Dear Friends and Family,
This year has been an exciting year as we’ve got to meet our first child March 8th! Both Anna and baby Eliza are healthy and doing great! We’re still plugged into a local church plant since our budget has been raised since November, and that church, Fountian City, has rebounded from covid stronger then before! Many missionaries to the Philippines including ourselves; are waiting for the borders to open up so we can get back to breaking down the borders of people’s hearts. There is a lot of tension in the Philippines right now with how strict travel restrictions are from one city to another, and with many lives being uprooted without proper work. We appreciate all your prayers for them.
Just last week we were at both a funeral and a wedding. It’s a weird feeling mourning with one family and rejoicing with another just a couple days apart, but God has been reinforcing how we are appointed to live, die and then face judgement. Janice Cooley who has since gone to be with the Lord is reunited with her husband, but has left some beautiful family members who could still use your prayers and encouragement. She had a long life serving in ministry as well as living a life of missions in the Philippines. Both Otho and Janice will be missed.
It breaks my heart to have to think of those that I’ve encountered, whom I didn’t share the Gospel with and who may never get to hear a genuine presentation of the Gospel that is birthed from the love that we carry for the world. We poured out our hearts for the lost at yesterday’s service regarding how each of our lives will, “echo for eternity”; a quote from the movie Gladiator that holds so much truth. Our family and newest little missionary are ready to spend our lives to reach the lost near and a far. I urge you to take that leap of faith with us and share the Good News even if you don’t have all the answers. Peoples lives do get changed with prayer, and you too can be a witness of God’s working miracle, as the only people who see miracles are those that pray. Likewise, the only people who see the lost come into the Kingdom of God, are those that go out on a limb and speak of the peace that Jesus has given them.
Because they haven’t heard,
Justin & Anna Gilpin
