new revelations that God has provided us from the Bible, in these times. He exhibited a sincere hunger for this spiritual food, ingesting it like a sponge. Though we cannot get anyone saved, we are indeed grateful that God has aided our understanding of the precious words of life, and has given us the ability to impart what we have learned to these dear people. Let us pray for Devon and the people of Jamaica, that God would indeed be merciful to them and their sins be removed as far as the east is from the west.
People are very respectful of the gospel here in Jamaica. An ambassador was distributing outside the hotel, when a well dressed gentleman approached her. He perhaps had heard from others about Judgment Day being May 21, 2011 and asked: What is all this about? She handed him a "Judgment Day" tract and he walked away. Moments later he returned asking for more tracts and when the ambassador told him that this is the Word of God,he responded, in a matter of fact way: "Yes, I know, and that is why I want them; I will share them with my loved ones." Many, upon receiving favorable responses to their queries about Judgment Day, would ask for more materials for their family and friends. Such was the case with one man from the Cayman islands who wanted some materials to take back to his country.
Another action that brings joy to our hearts is the sincere gratitude that these people express when they receive the gift of God's word, the Bible. Some hug and kiss the ambassadors, and even the Bible itself, in an act of deep appreciation. May the Lord show many a token for good, through His word.
Brethren, we covet your prayers for strength and God's sustaining power, as we continue this delightful task of spreading the message of hope to these dear people of Jamaica.
"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." (John 17:17)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Kingston Jamaica
LETTER #5
"God forbid: ye, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged." (Romans 3:4)
Wednesday, October 21, 2011: Today is exactly nineteen months to the Rapture and the beginning of the Day of Judgment, and twenty four months to the end of the world. The imminence of Christ's return, therefore, heightens the need to blow the trumpet and sound the alarm. In response to this command, three teams revisited the Halfway Tree and Orange Bus terminals and reported a very productive day of distribution.
During the morning hours at these locations, there was a steady flow of business people, shoppers and people going about their daily activities, and this allowed more opportunities for conversations, and to answer the consistent queries as to whether it really was true that Christ would return on May 21, 2011. Thankfully we are able to provide these dear people with additional information by way of the "No Man Knows The Day Or Hour?" and the "Another Infallible Proof" tracts, and the teaching booklets, repeatedly encouraging them to read their Bibles, since God saves through His word.
In the afternoon hours, from 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm there was a mass exodus of the students from the many elementary and high schools in the downtown area, several of whom converged at the Halfway Tree Bus terminal for transportation back to their homes (some of these being in distant locations). What a treat it was to share the words of eternal life to these school students, because they are the ones who were asking the serious questions and who truthfully declare that they are scared. Some as young as six and seven years listened with rapt attention as the ambassadors would explain to them that they too have to cry out to God to save them and take them to heaven when He comes, if it is His will to do so. Many of them ask: "Can I take this tract home to my mother and my father?" or they would say: "Can I have one for my sister or my brother?" We feel remarkably blessed to be witnesses to such a sincere exhibition of childlike concern and love for family, which tugs at the heart strings.
One team each went to the towns of Old Harbor and May Pen which are about an hour and 90 minutes from New Kingston, respectively. Both teams concentrated their efforts on the schools which operate on a shift basis with the turnover times being between 12.00 noon and 1.00 pm. By God's provision the ambassadors reached many of the schools either when the morning students were exiting, or when the afternoon students were entering. And those whom the ambassadors were not able to reach at the schools, became a captive audience at the bus stops or eating establishments around the area. After sharing with the student population, the ambassadors then worked the stores and offices in these towns, exhausting their tract load in the process.
An highlight of Wednesday's activities was that the team leader of one group was able to visit the courthouse in the downtown area. Apparently Wednesday is the day that the people show up to pay fines or stand trial for gun related illegalities. Of course there are the attendant attorneys and other such personnel, which augmented the crowd at this location and provided a fertile ground for sharing the word of truth to a captive audience.
Another action that brings joy to our hearts is the sincere gratitude that these people express when they receive the gift of God's word, the Bible. Some hug and kiss the ambassadors, and even the Bible itself, in an act of deep appreciation. May the Lord show many a token for good, through His word.
Thursday, October 22, 2009: Two other distant towns were visited today Spanish Town and Linstead, with similar performance and results as Wednesday. The additional treat at Spanish town was that the team was able to visit the local hospital. Whereas in some countries access to hospitals and shopping malls are denied, we continue to be warmly welcomed at these establishments in Jamaica, and this greatly facilitates our distribution efforts.
One team's assignment for today was colleges and universities with this being the second visit to the University of Technology and the University of the West Indies. Despite the challenge of locating the Jamaica College, by God's mercy, they arrived there just in time to distribute to students who were leaving for the day. They had some meaningful encounters during the course of the day, continuing to respond to the ubiquitous questions concerning: "How do you know that 5/21/2011 is Judgment Day; and, where did you get your information?" Nevertheless, the team reported an excellent day of distribution, and we pray that many of God's lost sheep were reached with the message of hope.
As is customary on these mission trips, we try to gain access to the prisons, being that the inmates need the gospel of salvation, just as much as anyone on the outside. During the past few days, the group leader had been in touch with the prison officials and by God's mercy, a team was able to visit the Adult Correctional Center in Spanish Town. Though they were not able to interact with all the prisoners, nevertheless, they left Bibles, tracts and FR teaching booklets to be distributed to these inmates. The highlight of this prison visit is that one of the guards is a Family Radio listener and he greatly appreciated the team's visit to the prison in particular, and to his country in general. On Friday a team will visit two other correctional facilities (a women's prison and another large prison that houses about 1,200 male inmates).
Altogether we continue to have a wonderful time of sharing God's truth with the people of Jamaica, and the excellent acceptance rate is maintained. We note that the majority of the refusals are those who received the tracts either earlier in the week, or at another location. Even when the people are irate and keep insisting that no one can know the time of judgment, or when they emphatically state that Christ is coming as a thief in the night, yet, because of their reverence for the gospel, they very rarely would discard the tracts. We have had very little clean up after distributing thousands upon thousands of tracts. Undoubtedly, God has indeed prepared for us a very receptive people, for which we are truly grateful. All praise and glory to the King of kings and Lord of Lords.
We thank the FR listeners for their continued prayers for these dear citizens of Jamaica, and for their financial support that has made these mission trips possible.
"That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:" (Hebrews 6:18)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Kingston Jamaica
LETTER #6
"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2)
Friday, October 23, 2009: In the strength of the Lord, we continue our distribution efforts to the warm and gracious people of Jamaica. Today teams went to several places in and around Kingston's downtown area where we can always expect a steady flow of office workers, students and shoppers, making it very conducive for our sharing of the true gospel of Salvation, to a seemingly spiritually prepared people.
Early this morning a team went to the United States Embassy and the ambassadors were greeted with the fair amount of people, who were lined up since about 5.00 am to seek visas for entry to the United States. Almost all the people accepted the tracts and other materials. Later in the day this team visited the Passport Office, and the Mall which is across the street from this building. They had the same great results, and it is so remarkable that all but one of the businesses in this mall complex welcomed the ambassadors and the message they brought.
One team revisited the Halfway Tree Bus Terminus and the Crossroads intersection and captured the steady flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, and, despite the fact that there was a presence at these locations for the past five days, yet the reception is still at a high level. Two ambassadors of this team went to the Courthouse, and after a search of their backpacks, they were allowed entry and spent about forty minutes sharing the gospel of grace with hundreds of people waiting to straighten out their legal affairs.
Consistent with our need to let this message be heard throughout the country, and with a 6.30 am start to the day, two teams visited the city of Montego Bay, which is 150 miles from New Kingston. It was about a 3.5 hour drive (one way) through the picturesque country on one side, and the matchless blue Caribbean Sea on the other side, which undeniably bespeak the wonder of God's creation.
In Montego Bay itself, one team stopped in the downtown area where there are many stores, souvenir shops, restaurants and business offices. Montego Bay, being a tourist town attracts many cruise ships, thus, with the unfettered access to the places of business, together with the continuous flow of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, the team was able to distribute to the many locals as well as tourists. In addition two ambassadors canvassed the upscale neighborhood, with unanticipatedly wonderful reception.
The other team went to the local market which was about 15 minutes away from the downtown area. The market was crowded with many vendors on the main street as well in the belly of the market which was four to five blocks deep on both sides of the main street. With the two mini teams, we covered the market, getting the vendors and shoppers, and after about two hours of distribution, we came back out on the main street and worked the traffic, getting the school children who by this time had finished classes for the day.
Of course we had some meaningful encounters, with quite a few in this town being also incredulous about the time of the end. One man said: "I have never heard such a message in all my life; this is revolutionary." Another man said: "I am a Seventh Day Adventist, I don't need this information." The ambassador responded: "This message is for the Seventh Day Adventist, Baptist, and the Roman Catholic, it is for the Hindu, Muslim and Rastafarian as well. This is an all inclusive declaration, to which all mankind should listen." The man later took both the "Does God Love You?" and the "Judgment Day" tracts, and thanked the ambassador for coming to his country to sound the warning.
God has bestowed on our van driver great skill and dexterity to traverse the winding roads and mountain passes to take us to and from Montego Bay, and we had a very productive day of sharing the words of eternal life with the people of that city, and other towns along the route. Thanks be to God.
As planned, today a team visited the women's prison on the outskirts of Kingston. After the customary security checks, the ambassadors were led to the prison Chapel where the inmates were gathered (a few of whom had their babies with them). The team leader talked for about fifteen minutes with the inmates and encouraged them to "seek the LORD while he may be found", because May 21, 2011 is the end of the day of Salvation. They listened attentively, and were very appreciative of the tracts, Bibles and FR teaching booklets that the team shared with them.
The team was also scheduled to visit the men's prison, but due to some logistical setbacks at the prison, they were unable to do so. Thus this visit is postponed to Monday, Lord willing.
As the days of this trip go by, we cannot help but notice that the warning of judgment is piercing the souls of many people, especially the young, who are undeniably more receptive and oftentimes scared to the point of tears. Children would be walking with their parents, and, whereas the parents would refuse the tracts, the children would urge them to take it. Here we see the manifestation of Isaiah 11:6 "a little child shall lead them." One young boy, about twelve years old, after reading the tract and hearing so much about the end of the world, remarked: "You mean that I will die on May 21, 2011 and never be with Jesus in heaven?" When told that that could happen if God does not save him, he responded, with bulging eyes, "O my God". The ambassador told him to read the Bible and pray, pray, pray. Yet another child, about 8 years, after receiving the tract, came back to the ambassador and asked where was the meeting, thinking that it was an open air crusade. There is such an unbelievably keen interest in these young people towards this message.
In the case some of the older folks, in spite of their arrogant display of doubt, they are indeed bewildered by this information that God's righteous judgment will descend upon the whole world in less than nineteen months. God is really touching the hearts of many of the these dear people we pray that there will be a bountiful harvest of souls here.
We praise and thank God for His continued hand of mercy on us and for granting us the wisdom and the wherewithal to proclaim this important message to the world.
"He that saith and abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." (I John 2:6)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Kingston Jamaica
LETTER #7
"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same shall bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15:5)
Saturday, October 24, 2009: After a very tiring day of activity in the sweltering heat, the Lord has refreshed us so that we can spend another day spreading the words of eternal life to the people of Jamaica. While we maintained a presence in the downtown area, we still continued to take this message of hope to, and sound the alarm in, the distant cities of Jamaica. This time one team each traveled to Mandeville and Santa Cruz which are two and three hours drive from the hotel, respectively.
On the way to Santa Cruz, the ambassadors stopped at Junction City and spent about 30 minutes sharing with the locals, then proceeded to their assigned location. It was market day in these two cities, with hordes of people doing their weekly shopping, or other weekend activities. This allowed for a productive time of distribution of the tracts and FR teaching booklets to the residents. The majority of these people had not seen this information before, and, of course, they were very inquisitive about the message, giving the ambassadors many witnessing opportunities. Not surprisingly, a few of people said they had already received the information, either from Halfway Tree or from the beach or some other location in downtown Kingston. Thus, we are pleased to note that the word is going out far and wide, and by God's mercy, we pray that it would not return void, but will prosper in the thing whereto it is sent (Isaiah 55:11).
In Santa Cruz, an ambassador had the opportunity to speak with a man, who, by all appearances had very little of this world's goods. Though he was of the Rastafarian faith, he was very receptive to the gospel, and seemed well versed in the scriptures. Our ambassador witnessed with him for a little bit, and gave him the teaching booklets. When they said their goodbyes in the Rastafarian manner (wrapping knuckle to knuckle), it was as if they had been friends for a long time. We pray that God would incline this man's heart to embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, the only gospel that saves. We are pleased to note that many of the Rastafarians, as well as the Jehovah Witnesses accept the tracts more readily, than they have done in the past, and in other countries. We thank the Lord for preparing these dear people to be so wonderfully receptive to His precious gospel of grace. Let God be magnified.
There was also a very pleasant encounter in the city of Mandeville, where we see that God is opening up the understanding of His elect, all over the world. An elderly man received the "Judgment Day" tract and asked the ambassador: "Upon whom is God's judgment at this time?" When the ambassador responded that God's judgment is on the churches and the whole world, the man declared: "You are correct; I see it in the scriptures, and I thought that I was the only one that had seen this." We are thankful that the Lord has opened this man's eyes to the Bible's revelations, and may it be that he would be used of God to proclaim these truths to his countrymen.
A team visited the Coronation Market, the largest in Jamaica, and which is located in downtown Kingston. On Thursdays many wholesalers come from all over the country to purchase, inexpensively, all kinds of farm produce and take it back to their hometowns for retail sale. The same team was at this location on Thursday and reached, primarily, the vendors. However, today they wanted to be on hand to capture the attention of the hordes of weekend shoppers. And, we were not disappointed in the least, because there were thousands of people there. The ambassadors just stood, two each, at two busy cross streets and concentrated on the foot traffic to and fro. Within hours they were able to deplete their entire tract load. And what a great blessing that was!
The teams that worked at the Halfway Tree Bus Terminal and Crossroads again report a delightful day of declaring the words of truth to these dear people. Yes, there are those who want nothing to do with the gospel that we are bringing, and there are those who keep disputing the fact that we can know the day and the hour. But we have noticed that in most instances when the ambassadors provide an explanation to the queries of these doubtful recipients of the tract, they become less skeptical and would request more information, promising to read it and check it out with their Bibles. Then there are times when we are at a location and would see men, women and children intently reading the tracts, digesting every word, and they would come over and ask for more information as well as tracts to take to their loved ones. At other times, these same people, with their new understanding, would be the ones to explain the message to others who pass by.
One ambassador recounts that during the course of her stay at one location, she had given all four tracts to a barefoot grandma who was begging by the side of the road. Grandma had read them all, and apparently God had opened her understanding, because when the ambassador was surrounded by a few people who were asking her how does she know that the 5/21/2011 date is true, grandma began to explain to the people, saying: "The flood of Noah's day was in 4990BC and if you add 7,000 years to that, and subtract one year, you will get 2011." Everyone became quiet, very respectful of grandma, and the ambassador did not have to say another word. It was that simple. O that many would exercise humility and beseech God for understanding!
We again thank the FR listening audience for their prayers for the people of Jamaica. May God's perfect will be done in many lives, to His praise and glory.
"Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears." (II Samuel 7:22)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Kingston Jamaica
LETTER #8
"No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Luke 16:13)
Sunday, October 25, 2009: We praise and thank the Lord for extending to us, who are unprofitable servants, at best, the grand privilege of proclaiming His truth to the people of Jamaica, on yet another Sabbath Day.
Sunday, typically is a very quiet day, because malls, supermarkets, restaurants and the like are tightly shut and most of the activity is either church related, or people visit the parks and other places of recreation. As such, it was a very light day of distribution, with three teams visiting churches. Reception was surprisingly good at these churches, with almost everyone taking the tracts. At one Baptist Church, where apparently most of the members were of the upper class, the members would roll down the windows of their expensive cars and SUV's to accept the tracts and FR teaching booklets, which the ambassadors were delighted to share with them.
Two ambassadors of another team worked at a traffic intersection, while they awaited the end of services at a Catholic Church. They were right there to greet the parishioners as they left for the day, everyone, including the priest, graciously accepting the tracts.
At a Seventh Day Adventist church, there was a funeral in session, and the team members waited out the attendees, but were not able to reach them, because of the protracted deliberations (it must have been a well known person). Nevertheless, they caught the attention of quite a few people as they were entering and leaving the service. Three ladies in particular had received the tracts and the teaching materials and later they came to the ambassador, because one of them did not receive the "Judgment Day" tract. When they all had received the full complement of the literature we were sharing, one lady said: "You people are false prophets, you are Antichrists." When the team member asked them to return the materials, if that is the way they feel, they promptly refused, saying: "We are going to read them and check for the errors in this message that we are declaring. May it be that these ladies, as well as many others, will be like the Bereans and check to see that these things are so (Acts 17:11).
Though the Jamaicans are a very churched people, yet there are visible signs of the decline in church membership, because at many of the churches that we visited today, there were not enough members for a sustained distribution. Therefore, two teams again worked in and around the Halfway Tree Bus Terminus, the ever present location for sharing the gospel of new life, when activity wanes at other sites. The ambassadors were able to reach quite a few people, some either coming from, or going to church, and with wonderful results.
Another team went to Devon House, which was originally a palace, and is now an historical site that attracts many. The team walked around the grounds, sharing with several that were there, despite the heat. Unexpectedly, the team came upon a flea market where there were a few hundred people browsing and shopping. They too received the tracts and the teaching booklets where they could read about God's impending judgment, and learn that there is still the hope of salvation. Of course, they were encouraged to read the Bible, and beseech God for even a crumb off of His table of grace.
Yet another team had the delight of visiting the Royal Botanical Gardens and this is their report. "It rained early in the morning, thus we had a late start to the day. There were not very many people about, one reason being that it was still a little early in the day, and also, many did not venture out because after the rains, the weather was suffocatingly hot. Nonetheless, we were able to share tracts with the few people there, while at the same time enjoying the grand scenery and the perfection of God's creation. The team shared the remaining tracts at a busy intersection, thankful to be used of the Lord in such a marvelous way."
It seems that the veracity of the message that we are proclaiming is penetrating the consciousness of the Jamaican public, because, today there seemed to be a significant lull in the chorus of "No man knows the day or the hour". We pray that God is indeed effecting a mighty work of grace in the hearts of these dear people, and that many of His lost sheep would be translated into the kingdom of Christ. God be praised for His infinite love and abounding mercies.
"Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee I do trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee." (Psalm 143:8)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Kingston Jamaica
LETTER #9
"And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:" (Philippians 3:9)
Monday, October 26, 2009: This is our final report and the last day of sharing the words of eternal life with the gracious and warmly receptive people of Jamaica.
Today we visited three poor neighborhoods, including Trench Town, the hometown of the nation's renowned singer/Rastafarian, Bob Marley. We like to share Bibles in these neighborhoods because many of the residents cannot afford to purchase one. The teams had remarkably wonderful results from their distribution efforts here, even despite the fact that the cab drivers, or the police tried to dissuade us from going to these locations.
Here is a team's report, where we see the power of God, and that whatever He purposes, He will also do it (Isaiah 46:11). "Our cab driver dropped us off at the entrance to the neighborhood, and either he did not know the exact direction to point the ambassadors, or did not want to go into the heart of the area. Therefore, he suggested that we ask at the police station for directions. The team leader showed the policewoman a tract and indicated that they wanted to go through the neighborhood to distribute them. The policewoman told us that we would be doing so at our own risk, and suggested that we go to the mall nearby."
Undauntedly, we went through the whole neighborhood, determined to get the Bibles, tracts and other teaching materials to these dear people, whose only ailment in the physical realm is poverty, but who, just like the rest of the world, need the balm of Gilead that provides healing for the disease of sin. The team had not one bad encounter in this neighborhood. Many were pleased to receive this information, especially the Bibles; there were several questions, and we had many witnessing opportunities, and sharing of scriptures. Yet others were very interested and indicated that they would check it out in the Bibles that they had just received. We pray for God's mercy and saving grace on many.
Today we also visited the Tower Street Adult Correctional Center. In fact, our contact here was driving the team to the location and had forgotten the direction thereto. She stopped a policeman and asked him for directions. He promptly told her to follow him and the Word of God was escorted, by the Jamaican police, to the prison facility. The team made a package of all the materials and gave it to the policeman who was both surprised and delighted.
At the facility, the inmates were waiting in an auditorium for the team, they listened with rapt attention as the team leader talked with them. He advised them to fellowship one on one with God, not to seek church membership, and to pray without ceasing. At the end, they were provided answers to their many questions, and in an orderly fashion the tracts, Bibles and teaching materials were distributed to them. We thank God that these inmates could be provided with the means by which they could obtain release from spiritual prison, in accordance with God's will.
We see that the that we are proclaiming is having a profound impact on the people of Jamaica. Not only is everyone, the young and old, the poor and the affluent, talking about this information, but it has also captured the attention of the Media. Today, our message is "Front Page" news, with the details of the tracts on page three of the publication, which is distributed nationwide (even the inmates of the prison had copies of the newspaper). In addition, one of our ambassadors had a live interview with the News Anchor at one of the secular radio stations. The interview was aired as they spoke and will be broadcast again, later in the day. The Anchor had many questions about the End of the Church Age, the Rapture and the Day of Judgment, which are the queries and concerns of the populace, at large. By God's grace, the ambassador steered her questions to the FR website and encouraged her, and others to partake of the free literature that is available.
Many are intrigued by the message, and a few are scared. We pray that they will be comforted by the assurance of salvation, as God allows, during these less than nineteen months to the end of the day of grace.
Wherever we visit on our mission trips, we see God's wonderful provision, and Jamaica is no different. We have been blessed with the dedicated service of a woman who was a Family Radio listener while she lived in New York, who has retired to Jamaica, her country of birth, and who still listens via the Internet. She has been with us at the set up of the mission, stayed with us throughout, and will continue to sound the alarm, after we leave. She will be assisted by a young man who we met here, and who was irresistibly drawn to the gospel and wants to proclaim it to his countrymen. We pray God's richest blessings on this two person team and others whom He will undoubtedly raise up, as they traverse the highways and byways of Jamaica with God's precious truth.
During the mission, we have shared with these dear people of Jamaica, 140,000 tracts, hundreds of FR teaching booklets, and 580 Bibles . May the Lord bless His word to many hearts. We thank the listening audience for their prayers and financial support that make these mission trips possible, and we encourage others to seek the opportunity to serve the Lord in such a grand fashion. To God be the glory.
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Colossians 3:16)
In Christian love,
The Family Radio Mission Group in Kingston Jamaica